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Walter T. Price, AKA. Big Water the Thunderbird. The birds fly so swiftly coast to coast. That's my slogan and my stage name. I was born in Gonzales, Texas. August The 2nd 1914. My birth certificate says August 2nd. 1917. 17 It's really not true. Uh For the

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fact that My mother and father did not raise me. I didn't even know my father who he was until I was 17 years of age. And I never even received a birth certificate of me until. Well later in the year, way over in the 30s. Way

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up in the 30s. Before you when you I had a, a birth certificate. Uh My mother's name was Annie Lee Price. Her maiden name was Annie Lee Thompson. My father His name was Will Price. The one that raised me. With my aunt, which is that was

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my mother's sister. She was the one that raised me. My mother and father did not raise me. We moved from From Gonzalez to San Antonio when I was 11 years old, I used to pick cotton. I remember that very Very well. My auntie in my aunties,

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the one that raised me with her name was Brady Hunt. And uh The uncle was Calvin Hunt. As I said before, my uncle. My 8 ones that raised me, they were. She problem. I'm pretty sure they won't know. The best sharecropper. Unfortunately, I'm the only child.

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I have no sisters. And no brother. I was told that it was a. Because my mother Had a little girl before I was born, which was a year different but. I was told that She lost the baby in very so. Still no sisters and no brothers.

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I went to school in Gonzales. Uh, I got my gray card. Unfortunately, I only went to the first grade. I was promoted to the 5th grade, but I never did studied the 5th grade. During those days is when you, if you grew up real fast, look

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like a man. Well they kind of really want out of their classroom, I guess, so they just promoted me. But I do have My first braid car, and that's what I studied, my first grade. When I went to school in Gonzales, it was a little school

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out in the country called Smith Creek Elementary School. My teacher, her name was Miss Minniela. From 11 years old. Maybe I can kind of give you an idea how we got started. And 2 My adult life. And I said it about life is because when I

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was 11 years old I had to. I had to work Cut grass Help my uncle pull concrete. In fact, we're the one that helped build Randol Field this little west part of uh uh uh San Antonio Randdo Field. Uh, And growing up From 11 years old.

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I did go to school at At Bracken Ridge in San Antonio. That's when they promoted me to the 5th grade, but I never. Some, some, some specific reason I just never could have the 5th grade. So when I dropped out of school, which I never did

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graduate. I have started Working in cafes. Barbershops, shiny shoes and so forth and whatnot. And learn how to make sandwiches and all that kind of things in order to be able to survive. Then one day. A young man came to me and told me my auntie

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wanted to see me right away because I was signing, she was on Commerce Street at the barbershop. So this is when I got home. Basically look in the mirror and see who this man was, but I didn't know what he was talking about. That's the one

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that I was telling you about my father, which I hadn't seen him in 17 years. I didn't even know who he was. Yeah, I got started, music wise. Well, I first started off in the church. I was a group called the Northern Wonders. After I got

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grown, moved to Michigan. And uh This time I had been married with 2 children. Uh, I was singing it in a quartet. Somehow another I wanted to kind of Uh, it didn't, it wasn't enough money. And the spiritual spirit at that given time. So this is

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how I got off into the blues. Oh, back to the two children. But uh When I married Their name was Walter Lee and Catherine and one was named after the mother and the other one was named after me. I finally ended up getting a job working

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on the railway. And I was walking, singing the blues. A young man told me he said, why don't you sing the. I said man, I could even hold a good too, and I don't even know what you're talking about. He said, why don't you try it.

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He said, I'm gonna give you a name. I said, oh well, let me hear this one. I'm gonna call you Big Walter. I said, why would you want to call me Big Walter? He said, because you are big. Well, I took him up, took him at

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his word, later and later years down, then I took his word. And I stopped in a little record shop one day and I asked this. Young man that where could I go to record a record? Now did he record those records? A blues singer or whatever.

