His stepfather, Marco Washington (a member of the Dallas String Band), taught him to play the guitar, ukulele, banjo, violin, mandolin, and piano.

By the age of 25, Walker was working in clubs on Central Avenue, in Los Angeles, sometimes as the featured singer and as guitarist with Les Hite's orchestra.

[1] In 1942, Charlie Glenn, the owner of the Rhumboogie Café, brought T-Bone Walker to Chicago for long stints in his club.

[6] T-Bone Walker performed at the second famed Cavalcade of Jazz concert held at Wrigley Field in Los Angeles produced by Leon Hefflin Sr. on October 12, 1946.

Jack McVea, Slim Gaillard, The Honeydrippers, Lionel Hampton and his Orchestra, and Louis Armstrong were also on the program.

[20] By the early 1960s, Walker's career had slowed down, in spite of an energetic performance at the American Folk Blues Festival in 1962 with the pianist Memphis Slim and the prolific writer and musician Willie Dixon, among others.

[28] In his 1996 autobiography, King commented that when he first heard Walker, he thought "Jesus Himself had returned to earth playing electric guitar.

Blues-rock soloing pioneer Lonnie Mack named Walker his principal blues guitar influence.

The British rock band Jethro Tull covered Walker's "Stormy Monday" in 1968 for John Peel's "Top Gear".

[32] With Norman Granz' Jazz At The Philharmonic With Jay McShann With Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson With Jimmy Witherspoon With various artists