Wallace Coleman, a fixture of the Northeast Ohio blues scene, has returned to the stage after a health scare last year.
The 88-year-old bluesman has had a prolific, 30-plus-year career playing harmonica and singing the blues.
Though he’s long been a staple of Cleveland’s music community, Coleman didn’t begin his music career until his 50s, after retiring from Cleveland’s Hough Bakery where he worked for three decades.
While at the bakery, Coleman honed his skills by playing harmonica during breaks and attending live performances by his musical heroes, such as Sonny Boy Williamson II.
“That was the beginning of me just loving the blues,” Coleman said. “To hear that great blues guy sing and play that harmonica, man.”
As a child growing up in Morristown, Tenn., Coleman was captivated by the sound of the harmonica he heard on WLAC radio out of Nashville.
“After I'd heard the harmonica player, I said, ‘What in the world is that?’ Because I thought it was maybe a big saxophone,” Coleman said. “At the pawn shop back in those days, the harmonica was only about a dollar and a half or something like that, and so I did get it.”
He spent hours teaching himself to play, studying Wayne Raney’s harmonica book and practicing the “Mama Blues” in his free time.
Joining the blues big leagues
When he moved to Cleveland in the 1950s to find work, he discovered a vibrant and active blues scene that supported touring artists like B.B. King, Elmore James and Muddy Waters.
In the 1980s, Coleman’s life changed when he started performing with Guitar Slim at Cleveland’s Cascade Lounge.
It was there that he caught the attention of blues guitarist Robert “Junior” Lockwood, noted as the only blues guitarist to study directly with legend Robert Johnson.
Lockwood moved to Cleveland in the ‘60s with Williamson, his longtime collaborator. They regularly performed at Lovings Grill on the same street as Hough Bakery, as well as Coleman’s place of residence.
Lockwood famously swore he’d never hire a harmonica player, but after hearing Coleman play, Lockwood offered him a spot in his band.
“He told me I was a change player. I played changes on the harmonica,” Coleman said. He says, ‘You don't know what that means.’ I said, ‘No, sir, I don't’.’”
Lockwood told Coleman that the way he played stood out because he wasn’t trying to perform the lead. He said Coleman should watch him perform and adapt to his unique style.
“I was beginning to understand what he meant, because it was pretty jazzy. You know, he wasn't just a blues guitar player. He could play all of that stuff,” Coleman said.
"And that just goes to show you the blues is still a great music."Wallace Coleman
Coleman didn’t immediately accept Lockwood’s offer to join his band, opting to finish his last two years at the bakery.
But when he retired in 1987, he made the call that would launch his professional music career.
“I think the thing that really amazed me more than anything is when I first started playing with him, I had never been out of town,” Coleman said.
What followed was a decade of touring the world with Lockwood, from the United States to Japan.
"The first time we went to Japan, I was blown away," Coleman said. "It brought tears to my eyes. I thought, 'My God, I’m playing with a legend.' And that just goes to show you the blues is still a great music."
Bouncing back after a long road to recovery
While performing with Lockwood, Coleman was invited to sing after a vocalist in the band fell ill.
“Mr. Lockwood, he liked it. He says, ‘I'll let you sing a little bit more.’ So that's when I started singing,” Coleman said.
In 1997, Coleman branched out, forming his own band and releasing five albums that garnered critical acclaim.
Coleman’s traditional blues style has earned him a place among the great postwar Chicago blues harmonica players.
Last year, Coleman faced a serious challenge when he had to set down his harmonica. He was battling a case of shingles that affected his mouth.
“It became so bad I had to just cancel most of the gigs that I had that summer. I'm beginning to feel better now,” Coleman said.
After a long recovery process, Coleman got back to performing, accompanied by his wife of 25 years, Jody, who sings and plays guitar by his side.
The couple’s musical partnership has become a source of strength and inspiration for Coleman.
“I don’t think I would have ever been able to play with my health being like it is without the help that she has given me,” Coleman said.
For Jody, music has been both creative expression and a cornerstone of their life together.
“I just think the creative part of it is healthy for us, you know? In music and at home, it all mixes together and makes for a nice life,” she said.
With over 30 years of playing harmonica, Coleman remains a beloved fixture in the blues world despite starting his professional music career in his 50s.
“I got a late start,” he said. "We’re up in our late 80s. We’re still playing.”
