Walter Trout: Winner of the Sena European Guitar Award

The American Huntington Beach-based guitar player Walter Trout is the winner of the Sena European Guitar Award 2015. Trout will receive the prestigious award on Friday, November the 27th. Trout will be handed this award at the ceremony in Club Ziggo in Amsterdam. Last year, former Guns ‘n Roses and Velvet Revolver guitarist Slash received the award.

In previous years, several famous guitar players have won the Sena European Guitar Award (SEGA). In 2011, Queen guitar player Brian May collected the prize in the Netherlands and played during the awards ceremony. Toto guitarist Steve Lukather won the prize in 2010, and last year, Slash visited Club Ziggo and received the award from Golden Earring-guitarist George Kooymans, who won the prize in 2012. Before that, players like Jan Akkerman (Focus) and Adriaan Vandenberg (Whitesnake/Vandenberg) were honourable winners of the SEGA.

The choice of Walter Trout is an obvious one. Jean-Paul Heck, chairman of the jury, states: “Walter is a pioneer of the blues for over 45 years. At a young age he was discovered by Percy Mayfield and later on he played as a sideman for the likes of John Lee Hooker and John Mayall. In 1990 he made his debut as a frontman and bandleader. From that moment on, he released an album nearly every year. On October the 23rd, his new body of work with the title ‘Batte Scars’ will see the light of day. With this collection of new songs Walter explains a lot about his health struggle of last year. He survived and came back stronger than ever. Walter Trout is a great example for the Blues community worldwide.”

A few weeks ago, the organisation informed Trout that he would win the SEGA Award 2015. It filled him with great pride, pleasure and joy. Trout was moved to tears and said:”It is an unbelievable honour to follow in the footsteps of guitar players like Brian May, Slash, Steve Lukather and Jan Akkerman. Last year I fought for my life and I wouldn’t have made it without the great support of the blues community, my wife Marie and our kids. I was hospitalized and was flat on my back for more than six months. I waited, at the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles for a new liver that never came. It became clear that I was about to die. Fortunately, my wife decided to take me to a hospital in Omaha, Nebraska, where I received a life-saving liver transplant just before my time ran out. It was a close call!. After extensive rehabilitation, I was able to return to the stage at London’s Royal Albert Hall a few months ago.To be acknowledged with the SEGA award is especially meaningful to me at this time of my life. Again: It’s an incredible honour.”

Walter Trout and his band will play at the ceremony. His son, Jon, also a skilled guitar player, will play as well. Trout states: ”It’s gonna be one of the best weekends ever! On Friday I will receive the award, and on Saturday the 28th my band and I will play at the famous Carré Theatre in Amsterdam. This is a milestone in my life that I will never forget.”

From Friday 30th of October tickets for the Award ceremony in Club Ziggo, Amsterdam on November the 27th will be available through: www.sega-award.com