“You look at everyone who’s ever stood in front of a band playing guitar and it all traces back to one man”: How T-Bone Walker invented electric blues guitar

A black-and-white action shot of electric blues pioneer T-Bone Walker performing in the '60s.

Let’s begin with a simple fact: T-Bone Walker wrote the dictionary on electric blues guitar practically single-handedly.

The licks and techniques he invented – or, at the very least, popularised – are still heard in almost every amplified blues guitar solo, whether said soloist knows it or not. Listen to Jimi, Eric, SRV, BB or Bonamassa for more than a few seconds and you will hear something T-Bone played way back in the 1940s.