Big Walter Horton Birthplace — Horn Lake, Mississippi

Walter "Shakey" Horton — known as Big Walter Horton — was born on April 6, 1917, in Horn Lake, Mississippi, a small DeSoto County community just south of Memphis. He is considered by many musicians and blues scholars to be the greatest harmonica player in the history of the blues: possessed of a tone of unusual richness and depth, a melodic imagination that could sustain an entire solo, and a technical command that made even his simplest phrases sound inevitable. He reportedly began playing harmonica as a young child after finding one in a field, teaching himself entirely by ear.

Horton moved to Memphis and became a fixture of the city's blues scene, recording for Sun Records in the early 1950s and playing with virtually every significant artist who passed through Memphis. He moved to Chicago in the 1950s and became a pivotal figure on that city's electric blues circuit, recording with Muddy Waters, Johnny Shines, Jimmy Rogers, and many others. Despite his acknowledged mastery, he was plagued throughout his life by personal difficulties and never achieved the commercial recognition his talent deserved. He was known for his drinking and his unreliability, but musicians sought him out regardless.

Horn Lake and DeSoto County have a Mississippi Blues Trail marker acknowledging Horton's significance. His recordings — particularly his work on Chess and Alligator Records — remain touchstones for harmonica players worldwide. He died in Chicago on December 8, 1981, still celebrated among musicians but little known to the general public. His influence on Little Walter, Junior Wells, and every subsequent blues harmonica player is immeasurable.