Book on Walter Trout's health battle to aid musicians' charity

A picture of Marie and Walter Trout
Marie and Walter Trout

Walter Trout’s wife and manager Dr Marie Trout will donate proceeds from her upcoming The Blues - Why it Still Hurts So Good to musicians’ charity the HART Fund.

The book is released on February 3 next year and is described as an exploration of the healing power of music.

The Blues - Why it Still Hurts So Good is inspired by blues icon Walter Trout’s battle with and recovery from liver disease which required a liver transplant.

Dr Marie Trout carried out academic research of blues fans and combined that knowledge with her personal experience of seeing her husband’s health struggles to write the book.

She says: “The blues community, our friends and family saved Walter’s life and my sanity by offering support, love, and kindness.

“This community made me feel that I was not alone as I faced constant worry, financial devastation, and endless uncertainty. At my lowest point, fearing ridicule and rejection, I sent my anguish out to the world asking for help in a fundraiser and accompanying blog.

“That day something changed – when sharing authentically, I was no longer alone in my emotional prison. When others read it, responded, and shared their own stories, I realised that this connection in many ways was similar to what blues fans expressed in my research.

“They felt connected, and safe to be themselves, when listening to blues music – they felt part of a soul-community.”

The HART Fund was established by The Blues Foundation for blues musicians and their families in financial need due to a broad range of health concerns. The fund provides acute, chronic and preventive medical and dental care as well as funeral and burial expenses.

The Blues - Why it Still Hurts So Good can be ordered now via Dr Marie Trout’s website.

Walter Trout: Battle Scars

Stef wrote close to 5,000 stories during his time as assistant online news editor and later as online news editor between 2014-2016. An accomplished reporter and journalist, Stef has written extensively for a number of UK newspapers and also played bass with UK rock favourites Logan. His favourite bands are Pixies and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Stef left the world of rock'n'roll news behind when he moved to his beloved Canada in 2016, but he started on his next 5000 stories in 2022.