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#84103 - 02/05/08 05:45 PM
Re: Winston Walls...B-3 Giant!
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Junior Member
Registered: 02/05/08
Posts: 3
Loc: Charleston, West Virginia U.S...
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I saw these posts about Winston Walls and felt that I should notify those who have an interest that sadly, this truly amazing musician passed away this morning at the age of 65.
He was an incredible Hammond B3 player as well being a fantastic pianist and drummer (having played drums behind organist Bill Doggett in the early 1960's). Winston had also performed as a stand up comedian, professional wrestler ("The Claw"), motorcycle stunt rider, and professional roller skater. The man was truly an unforgettable character.
He used my Hammond B3 many times during club appearances during his return visits to his hometown of Charleston, West Virginia. Winston was terribly underecorded (due to his own refusal) and only cut one album during his 45 year career. That album, entitled "Boss Of The B3" was recorded live in Ann Arbor and Detroit, Michigan in 1993 and released in CD format in 1994 by Schoolkids Records. I am so glad that he let me document his playing of my B3 several times over the years to videotape.
Sorry to be the bearer of this sad news. He was a close friend and there are many of us who will miss him terribly.
Winston Walls October 17, 1942 - February 5, 2008
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#84108 - 02/09/08 06:58 AM
Re: Winston Walls...B-3 Giant!
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Junior Member
Registered: 02/05/08
Posts: 3
Loc: Charleston, West Virginia U.S...
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Hi Russ,
I am also sorry that these unfortunate circumstances are the catalyst behind our meeting one another.
And like you, my life is also much richer for having known Winston Walls. He is tuly my most unforgettable character. The countless hours I spent over the years listening to Winston play as well as hanging out with him while he made us all laugh is something I will miss terribly. Although my spiritual beliefs lead me to conclude that I will see Winston again. Between Winston, Billy Preston, Groove Holmes, Jimmy Smith, Jack McDuff, and so many others, God certainly has an impressive stable of organ players to call on when he needs one.
Winston's wife, Lucille, has made arrangements for a viewing to take place in Fort Myers, Florida on Thursday, February 14th from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and his burial will be the next morning. I do not have an address as yet where flowers can be sent. But will in the next 24 hours or so.
By the way, I do remember Winston talking about playing at Up Jumped The Devil. I will send you links to a couple of great articles about him that appeared in our morning and afternoon newspapers yesterday here in Charleston.
I will be happy to share some video of Winston with you. I was finally able to look at some of it last night. He was truly a world class player and a master of the Hammond B3. I need to take the master video tapes that I have and compile a "Best Of" kind of a package. I have over 20 hours of footage of him playing and need to edit it down to two or maybe four hours of the best material. I will also include the footage of him playing my B3 unacompanied in my home. This will likely not happen overnight though. Please be patient with me and I will contact you when I have it ready. I'm not talking about years here. But probably at least a few weeks or a month or two. The same performances that I videotaped I also recorded to a portable DAT deck using some nice mics. Naturally there is some audience noise but otherwise those recordings turned out fairly well. That is yet another Winston project that I will have to immerse myself in soon (editing those recordings down to a "Best Of" and putting them on CD's). I'll keep you posted on my progress with that. But please be patient with me on that project too. Thanks.
John Bailes Charleston, West Virginia
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