John Earl Walker

John Earl Walker, who handles guitar, lyrics, and vocals, first developed a passion for the blues upon turning 13 after hearing classic recordings by Albert King, Magic Sam, T-Bone Walker, and Freddie King. Before reaching his 16th birthday, he had already started performing on guitar at neighborhood gatherings and any clubs that would book him. He assembled the blues-rock group the Plastic People in 1967, featuring bassist Pete Harris and guitarist Joey Tremelo among its members. The band adopted the name Plum Nelly in 1970, cut multiple albums for Capitol Records during the mid-1970s, and secured widespread attention by serving as openers for B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Alice Cooper, and Iggy Pop. After Plum Nelly disbanded in 1976, Walker launched the initial version of what would become a series of John Earl Walker Band lineups. The most enduring configuration took shape in 1990 with the addition of drummer Bobby Infante, previously of the Housepainters, alongside the returning Harris, Tremelo, and Walker. Their first CD, I'm Leaving You, appeared in 2002, with Little Miss Perfect and People Are Talkin' arriving in 2004. The New York-based Orchard label distributes all three recordings.