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He says no. He said, but I can send you to a man that. That does record blues. He said I only record Spanish. And I think his name was Mr. Mendez. So He sent me To Bob Turner, which is TNT record. 1422 West Paper Street, San

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Antonio, Texas. His name was Bob Tanner. I recorded my first record with him. It was Damo was calling Margin. Car and March it was a hit record. But we had a problem with the hit record. It's because in the record I call this operator. I was

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calling long distance according to my record, I was calling long distance to Midwell, Texas. And operated. I will talk over 3 minutes. So she told me that I had to put more money in the telephone. I'm sure some of y'all remember that. So I told the

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operator, I said. Uh, I don't have any change right now. And I got to go down the street and get some change, honey, and I'll be right back. So this is what did it. They grounded me because I called the white woman honey. Those days you

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didn't call the white lady honey. Because they did not have any black operators, they were all white, so they took my record off the market. It was a hit 2 or 3 different cities it was. Going on to the number one chart, but they pulled me

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down. To give you an idea, they did the same thing to me as they did Cab Calloway. They pulled him down because he took Star spangled banner. I hope I'm saying this right. The Anthony or whatever it was and uh he made a rock and roll

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out of it and so they granted him for 5 years but. It took more than 5 years for me, I guess I'm still grounded. Stand by. The next thing that I They were proud of I'm the first musician that. It had An integrated band I had

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an integrated band in Houston, Texas. I was the first. Was half white and half black. Some of them really didn't like it, but. It didn't bother me at all. And it worked out beautifully. It should continue to work beautifully. Also while we in. The year of

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1956. I recorded for Peacock. Peacock and Duke Record Company which was owned the president by Mr. Dunn. The Roy. At that given time. Mr. Don Rover, he was the only. Black Recording Company in Houston. And I was also told even into the southern division he was

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the one. He had a lot of A lot of artists Whole bunch of water. My first hit record was Shady Jean. The director stayed on On the shelf 30 days you fill one copy. After the 30 days of that. The police order they got With 84,359.

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And believe it or not, those at the say. Within Kingsville, Jamaica. My next biggest hit record. It's packed past square and it's still moving today. From 1956. Even up to now, it still says pass fair and square. To on I have 107 records. What is the

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civilize out there. Some of them with BMI and some of them that. Wherever. Because there's a lot of things that have been going on. And the record sales that I did not get credit for. But I do know I did record them and they are out

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there. To I don't want to. My little life, I would say. I was Given a commission. From Harris County Sheriff's Department, the special police. I also was uh. A private investigator. Uh, my license was. The state license from Austin, Texas. No, me either. I still love

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music and I'm, I'm still with music. These are some of the accomplished methods that have done that. I've made my European tour. And I made it twice. The first time I went over, I had 36 days. I was thinking all the time that I was gonna

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have a band which they told me I was gonna have a band to to work behind me. But when it all boiled down, I had to work by myself because I played piano and organ. So I'll pay 3 to 6 days. I had 35 standing ovation.

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And I went behind the iron curtain. I'm supposed to be the 2nd black blues singer that ever been behind the Iron Curtain. And I told him then, When I was behind the iron curtain, whenever I come back. To Germany again. The world would be down. I

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really didn't know that, but when I. But they did go down. I accomplished it. I've had I did a movie, Sugar Hill. I was a drunken preacher in Sugar Hill. I work with Don Pedro. I'm sure y'all remember him that was in the movie, made the

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movie the the *** Charlie. Done, uh. Uh, Robert Query. He was in the movie with me. He wanted to work with Edward Nes untouchables. The young lady They will star of the show. The young lady was Star of it Of the show Sugar Hill. Her name

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was M A R K I. B Very difficult for me To pronounce it. But as far as I can know of. I mean the first Sugar Hill say meet Sugar Hill and the zombies hitmen. That's the way it was rolled up. I played a role as

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a drunken preacher. I was a preacher. It turned into a drunk. I also played piano in it. Anything And uh The title of the song that I played in that particular movie. He says the preacher plays and talks the blues. They also understood and me. A

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movie out of nothing but the blues. I know they wrote a book about it. I'm sure of that. That was adopted from me. Nothing but the blue. So in the movie. The preacher plays and talk the blues and sugar hell. The movie was filmed On the

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9th month, 11th day. 1973. 911 73. Sugar Hill. Big walker. At at the given time. I guess it was my fault. But he was rolled up as Big Walter Price. But now on all the other my records on my records. I was trying to fix it

