Wade Walton

Wade Walton (October 10, 1923 – January 10, 2000) was an American blues musician and local civil rights leader from Mississippi. He was also a renowned barber, who counted many famous musicians amongst his friends, colleagues, and customers.

Walton was born in Lombardy, Mississippi but grew up near Parchman Farm. He attended barber college in Memphis, Tennessee, and subsequently opened a barber shop in Clarksdale, Mississippi.

Walton was known as the "blues barber" because his "Big Six barber shop" was a center of musical activity in Clarksdale. It was located first at 304 Fourth Street, and since 1989 at 317 Issaquena Avenue, which was previously the site of W.C. Handy's house. Walton was proficient on the harmonica, the guitar, and the razor strop, which he played by striking it rhythmically with his razor. Walton was recorded in his barber shop by Paul Oliver in 1960. He later recorded an album, Shake 'Em On Down, released by Bluesville Records in the early 1960s.

In 1960, by chance, Robert Curtis Smith met Paul Oliver and Chris Strachwitz in Walton's barber shop. This led to Smith recording, The Blues of Robert Curtis Smith: Clarksdale Blues (1963).

Walton played in the Kings of Rhythm with Ike Turner, but stayed on working as a barber in Clarksdale when Turner took the group national.

Many musicians and other notable people patronized Walton's barber shop to play music with him or in homage, including Howlin' Wolf,Muddy Waters,Sonny Boy Williamson II, and Allen Ginsberg.

...
Wikipedia