Bman's Blues Report

Mercy Dee Walton (August 3, 1915 – December 2, 1962) was an American jump blues pianist, singer and songwriter, whose compositions ran the gamut from lowdown blues to jumping R&B numbers. According to journalist Tony Russell in his book The Blues - From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray, "Walton created a series of memorable blues about the unattractiveness of rural life, sardonically aimed at the black migrant workers in southern California who constituted his typical audience". Born in Waco, Texas, United States, he moved to California just before World War II. He started playing piano at age 13 and learned his style from many of the ten-cent party house pianists that played out in the country on weekends. To make ends meet, he had to earn his living in the fields chopping cotton, picking grapes or cutting spinach. During this time, the musican who impressed Walton the most was Delois Maxey, who never had an opportunity to record. In 1949, Walton made his first record fo...

Mercy Dee Walton (August 3, 1915 – December 2, 1962) was an American jump blues pianist, singer and songwriter, whose compositions ran the gamut from lowdown blues to jumping R&B numbers. According to journalist Tony Russell in his book The Blues - From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray, "Walton created a series of memorable blues about the unattractiveness of rural life, sardonically aimed at the black migrant workers in southern California who constituted his typical audience" Born in Waco, Texas, United States, he moved to California just before World War II.He started playing piano at age 13 and learned his style from many of the ten-cent party house pianists that played out in the country on weekends, but had to earn his living in the fields chopping cotton, picking grapes or cutting spinach to make ends meet. During this time, the man who impressed him the most with his playing was Delois Maxey, who never had an opportunity to record. In 1949, Walton made his first reco...