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the way that they. They wouldn't confuse the record with the movie. I should have known that Big Walter was gonna be Big Walter regardless, but I didn't, I didn't figure it that way. But anyway, the movies go up to Big Walter price. But there is no

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record, there shouldn't be any records on the market, any place, anywhere in the USA. Saysig Walter Price. Now you might see right underneath the, the title of the song Bice I mean that I wrote the song. 90% of my material is originally written and composed by

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me. Very few songs that I use of other people. Very, very few. My play European too. It was in 1972. Then I returned again in November. The 19th 1989. If I was to go back 15 The 91. But I kind of turn it down. I don't

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like to fly. Some of my accomplishments. That did the live Show at the A in theater. The last meeting of the white Magnolia. One of the organizations pulled out from the other. One of the Ku Klux Klan, they decided to pull out. So I did the

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uh The, uh, custodial they couldn't leave. But I could read in the end. Another thing that I was very. Pleased to be in and was in. With Muhammad Ali the greatest. I had the courtroom scene. With him. And back to Paramount that had called in Mario

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Paramount used it. That instrumental in the movie and they sent me a telegram telling me how good it was, but they also sent me a telegram again saying they didn't use enough of it to pay me so. I guess we're gonna get that alone. Most of

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all, out of all the recordings that I've done and. All the shows that I've done, this is one of the things that I'm really most proud of is helping people. What I'm really proud of is. Add benefit For Mr. Antc, he was. One out of Houston

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Well known Alright Uh, Also donated my service to the Salvation Army. Also they donated my service again. To the The little chair on the MD Anderson. Also Donated and benefited my service. For Johnny Clyde Copeland. He's the blues He's an artist. Uh, they needed Uh, a

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heart. Either a heart transplant. Uh, uh, hard whatever something pertaining to his heart. I did that And I'm also proud to know that. I've helped a lot of Club owners To say that they wanted to build the club up. Naturally they say when they build a

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club up they would call me back in, but somehow or another they build it up. But they called in somebody else. I have been on several. So Here in Houston, Channel 2, channel 13, channel 11. Channel 39. And channel 51. Uh, some of my other accomplish.

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I received a proclamation from from the mayor of San Antonio. I received 2 proclamations from our former mayor. Chelsea Whitmire, Chelsea Whitmire. I also received a proclamation. From I'm of man of '96. Uh, Bob from here. Uh, I've also received. Well, most of all. That I'm

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very, very, very proud of. As the proclamation. From congressman Fairly She Uh, Jackson Lee. Yes, I'm very proud of it. She's a wonderful person. I just wish there were more people in the United States. Nation or world or whatever. It is very beautiful in the Swedish

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is. Very Very sweet person. Another thing that That I must say The international festiv even. That I just played recently here in Houston. I still use the integrated band. And this is what it takes To make the country stick together. We must all work together. As

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well as pray together. A little kids. I love people. I am not faless. I love people, period. And anyone that I can help. We always Got our arms open. To help, and we still help people as today, me and my wife, we, we still help people

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today. We have people when they don't have anywhere to stay. We help them when they don't have any food. Sometimes we don't have it either, but we share. And this is what it is all about and everything that I ever did for anybody, any place, anywhere,

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it was all love from our heart. So what I'm asking all of you all out there. But whoever reads this article. Remember, love people. Go to church Once you have the love of God in your heart, you can do these things. And Jesus will open the

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doors for you. Another one of my country and I'm very, very proud of, I thank the good Lord. Because it wasn't for the good Lord, I wouldn't, we wouldn't be able to do it. I'm proud to know that we have a son. That if we finished,

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he finished high school. Now he's in college, Texas Southern University. He's going out for business and marketing. And I'm very, very proud. For that particular accomplishment. It's not over with yet because he's still in college. And believe me, Not actually wise, it's kind of hard. With

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the, with the help of the good Lord. We are going to make it. Well, to add on My wife, Barbara Price, Barbara J. Price. She's my manager, my assistant manager. Is my son, Bradwick Price. He's 18 now. My other assistants. April Miller My press agent Roger

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Woods. All of them was doing Oh beautiful. Beautiful, beautiful job. Another one of my accomplices meant that. I'm very proud of And uh I feel very honored to be. Added to the General Sam Houston family. I have Do To disappear General Sam Houston's great, great granddaughter.

