Walt Lindala is the founding member of the Flat Broke Blues Band. He has been through the group's various incarnations since it's inception as a duo in 1991. A veteran of the Upper Michigan music scene, Walt brings a more rock-influenced guitar style to the group. His musical influences include Buddy Guy, Albert King, Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Walt also cites David Gilmour, Mark Knopfler and Eddie Van Halen as some of his rock-oriented guitar influences.

A native Yooper, born and raised in the Upper Michigan community of Chassell, Michigan, Walt has been playing music professionally since 1983. Originally a drummer, Walt moved to Marquette, Michigan in 1986 and began playing at house parties and bars around the central U.P.

Switching to guitar full-time around 1990, Walt formed the original Flat Broke with another local singer/guitarist named Hank "Big Red" Kaspala. The duo soon added Mark Johnson on bass, used various drummers from the area and the band was born.

Several hundred gigs and many lineup changes later, the Flat Broke machine continues to roll on across the Upper Midwest.

After playing music professionally for so many years, Walt considers himself very lucky to have been able to play his favorite music (blues) for the bulk of those years in all of the various lineups that have made the history of Flat Broke so rich.

Walt also works in the world of broadcasting as the Network News Director for Great Lakes Radio in Marquette. His hobbies include collecting concert DVD's, dining out and taking afternoon naps. Walt is also a big fan of classic rock bands such as Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin, and although it's much to the chagrin of his bandmates, Walt is also an unabashed fan of the '80's metal scene. Also, be sure to ask Walt about his disturbing trivia knowledge of The Dukes of Hazzard TV show and Monty Python films.

Walt makes his home in Marquette with his wife April and their two cats (of course, they're all black!) Merlin and Shadow.



WALT'S GEAR LIST:

Guitars:

1994 40th Anniversary Fender American Standard Stratocaster
2000 Jimmie Vaughan Signature Fender Stratocaster
2004 Fender Squier "'51" electric guitar
2000 Epiphone Zephyr Blues Deluxe hollowbody electric

Amplifers:

2005 CRATE V30H Amplifier w/2x12 Matching Cabinet
Early 90's Tweed Fender Blues Deluxe Amplifier
1966 Fender Twin Reverb (Significantly Modified)
1950's Gibson Student Amplifier

Effects:

G2D Cream Tone Overdrive Pedal
Ibanez TS-9 Tube Screamer Pedal (with TS-808 mod)
Dunlop Crybaby Wah Pedal
Boss V-Wah Pedal
Arion Stereo Chorus Pedal
MXR DynaComp Compressor Pedal
Boss TU-9 Tuner Pedal




WALT'S PERSONAL PHOTO ALBUM

 

Copyright © 2005 by the Flat Broke Blues Band
call (906)226-7658 or (906)226-6112 or e-mail the band for booking and band information
photography by Tom Buchkoe / Andy Gregg / Mike Baker