Davis, Walter

Davis, Walter 1 March 1912; Grenada, MS – 22 October 1963; St. Louis, MO Walter Davis moved to St. Louis at the age of thirteen. Spotted by Roosevelt Sykes, he began recording in 1930, but did not play his own piano on record until 1935. His career lasted until 1952 and at the height of his popularity he had a new record issued every few weeks. A temperate man, he had a fine, expressive voice and accompanied himself in an idiosyncratic piano style with hollow, modal chords. He joined the church…