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Walter Trout Is Back With A Vengeance

James Christopher

At this time last year, Walter Trout was still re-gaining his strength following a liver transplant the year prior.  Today Trout sounds strong and happy to be alive.  When a 16 year old recording of a performance at the Tampa Bay Blues Festival was brought to his attention, specifically his aside saying he was appreciating his mortality more than ever as friends and family were beginning to die, Trout took a deep breath and said "I feel right now even more that every day is a bonus, every breath is beautiful.  Like 'there's another breath, I got to do that again'."When he was weak following liver transplant surgery, Trout still wanted to talk about his experience.  At that time in late 2014, he said nearly losing his life changed his outlook on little things, including noticing butterfly's and birds singing in his backyard.

"It's still there in many ways" said Trout.  I just got home from a six week tour, for instance. I've been home for two nights. I have a neighbor who has a little dog, and the dog barks in the back yard and always wakes me up.  I used to kinda get angry at this barking dog. This morning this dog woke me up at 5:30.  For about two seconds I was like 'oh it's that dog again.'  And then I thought to myself (laughing) 'oh that's beautiful.'  It's a beautiful little dog.  His folks go out and leave him in the backyard all day.  Sometimes I do have to remind myself of it."

Trout's new album is titled "Alive in Amsterdam."  He says he named the album simply because he is happy to be alive.  The recording took place at the Royal Theater Carre in Amsterdam. 

Trout said "It is the most prestigious theater in The Netherlands.  My record label is located in The Netherlands and they wanted to do the record there.  This was a pretty high pressure gig.  This is basically the Royal Albert Hall of The Netherlands.  It's kind  of formal.  I came out and immediately tried to break the ice with the formality and I just talked to the crowd and said we're just going to do our show."

Trout has become an advocate for Hepatitis C testing and liver disease testing in general.

"I had symptoms for a few years where I didn't know what it was. I just figured I was getting old and I had hammered myself in my youth.  I had symptoms like serious equilibrium problems. I had chronic fatigue. There were nights I had to force myself to walk up onto a stage because I was tired to the base of my soul.  I would get cramps in my legs and feet. I didn't know what it was until I was diagnosed with Hepatitis C, and the Hep-C created cirrhosis of the liver and the cirrhosis was so bad I was told I was going to die" said Trout.

Trout said he's discovered many people of his generation (Trout is 65) have Hepatitis-C without knowing it.  He said there are drugs now with no side effects that can be helpful if the disease is caught early enough.

Trout said "You take one pill per day for 90 days, and it has a 98% cure rate."

Trout brings his high energy and intensity to The Castle Theater August 24. Doors open at 7:00 p.m.  Marty Sammon opens the show.

 

Jon Norton is the program director at WGLT and WCBU. He also is host of All Things Considered every weekday.