Wayne Talmadge Bennett (December 13, 1932 – November 28, 1992) was an American blues guitarist, best remembered for his performances and recordings with Bobby Bland between the 1950s and 1980s.
Biography
Bennett was born in Sulphur, Oklahoma, later moving with his parents to Ardmore. He started playing guitar in his teens, and performed in local bands. In 1950, he joined Amos Milburn's band, and made his first recordings with Milburn in California, on tracks including "Bad, Bad, Whiskey" and "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer". Bennett was inducted into the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame in 2001. In 2018 the Killer Blues Headstone Project placed a headstone for him in Providence Cemetery in New Orleans.
Discography
Solo
- "Casanova, Your Playing Days are Over" (1967)
With others
- Sam McClain and Soul Purpose – 1 album
- Ramsey Lewis – Columbia – 1
- Tyrone Davis – Dakar-Brunswick – 5
- Bobby Bland – Duke-Peacock – 8
- The Chi-Lites – Brunswick – 4
- Jackie Wilson – Brunswick – 4
- The Lost Generation – Brunswick – 2
- Hamilton Bohannon – Brunswick – 3
- Independents – Scepter – 1
- Jerry Butler – Mercury – 1
- Five Blind Boys – Peacock – 2
- Soul Stirrers – GRT/Chess – 1
- Mighty Clouds of Joy – GRT/Chess – 2
- Salem Travelers – GRT/Chess – 1
- Fats Domino – Imperial – 1
- Operation Breadbasket – Chess – 2
- Little Junior Parker – United Artist – 1
- James Cotton – 3
- Zuzu Bollin – 1
With Jimmy McGriff
- Groove Grease (Groove Merchant, 1971)
With Jimmy Reed
- Big Boss Man (BluesWay, 1968)
- Down in Virginia (BluesWay, 1969)