Joe Louis Walker

Joe Louis Walker, an acclaimed blues guitarist whose work earned him entry into the Blues Hall of Fame, died April 30, 2025, of a cardiac-related illness at a hospital in Poughkeepsie, New York at the age of 75.

It didn't take long for Walker to know he wanted to play the guitar. He grew up in a household filled with music, especially the blues, and by the age of 8 he was playing along with the records he loved. At 16, he left home to pursue music, landing gigs opening for legends like Thelonious Monk and Muddy Waters and exploring various permutations of the blues. His time on the road shaped his approach to music so that when his debut album was finally released in 1986, "Cold is the Night," Walker had established a unique take on the genre. In the dozens of records that followed, Walker earned wide acclaim for his blend of innovative new techniques and nods to the music that came before him, earning a Grammy Award nomination for his 2015 record, "Everybody Wants a Piece." Over the years he played with Branford Marsalis, Bonnie Raitt, Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal, Ike Turner, and many others. He won three Blues Music Awards and in 2013 was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame.

"I am heartbroken upon learning of Joe Louis Walker's death," musician Debbie Davies said on Facebook. "Joe was a friend, a colleague, a mentor! A real deal blues man...one of the few left. He was a phenomenal guitar peer and could play it all from low down traditional blues to burning rock 'n roll! His voice was so unique...a real soulful blues voice that could also hit notes octaves above his singing range. I'm so grateful that we got to work together in many settings … My heart goes out to Robin, his wife, and all his family!"

By Eric San Juan

(Image: Al Pereira/Getty Images/Michael Ochs Archives)