1930 – 1968

Little Walter

American blues harmonica player (1930-1968)

blues musicianrecording artiststreet artistguitaristsongwriter

Born

1930-05-01, Marksville

Died

1968-02-15

Birthplace state

Louisiana

Biography

Marion Walter Jacobs, known as Little Walter, was an American blues musician, singer, and songwriter. His revolutionary approach to the harmonica had a strong impact on the succeeding generations, earning him comparisons to such seminal artists as Django Reinhardt, Charlie Parker and Jimi Hendrix. His virtuosity and musical innovations fundamentally altered many listeners' expectations of what was possible on blues harmonica. He was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008, the first and, to date, only artist to be inducted specifically as a harmonica player.

Occupation

Little Walter is recorded as a blues musician, a recording artist, a street artist, a guitarist, a songwriter and a singer, born in Louisiana (1930–1968).

Connections to Louisiana

Little Walter was born in Marksville, Louisiana in 1930. Explore other notable figures from Louisiana, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

Other notable figures from Louisiana›Louisianahistory ›Historic sites in Louisiana›

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Everything a full report reveals about Marksville

Little Walter came from Marksville. A full Aubrey report on Marksville pulls together everything the historical record holds about that place, from the first settlers to the twentieth century:

Overview

An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.

The Land

The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.

Geology

The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.

LiDAR Terrain

Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.

Conflict & War

The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.

The Civil War

The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.

The Soldiers

The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.

Native Heritage

The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.

Settlement

Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.

The Community

How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.

Rivers & Rail

The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.

Notable People

The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.

Historical Maps

Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.

Finds & Access

Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.

Literature

The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.

Spotlight

A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.

Points of Interest

The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.

Timeline

The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.

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More notable figures from Louisiana

Other historical figures born in Louisiana, ranked by historical prominence.

Louis Armstrong

American jazz musician, trumpeter and singer (1901–1971)

Truman Capote

American author (1924-1984)

Richard Simmons

American fitness instructor and video producer (1948–2024)

Lee Harvey Oswald

American former marine who assassinated John F. Kennedy (1939–1963)

Anne Rice

American writer

Jerry Lee Lewis

American rock 'n' roll musician (1935–2022)

Bill Russell

American basketball player (1934–2022)

Frequently asked about Little Walter

Who was Little Walter?

Little Walter was American blues harmonica player (1930-1968), born in Louisiana (1930 – 1968).

When and where was Little Walter born?

Little Walter was born on 1930-05-01 in Marksville.

When did Little Walter die?

Little died on 1968-02-15.

What was Little Walter known for?

Little Walter is recorded as a blues musician, a recording artist, a street artist, a guitarist, a songwriter and a singer.

Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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