Photo by Scott Preston
Legendary New York venue Iridium in association with Mascot Label Group have announced a special evening planned to celebrate Walter Trout on June 10. Trout’s THE BLUES CAME CALLIN‘ will be released that morning by Provogue / Mascot Label Group. The accompanying documentary The Blues Came Callin’ – THE WALTER TROUT STORY will be premiered at the venue, followed by performances of Trout repertoire by esteemed, special guests Joe Louis Walker, Jon Paris and Jim Weider joining a house band assembled by Elmore’s Arnie Goodman featuring Rocky Athas (John Mayall), Scott Holt (Buddy Guy) and original member of George Thorogood and The Destroyers Jeff Simon. There are two sittings planned for 8:00PM and 10:30PM, with a door charge of $25.00. Tickets can be purchased here: http://theiridium.com/events/2296/walter-trout/
For this special evening, Rocky Athas, Scott Holt and Jeff Simon all are appearing to support Trout as he recuperates at the Nebraska Medical Center following a long-awaited liver transplant. On May 26, the donor came through, and Trout is now recuperating from surgery. Scott Holt shares, “I’ve respected and admired Walter’s playing since his days with John Mayall. He’s an incredible, fiery guitarist, a great entertainer and a tremendous talent.” Jan Paris offers, “Walter Trout’s heartfelt tribute to the late-great Luther Allison is just one example of Trout’s musical virtuosity. Wishing Walter a fast and full recovery, so he can get back to doing what he does so well, play The Blues.” Rocky Athas adds, “Not just a great musician…but a man of real character” The emcee for the evening will be Brian Cadey, a veteran radio correspondent with a rich history in the Blues from tenures at CBS Radio and BMP’s House of Blues Radio.
Walter Trout’s THE BLUES CAME CALLIN’ captured Trout looking back at an almost 50-year commitment to playing and singing the blues. The album was recorded throughout 2013, and the songs reflect Walter’s thoughts about mortality and his renewed appreciation for being alive. Amongst the twelve new songs, ten are originals. One is written by John Mayall for the occasion, and the other is a J.B. Lenoir cover. Trout searches his soul on this album and lays it bare allowing the celebration of his career to be infused with new appreciation for life. THE BLUES CAME CALLIN’ was produced by Walter Trout and Eric Corne. An EPK can be screened here (with an embedded link provided below): http://youtu.be/btiS6ijncMk.
The upcoming official biography Rescued From Reality – The Life and Times of Walter Trout is co-written with British music journalist, Henry Yates. The manuscript will be released simultaneously with the new album. The book features previously untold stories, and is packed with rare photographs from the musician’s personal archive. It documents an initially blissful childhood, shattered by divorce, abuse, and violence. As the story unfolds, it leads us through Walter’s life of heartache, poverty, living on the street and being “the only white guy” struggling in famous blues bands in LA in the late 1970’s. Walter reflects on his time in the 1980’s when nobody cared to hear the blues, to being “discovered” and having long-time gigs as a hard-playing and hard-drinking and drugging globetrotting sideman with Canned Heat and John Mayall. The book chronicles how Walter eventually became drug-free, broke out on his own and embarked on a solo career in 1989.
Trout recently offered, “To play my music for people has become even more important to me. When I think about looking out into the crowds of people and connecting with everyone on a soul level, and sharing the experience of music with them, this is what keeps me fighting to get back: My family and my music is my lifeline. These days, it means more to me than ever before.”
