Walter Trout

We’re all in this together

Provogue/Mascot Label Group

Walter Trout was born in Ocean City, N.J. After moving to LA he worked with Big Mama Thornton, John Lee Hooker and Joe Tex before becoming Canned Heat’s guitarist in 1981. In 1985 he left them and joined John Mayall and The Bluesbreakers where he stayed until 1989 when he left to form his own band.

Trout developed a formidable following while touring Europe during the 1990’s. He named his band Walter Trout and The Free Radicals and released his debut album in 1998. During a recording session in 2014 Trout was diagnosed with severe liver disease. Needing a liver transplant his wife Marie was able to raise the money through donations supplied by his fans. Trout recovered and resumed touring in 2015. Trout has a total of eight Blues Music Award nominations winning both the 2016 “Song of The Year” and “Rock Blues Album of The Year” awards. He was nominated again for last years follow up album “Battle Scars”.

Trout states “after the heaviness and emotional intensity of creating my last studio album, Battle Scars, I just wanted to go in the studio and have some fun and jam with some friends. This album is the result.” The core band includes Trout, guitar and vocals; Johnny Griparic, bass; Michael Leasure, drums; and either Sammy Avila; Skip Edwards, or Deacon Jones, Hammond organ. The album is dedicated to Jones, who played with both Freddie King and John Lee Hooker, and who passed away on July 6^th, 2017.

Thirteen of the fourteen songs included are new originals written specifically for each of the special guests. “Gonna Hurt Like Hell” was written specifically for Kenny Wayne Shepherd. “The Other Side of The Pillow” was co-written with harp master Charlie Musselwhite and Richard T. Bear. The only cover is Elmore James “The Sky is Crying” performed with Warren Haynes. Special guests include guitarists Sonny Landreth, Mike Zito, Robben Ford, Eric Gales, Joe Louis Walker, Randy Bachman, and Walter’s son Jon Trout. Other special guests include John Nemeth, harp; and Edgar Winter, alto sax.

This is an exciting album as Trout pairs himself with the best of his contemporaries.

Richard Ludmerer

[amazon_link asins=’B0735H71SD,B01DQ5SE7G,B00JDB4D3M,B0141UDAWY,B007IX37TI,B002DKF47Y,B000FGFUX6,B0000ADXFD,B0000249LQ’ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’maasc-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’fe90eeb7-90de-11e7-93f9-87d969e14821′]