David Tyrone Walker (born June 25, 1941) is an American guitarist, born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to numerous session musician duties since the early 1970s, Walker has issued fifteen albums in his own name.[1]
David T. Walker | |
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Birth name | David Tyrone Walker |
Also known as | "David T." |
Born | (1941-06-25) June 25, 1941 (age 81) Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States |
Genres | Soul, R&B, jazz fusion, jazz |
Occupation(s) | Guitarist, composer, musician |
Instrument(s) | Guitar |
Years active | 1957–present |
Website | davidtwalker |
David Tyrone Walker was born to a Native American mother and African American father. He and his family relocated to Central California when he was 7 years old.[2] He attended David Starr Jordan High School in the Watts area of Los Angeles. He has recorded fifteen solo albums since his debut release, The Sidewalk, in 1967. He has also been a session rhythm and lead guitarist, appearing on numerous soul, funk, and jazz releases. His backup work was featured on several notable albums of the early 1970s, including Stevie Wonder's Innervisions; Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On[3] and I Want You; Carole King's Rhymes & Reasons and Fantasy; The Jackson 5's Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5, ABC, and Maybe Tomorrow, single "Never Can Say Goodbye"(1971); Michael Jackson's Ben, single "Got To Be There"(1971);[4] Nick De Caro album "Italian Graffiti", song "Under the Jamican Moon"(1974), and Quincy Jones's Body Heat. He also played with the combo Afrique on its 1973 Afro funk release Soul Makossa.
Other musicians Walker has worked with over the years include James Brown (1973), Ray Charles,[5] Nick De Caro, Etta James, Aretha Franklin,[1] Smokey Robinson, Jack Stratton, Martha and the Vandellas,[5] Four Tops, Diana Ross, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Billy Preston, Bobby Womack(1981),[6] Barry White & Love Unlimited Orchestra,[1] Hampton Hawes,[7] Herbie Hancock, Lou Rawls, Willie Hutch, Jeffrey Osborne, Johnny Bristol, Solomon Burke, Cannonball Adderley,[8] B.B. King, Pharoah Sanders, The Crusaders,[9] Joe Sample, Sarah Vaughan, Sérgio Mendes, Freddie Hubbard, Stanley Turrentine,[10] Gerald Levert, and Boz Scaggs.[1]
His song "On Love" was sampled on the breakbeat compilation album Tribe Vibes Vol. 2 by the group A Tribe Called Quest. His guitar riff on Joe Sample's "In All My Wildest Dreams" (from Rainbow Seeker) was sampled on Tupac Shakur's song "Dear Mama".
Walker played in Bill Cosby's all-star band at the 2008 Playboy Jazz Festival.[11]
He has gained popularity in Japan for playing guitar and he also leads his group on tours of Japan each year. He recently toured Japan with Marlena Shaw, Larry Carlton and a Brazilian artist Ed Motta. His earlier albums have found new life by being reissued in Japanese editions, along with "best of" collections. An album titled Thoughts was released in Japan in 2008. A holiday album titled Wear My Love was released in Japan in 2009. For All Time was released in 2010.[citation needed]
With Etta James
With Martha & The Vandellas
With Stevie Wonder
With The Jackson 5
With Afrique
With Marvin Gaye
With Cannonball Adderley
With Donald Byrd
With Nick De Caro
With Friends of Distinction
With Herbie Hancock
With Monk Higgins
With Freddie Hubbard
With Bobbi Humphrey
With Paul Humphrey
With Quincy Jones
With Lonette McKee
With Blue Mitchell
With Alphonse Mouzon
With Jeffrey Osborne
With Gloria Scott
With Marlena Shaw
With The Silvers
With Stanley Turrentine
With Vulfpeck
With Leon Ware
With Bobby Womack
With Dee Dee Bridgewater
With Ed Motta
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