Walter Trout Blues Live
The Rialto Theatre
Tucson, Arizona
December 8, 2021
By Mary Andrews
Walter Trout and his band took the stage at the Rialto Theatre. Trout looked out into the audience and remarked that the last time he played in Tucson only 35 people showed up some 23 years ago. This writer was present at that performance as well and Trout played over two hours then too. He was making his trek across the United States that would end at the Beale Street Blues Festival. We can call his Tucson show a paid rehearsal. Regardless, Trout delivers his best whether he is performing for 35 or thousands of people. This show was no exception.
Trout started the set with “I Can Tell” from his Tellin’ Stories album. He has released more than 27 albums in his lengthy career that started when he played with Big Mama Thornton, Joe Tex, Canned Heat, and John Mayall before he struck out to play with his own band. His last six years have been filled with tragedy, challenges and finally triumph.
The guitar wizard addressed his health issues during show. The bluesman was stricken with liver failure due to what he mentioned as his past ‘indiscretions’ of alcohol and drug abuse. He laid in a hospital bed for eight months and he lost 120 pounds. Brain damage was a result. “I didn’t recognize my wife and my kids.” He was on death’s doorstep when he was blessed with a liver donation that saved his life. After the surgery was done, Trout had to learn how to speak, walk, and play guitar starting from scratch. He spoke about how his first album, Battle Scars, was his first album after his surgery and it served as therapy after the ordeal. Trout describes the album was a complete psycho drama for me. “All Most Gone” from the album describes his feelings before he got his transplant surgery. “I wish I could go back and do it over knowing what I know.” Battle Scars was named album of the year at the blues awards in 2015. His songwriting reveals the inner Trout without fail. He was very willing to reveal what inspired each song he wrote.
Trout mentioned, “I decided to make another album after Battle Scars that would just be for fun. We went in the studio and pushed record and just jammed to see what happened. I started calling up some buddies and see who wanted to come in. The response I got was pretty incredible. We had Warren Haynes, Robin Ford, Charlie Musselwhite, Edgar Winter, Randy Bachman, Sonny Landreth (the greatest slide guitar player ever existed), Eric Gale, Mike Zito. Frank Sinatra? No, we called him. He was dead. We did the next song live in the studio with no rehearsal with Joe Bonamassa, “We’re All in This together.” The part with Joe Bonamassa was played by Grisham during the show. Anthony Grisham also joined Trout to play acoustic guitar on “My Foolish Pride.”
Other members of his “badass” band included Tony ‘Zig Zagg’ Andreadis on keyboards and harmonica, Michael Leasure on drums, and Johnny Griparic on bass. All musicians have a resume too long to mention and play with as much gusto as Trout.
Ordinary Madness is his most recent album release. Trout blends his blues and classic rock guitar throughout the show that captivated the fans. Most of the songs in the set are about Trout and his challenges from the last six years. The amazing thing is that Trout plays his guitar impeccably and soulfully after practicing eight hours a day after his surgery. “I sat on my ass for 18 months and watched every single thing on Netflix twice and to get back out here and play music feels f*cking great.”
Trout took a moment toward the end of the show to discuss organ donation. ”It’s a responsibility and I don’t take it lightly. I’ve got to tell you my life was saved by a stranger who signed up to be an organ donor. . . .I am living proof of what an organ donation and transplant can do. Six years ago, at this time, I was dead. It was a miracle and you can do that for someone. . . . You have eight lifesaving organs. . . When you sing up, tell them Walt sent you.”
The show was nothing short of great. Trout’s performance was like a resurrection from the dead that breathed life into craving crowd of blues fans.
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