He is certainly one of the best blues-rock guitarists of the last forty years and probably one of the last to know how to make his guitar vibrate with so much passion and precision.
It must be said that Walter Trout has gained experience by accompanying the greatest. He was a member of John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (succeeding, as a reminder, Eric Clapton, Peter Green or Mick Taylor) then of Canned Heat and finally accompanied John Lee Hooker and Joe Tex. Since 1989, he leads with brio a solo career (with his Walter Trout Band) which makes the bet to sign strong and contemporary titles while remaining deeply attached to the blues and boogie tradition which is dear to his heart. And he already has a good twenty records to his credit! As for the stage, he has been able to demonstrate his virtuosity on stages all over the world or in renowned festivals such as Pinkpop in the Netherlands or the Mydtfins Festival in Denmark.
A true virtuoso on stage, he can count on a solid fan base, which founded the Official Walter Trout Fan Club in the 1990s. He could also count on the unfailing support of his fans when he experienced health problems from 2013 (liver failure). He will subsequently undergo a liver transplant. This fan support has pushed Walter Trout to continue touring and recording. He will also publish his autobiography, named "Rescued from Reality", where he recounts this transplant that saved his life.
Miraculous, Walter Trout still remains dynamic and productive. Like many musicians, he is eager to get back on stage. He recently told Classic Rock magazine: "Sometimes you have to go through the void to find the light. I can't wait to get back on the road, meet people at shows, hug them and pose for a picture with them. And of course, I can't wait to play my songs live. We can't wait as much as he can!
As a child, he swore by rock and jazz. But when, at the age of ten, he discovered the blues, his heart capsized. It was this music that spoke to him, this music that he would play. A young prodigy, he soon moved to Los Angeles, where he worked as a sideman for John Lee Hooker and Percy Mayfield, among others. In 1981, his destiny changed completely when he became lead guitarist with Canned Heat. Then, in 1984, he joined John Mayall's BluesBreakers and was already a legend, following in the footsteps of Peter Green and Eric Clapton.
At 38, the guitarist with the blues running through his veins already has nothing left to prove. So he went his own way, formed the Walter Trout Band and took to the microphone to tell his story. And his fans were immediately hooked. His first album, Life in the Jungle, was followed by a host of others, often with his band but sometimes one-on-one with his guitar, always delivering a blues with a powerfully modern edge.
Although Walter Trout had always been successful, he was mainly active in Northern Europe and the Netherlands. But in 1998, the guitarist wanted to change all that, and released a self-titled debut album in the U.S. under the slightly rebellious name Walter Trout and the Radicals. And it worked! In the years that followed, the bluesman became prolific, releasing one or two albums a year, touring the world and satisfying an ever-growing audience with his positive groove.
Stubborn Walter Trout? Well, maybe a little! When he's told he has cirrhosis of the liver, he sends the doctors packing to continue doing what he loves most of all: playing to his audience. It was only when a transplant became vital that he agreed to stop and undergo the risky operation, which would leave him confined to his hospital bed for 8 months. But the bluesman has seen it all before. He relearned to walk, talk, sing and, above all, to play guitar as if nothing had ever happened. And, of course, he's back on tour.
Just before Covid, Walter Trout had delivered a marvel of introspective blues with Ordinary Madness before being stopped in his tracks. Just after the pandemic, he returned with Ride, a little blues gem and further proof, if any were needed, of his ability to sublimate hardship into songs filled with hope and courage. An album made up of "what I was going through mentally and emotionally", says this maestro, who was only too eager to "get back out on the road, meet people at concerts, give them hugs and pose for a photo with them".