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He gave his permission to go to Huntsville or Baylor College. And when General Sam Houston got in the showcase. I can put it out Holding my hand and let them shoot pictures. Oh Which I have that also. I have a snapshot. A photograph rather Of me

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holding the jacket in my hand, that's when he was governor of Texas and Tennessee at the same time. I sit in General Sam Houston's rocking chair. I took it out of the show window down in Huntsville. There's something that they don't let anybody do. They don't

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want them to touch that. And the jacket As you know, It aged so much until you have to be real careful how you pick it up. I also had the privilege to to read the papers that When he was governor. Take them out of the showcase

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and read them. Which I appreciated there. But the bottom line was it. The handwriting was so fancy. Until I couldn't read it anyway. Some of the words I could make out, but it wasn't worth while me stand up there. Oh, they're trying to figure out what

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he was saying. So, the granddaughter, great granddaughter. Well, it was telling me. That she won't Everybody to know. He was not prejudiced. That he had freed his slave way before Abraham Lincoln. He even thought about. Uh Uh, masturbation whatever I very hard for me to pronounce

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some of these words. Remember, I'm still a first grader. But anyway, uh He, whenever he had school for his kids. He had school Also for the blacks. At the same time. So I have positive proof. I have tapes Photographs To let you know that I am.

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And was accepted as a personal friend of the General Sam Houston family. Another one of my accomplishment. For the last 12. For 15 years That all the kids they know about me. They always come to me for black history. And they write about me. And they

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always get a And I'm Proud to know that. That I was in a position that, that I had carried myself in a way to whereas the They was accepted to the Supreme. They do get A on black history. Now another one of my accomplished. I did

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black history twice. If some of the uh Houston libraries. I didn't know the dates and time, but. There's so many things that I have done in. In my life and helping people. I don't forgot it myself because I tell you why, why I forget. Because when

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I did it I did it from my heart. I didn't do it. Just to be able to get a name for myself. I just done did it and I forgot I did it. And I have a lot of people come to me and tell me, said,

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I sure appreciate what you did for me. I said, what are you talking about? you know what you're talking about? Uh, I had this instance that had happened to me on the late Alber cottage. He came to me and told me that he said, Big Walter,

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I appreciate you helping me. I said, well, Oh, I don't I ain't did nothing. He said, yeah, I asked you for some money one day. He said, I didn't have any food and I was hungry and you gave me the money. I said, well, I don't,

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I don't even remember which I don't. It's just like a zing. So whenever I do anything for anybody, even to my wife. And I Thinking that my son, he's really. Then they rub off on him to it. When we do something for you, we don't, we

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don't think about it. I didn't do so much I don't forgot it myself. I guess this is why I have so many recommendations I got recommendations. From the district attorney, from the judges. Uh, from the ambassador. Uh, the mayor. The congressman And just God bless all

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of y'all. Well Not more, not least. It's a whole lot more. About Big Walter. Whole lot more. If I told you the whole entire story about me. My life story would be bigger than a Bell telephone book. And these books around here are so big they

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got to make 3 or 4 of them these days. So this means that I have a whole lot more. You need to even get not even just one little 6. of the information. But anyway, Big Walter love you. I love all those that read it. And

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all of them that couldn't read it was read to them. And always remember whenever I leave a show or wherever I leave or whatever I do, I always tell you, please drive carefully because the life you saved it could be me. You, you leave it at

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the Red Cross and not on the highway because this is Big Walter, the Thunderbird. The slogan is. The bird to fly so swift from coast to coast, no matter where you may go, no matter where you may be, you can always find Big Walter. If you're

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in Kingsville, Jamaica, Norway, C Slovakia, France, Australia, Belgium, Harlem, Harlem, New Mexico, England, China, USA, Houston, Pasadena, Mobile, Alabama, Nashville, Tennessee, New York, Hollywood.