Walter "Wolfman" Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Walter "Wolfman" Washington
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Washington at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, 2008
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Walter Washington |
| Born | December 20, 1943 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died | December 22, 2022 (aged 79) New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Genres | Blues |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1962–2022 |
| Labels | Hep' Me, Maison de Soul, Rounder, Point Blank, Bullseye Blues, Zoho Roots |
Walter "Wolfman" Washington (born December 20, 1943 – died December 22, 2022) was a famous American singer and guitarist. He came from New Orleans, Louisiana. Walter was known for his special music style. He mixed blues music with funk and R&B. This blend created a sound that was all his own.
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Walter "Wolfman" Washington's Life Story
Walter Washington was born in the musical city of New Orleans. When he was still a teenager, he got a big chance. He was asked to play guitar in Lee Dorsey's band. This was a great start to his music career.
His Early Music Journey
In the middle of the 1960s, Walter started his own group. It was called the All Fools Band. They played music at many clubs around New Orleans. People loved their sound.
Later, in the 1970s, Walter joined Johnny Adams' band. He played with Johnny for 20 years! They performed live shows and recorded albums together. Even while playing with Johnny, Walter also worked on his own music. In the late 1970s, he formed his own band, the Roadmasters. They even traveled to Europe to play their music.
Releasing His Own Albums
Walter "Wolfman" Washington released his first solo album in 1981. It was called Rainin' In My Life. A small local record company named Hep' Me put it out.
In 1985, he signed a deal with Rounder Records. He released three albums with them. After his time with Rounder, he also put out an album called Sada on Point Blank Records.
Walter also started playing regularly with two other talented New Orleans musicians. These were organist Joe Krown and drummer Russell Batiste, Jr.. They played as a trio at the famous Maple Leaf Bar.
Music in Movies and Later Albums
Walter "Wolfman" Washington appeared in a movie in 2005. It was a documentary film called Make It Funky!. This film showed the history of New Orleans music. It also showed how it influenced rhythm and blues, rock and roll, funk, and jazz. In the movie, Walter performed the song "Barefootin'" with the house band.
In 2008, he released a new album after many years. It was titled Doin' the Funky Thing. Also in 2008, the trio of Krown, Washington, and Batiste released a live album. It was called Live at the Maple Leaf.
Walter "Wolfman" Washington sadly passed away from cancer. He died in New Orleans on December 22, 2022. This was just two days after his 79th birthday.
Walter "Wolfman" Washington's Albums
Here is a list of the albums Walter "Wolfman" Washington released:
- 1981 Leader Of The Pack (Hep' Me)
- 1986 Wolf Tracks (Rounder)
- 1987 Rainin' In My Life (Maison de Soul)
- 1988 Out of the Dark (Rounder)
- 1991 Wolf at the Door (Rounder)
- 1991 Sada (Point Blank)
- 1998 Funk Is in the House (Bullseye Blues)
- 1999 Blue Moon Risin' (Artelier)
- 2000 On the Prowl (Rounder)
- 2008 Doin' the Funky Thing (Zoho Roots)
- 2014 Howlin' LIVE at DBA New Orleans (Frenchmen Street Records)
- 2018 My Future Is My Past (ANTI-Records)
