Walter "Brownie" McGhee (Knoxville (Tennessee), 30 november 1915 - Oakland (California), February 16, 1996) was an American folkand blues singer andguitarist.He is best known for his collaboration with harmonica player Sonny Terry.
McGhee was born in Knoxville (Tennessee), and was struck by polioas a child. As a result, he had trouble walking. Already as a child he spent a lot of time on music, and he sang in the Golden Voices Gospel Quartet. In addition, he taught himself to play the guitar. When he was 22 he travelled about as a musician, and he learned to knowBlind Boy Fuller , whose guitar playing was a major influence on him (so large that McGhee after the death of Fuller in 1941 his name took over, and as Blind Boy Fuller IIwent through life). McGhee made various recordings at the time, but the greater success came only after he in 1942 went to New York , where he teamed with Sonny Terry . Together they experienced great successes, which until the early 1970s would persist. When the interest in folk music in the 1960s, Terry and McGhee were popular guests opleefde at concerts and festivals.