Vann "Piano Man" Walls
(August 24, 1918 - February 24, 1999)
Vann "Piano Man" Walls was born Harry Eugene Vann in August of 1918 in Middlesboro, Kentucky. He grew up in Charleston, West Virginia, and took to the piano from an early age. His mother was a piano teacher and so young Vann got a good start on his future vocation. His stepfather was named Walls and so he took the name Vann Walls. He left home as a teenager and toured the South joining up with traveling shows such as carnivals, circuses, and variety caravans. He returned to Charleston in his mid twenties and played as a solo pianist in local clubs and on WCHS radio. In the early forties he joined the territory band of Cal Greer for a while, and then formed his own small band that played local gigs in Columbus, Ohio. In 1948 he was heard by sax player Frank "Floorshow" Culley who convinced Walls to come to New York and join the new Atlantic Records label.
Vann Walls moved to New York and started recording. New York had a vital rhythm-and-blues recording scene at the time, and Van Walls was at the center of it. His left-hand lines, functioning the way an electric bass would later (the acoustic bass on early 50's pop recordings was often hard to hear) set the rules for the role of the bass line in soul and funk.
By 1949, Vann had become the pianist for the house band at Atlantic Records. You can hear his distinctive piano on a host of the biggest hits for the label in the early fifties. Some of these are Joe Turner's "Chains Of Love" (which he co-wrote), "The Chill Is On" and "Sweet Sixteen", Ruth Brown's "5-10-15 Hours", "One Mint Julep" by The Clovers, "Tomorrow Night" by LaVern Baker, The Drifter's "Such A Night" and Laurie Tate's " Any Time, Any Place, Anywhere". Vann's piano is all over Joe Turner's "Boogie Woogie Country Girl" and you can hear Big Joe yell "Swing it Vann, I like a good rockin' band"! at the end of the song.
Back in 1950 Atlantic released a record under Vann Walls own name. It was "Tee Nah Nah" featuring a vocal by Spider Sam on .. 904. The flip side was "Ain't Gonna Scold You". Walls also recorded for the Derby label that year with "Easter Parade" and "Air Mail Boogie" featuring tenor sax man Freddie Mitchell on .. 733. "Chocolate Candy Blues" on Columbia .. 30220 also was released in 1950. From that time on Vann Walls was credited on all of Atlantic's early recordings by Joe Turner. Later in December of 1952 "After Midnight" and "Blues Sender" are released as by Vann "Piano Man" Walls on .. 980. In April of 1953 "Big Leg Mama" and "Open The Door" as by The Rockets and Vann Walls is released by Atlantic on .. 988.
Vann Walls did many sessions for a variety of labels. In 1954 he joined the Philadelphia based band called The Night Riders. He remained with this group for nearly a decade, much of the time in Canada mostly in Montreal. The members of the band were James "Doc" Starkes leader and bass, Mel Smith vocals and sax, Joe Sewell tenor sax, Vann Walls piano, Harry Grafton guitar, and Jimmy Johnson drums. The Nite Riders recorded for the Apollo label with "Women And Cadillacs" and "Say Hey (Willie Mays)" on .. 460 and "Doctor Velvet" and "Rags" on .. 466 in 1954. In 1955 and early 1956 the band recorded for Teen Records with "Apple Cider" / "In The Middle Of A Dream" on .. 114, "Starlight And You" / "I Know You're In There" on .. 116, Don't Hang Up The Phone" and the irresistible title "Got Me A Six Button Benny" on .. 118, and "Waitin In The School Room" / "When A Man Cries" on ..120. They continued with "Vacation Time" / "Night Riding" on Sound .. 119 and "Tell The Truth" / "Never" on Sound .. 128. In 1957 they recorded a one off for a major label MGM Records with "Tank Town" / "Sippin' Coffee" on .. 12487, and then "Love Me Like Crazy" / "Rockin To School" on Linda .. 109 and "Pretty Plaid Skirt" and "I'll Never Change" on Sue .. 713 in 1959. Into the sixties they recorded for the Cherry, Chime, Smash, and Courtesy labels. When the Nite Riders broke up in the early sixties Vann Walls remained in Canada and formed his own group called Captain Vann & The Pirates. They remained in Montreal for a number of years.
Vann also worked with hit songwriter Doc Pomus, blues greats Brownie McGhee, Sticks McGhee, Sonny Terry, bandleaders Freddie Mitchell and Joe Morris and trumpeter Hot Lips Page.
While on tour with Frank "Floorshow" Culley in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Vann had given a young Dr. John some piano tips. Dr. John returned the favor in 1990 when he and Doc Pomus initiated Vann's appearance at the Piano Blue's Who's Who Festival in New York City, his first show there in 35 years. That summer, when Dr. John played the Montreal Jazz Festival, he brought Vann up for a guest spot. Dr. John aslo sat in (playing guitar) at one of Vann's shows at Tramps in NYC. These events started a chain that led to Vann playing the blues festival circuit and becoming the subject of a documentary film.
In February 1997, Vann received the prestigious Pioneer Award from the Rhythm & Blues Foundation at their eighth annual gala celebration held in NYC. Introduced by Aretha Franklin and long time friend and musical partner Ruth Brown, he went straight to the piano, got a standing ovation for his performance and then walked over to receive the award for his artistry and his lasting contribution to the development of popular music.
Vann Walls continued to record until his death in February 1999.
