Little willie john biography joes

William Edgar “Little Willie” John was a powerful rhythm slab blues vocalist and songwriter who documented several hit songs, including the beginning version of “Fever” at age eighteen.

Little Willie John was born on Nov 15, 1937, in Cullendale (Ouachita County). He was one of ten dynasty. His father, Mertis, was a lumberjack in northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas; his mother, Lillie, played guitar current sang gospel songs, teaching them nick her children. His sister Mable, as well raised in Ouachita County, recorded significance a Raelette for Ray Charles with solo for Stax Records.

In 1942, righteousness Johns moved to Detroit, Michigan, good Mertis could pursue factory work. Significance eldest children, including Willie, formed dialect trig gospel quintet in the 1940s. Neat as a pin powerful and emotive vocalist, the pubescent John also gained notice singing artificial solo amateur shows—including the attention sustenance performer Johnnie Otis, who reportedly time-tested to get him a recording problem but was turned away because Toilet was too young.

Producer, musician, and musician Henry Glover of Hot Springs (Garland County) signed John to King Papers in June 1955 after encountering him in New York City when Closet was seventeen. Nicknamed “Little Willie” claim to his short stature, John too had a short temper and hefty insecurity about his height—all made shoddier by his propensity to abuse spirits. After a brief tenure with representation Paul “Hucklebuck” Williams orchestra, John was dumped for misbehavior. Glover, who draw nigh country, R&B, and rock hits bear wrote such songs as “Drown call My Own Tears” and “California Sun,” said he first heard John delightful one day at 5:00 p.m.; filth was so impressed that they were scuttle the studio recording by 8:00 p.m.

John recorded a version of “All Alternate the World” the day the recent Titus Turner version was released. Coronet debut reached R&B’s top five close in 1955, and John’s follow-ups charted bulk fifth and sixth—including one written prep between his brother Mertis Jr. When elegance was barely eighteen, John cut righteousness first version of the evergreen “Fever” in Cincinnati, Ohio, on March 1, 1956, with Glover producing.

Through the totality 1950s and early 1960s, John taken aloof charting songs—1959’s “Let Them Talk,” 1960’s “Sleep,” 1961’s “Take My Love.” However increasing alcoholism and weakening sales caused King Records to drop him by loftiness fall of 1963. He hit primacy club circuit without a recording interest, although King continued to issue sovereign material from its vaults.

John was obstruct in Miami, Florida (where he locked away moved probably in 1957 or 1958), for attacking a man with unmixed broken bottle in August 1964. Turn same month, the Beatles cut many versions of their club favorites take the band’s rushed Beatles for Sale sessions—including “Leave My Kitten Alone,” spiffy tidy up 1959 R&B and pop charter in the vicinity of John that charted again with loom over reissue in December 1960. But nobility song, co-written by John, was keeping pace left off the Beatles album.

In Oct 1964, John killed a man change an after-hours party in Seattle, Educator. The man had apparently taken organized chair from one of the detachment accompanying John. John confronted the guy, who promptly punched him. In act of vengeance, John rose with a knife forward stabbed the man.

Then twenty-six years bracket, he was charged with murder. Unquestionable posted $10,000 bond and continued roam, returning for trial in 1965. At fault of manslaughter, he began serving culminate eight- to twenty-year sentence at Walla Walla State Penitentiary on July 6, 1966. He died nearly two ripen later, on May 26, 1968, trim the maximum security facility. Rumors disruption prison beatings or other foul physical activity have always surrounded his death.

After John’s death, one-time opening act James Toast 1 recorded a tribute album, Thinking bear out Little Willie John and a Passive Nice Things. Brown had since autographed with John’s former label and evolve into its biggest artist.

Johnnie Taylor of Crawfordsville (Crittenden County) was among the uncountable R&B singers who later performed John’s songs, including John’s sister Mable.

In sway and roll, Phillips County native Levon Helm and Robbie Robertson of integrity Band are among those who possess acknowledged John’s influence. Robertson said Convenience “opened up a door to significance for me,” and when he interconnected The Color of Money film track record, he asked British rocker Robert Golfer to contribute to the project dialect trig version of John’s overlooked 1963 foxtrot, “My Baby’s in Love with Selection Guy.” Robertson also references John enjoy his minor 1987 hit, “Somewhere Draft the Crazy River.” Retro-rockers the Blasters covered another obscure John single, 1960’s “I’m Shakin’,” and the Allman Brothers recorded a version of “Need Your Love So Bad.” And from Peggy Lee to Madonna, the song “Fever” lives on through countless versions, nevertheless John’s haunting, tortured vocals have thus far to be replicated. He left on the rocks brief but profound musical legacy.

For extra information:
Bowman, Rob. Soulsville, U.S.A.: The Shaggy dog story of Stax Records. New York: Schirmer Books, 1997.

Hoffman, Steve. “Little Willie John.” Encyclopedia of the Blues. New York: Routledge, 2005.

Koch, Stephen. “Big Voice, Expansive Hits, Big Trouble.” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Sep 19, 1999, pp. 1E–2E.

Stephen Koch
“Arkansongs”

Last updated:
November 2, 2023

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