Music: T-Bone Walker’s Good Feelin

Atticus Gregory H. Upton Lewis

As I was making my decision on what to review this week, I realized I was missing two important types of artists; A local artist, and a blues artist.

I decided to rectify that by reviewing someone who fits both criteria: T-Bone Walker. 

Truthfully, there were no better options to represent our small section of Texas. He was the first to ever use the electric guitar, kickstarting decades of innovation in not just the blues, but all music. A pioneer for the ages whose decades of experience led to him receiving a Grammy for the album “Good Feelin’.”

Recorded in Paris, France, Good Feelin’ was T-Bone showing us the culmination of his over 40 year career in one album. It came near the end of his career in the last six years of his life and produced by Polydor Records. It begins with an introduction by T-Bone on a great performance by pianist Michel Sardaby telling us we are about to hear, “nothing but the blues.”

The rest of the album has everything you would expect of a blues album and more. 

It has the tracks about heartbreak, both lamenting in, and taking it in stride. You’ve got the tracks asking why she treats you badly in “I Wonder Why,” the tracks asking her to stay in “Reconsider,” and the tracks telling her to get out with “Sail On Little Girl.” 

You’ve got the tracks motivating you to push forward in the hard times, empowered by a strong vocal performance. 

You’ve got the tracks about traveling down to Hollywood in, “Vacation.” 

You’ve got the tracks made to make you dance endlessly with the woman in your eyes with the aptly named, “Shake It Baby.”

None of this mentions what T-Bone is most famous for, his guitar playing. It takes special focus on the track “Poontang” where you can hear every single pluck of the strings. They draw you into a fever that makes you groove smoothly. All of this playing is backed with Pierre Holassian on the saxophone and Bernard Estardy on the organ. All of it comes together in back-to-back funky performances. 

The final track rounds out the album the same way it begins, with a brief monologue from T-Bone, telling us, “Now you heard the blues. At end of it all, see you next time.” 

Apparently people were all for this sound as not only did it receive a great deal of praise across Europe and America for reigniting interest in T-Bone personally, it would win him his only Grammy for “Best Ethnic or Traditional Recording” in for the 1970 awards.

Absolutely deserved and long overdue for an artist who inspired legends like B.B. King, Chuck Berry, Lonnie Mac, and even Jimi Hendrix and Jethro Tull. Without T-Bone, where would the blues be? Would we even have rock? 

This record is the culmination of all of his skill and experience in the arts for a future resident of two Halls of Fame and is absolutely a must listen.

On a personal note, this week’s column is dedicated to two great friends, and relatives of T-Bone, both of whom have birthdays this week: Bernita Walker, his daughter, and Lorna Crowell, his niece. Happy Birthday to you both!