Big Walter Price
A Texas bluesman whose rollicking piano and powerful voice created the enduring party anthem 'Pack Fair and Square'.
1914–2012 (age 98)·American singer-songwriter·Birthday: August 2·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Big Walter Price was a cornerstone of the post-war Texas blues scene, a barrelhouse pianist with a voice that could rattle the walls of any Houston juke joint. Born in 1914 in Gonzales, Texas, he spent decades as a local legend before finding a sliver of national fame. His style was unvarnished and energetic, blending blues, early rock and roll, and gospel fervor into a sound made for dancing. Price's moment in the sun came with his 1957 single 'Pack Fair and Square', a driving, humorous tune that became a regional smash and later a beloved standard covered by artists like George Thorogood. He recorded for various labels, including Gold Star and Duke, often with the band The Thunderbirds, but never achieved sustained commercial success. Despite this, his influence persisted, and he continued performing with undiminished passion well into his later years, embodying the raw, joyful spirit of Gulf Coast blues until his death in 2012.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Big was born in 1914, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Big Was Born
The biggest hits of 1914
Big's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1914Born
World War I begins
President: Woodrow Wilson
1919Started school
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1927Became a teenager
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1930Could drive
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1932Could vote
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1935Turned 21
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1944Turned 30
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1954Turned 40
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1964Turned 50
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1974Turned 60
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1984Turned 70
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 80
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2012Died at 98
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
Key Achievements
- Recorded the classic blues standard 'Pack Fair and Square' in 1957, which became a widely covered anthem.
- Had a prolific recording career in the 1950s and 1960s for labels like Gold Star, Duke, and Peacock.
- Performed and recorded with his band, Walter Price & His Thunderbirds.
- Maintained an active performing career in Texas for over six decades.
Did You Know?
He was also known as 'The Thunderbird' due to his band's name.
Price served in the United States Army during World War II.
His musical career began in gospel, singing with the Zion Travelers group.
He lived most of his life in Houston, Texas, becoming a fixture of the city's blues community.
“I just play the piano and sing the blues, that's all I know.”
