The Prince Of Blues - Little Willie John

[Guest Carl Dixon]

A colleague of mine in Detroit called Sue Whitall, has sent me this url for a MySpace channel regarding Little Willie John:

https://www.myspace.com/littlewilliejohntheofficialsite

Listen to I'm shakin' - fantastic and very sophisticated!

Can you believe he sang the original version of 'Fever' and his sister was Mable John.

Sue Whitall has championed the music from the motor city with her writing skills for a number of publications over the years. Through the forums I visit, I met her in Detroit 2003 and also met her colleagues and jazz writers Lars Bjorn and Jim Gallert where all three together keep R& B, jazz and soul music alive and well in the city with their talks and seminars. This is Sue's home page:

https://www.susanwhitall.com/

and this is the 'History of Detroit Music' site:

https://www.detroitmusichistory.com/

So if anybody is interested in the music before Motown, these are the historians who know the deal. Sue is currently writing the biography of Little Willie John.

Edited March 4, 2008 by Carl Dixon

[rekorder]

A colleague of mine in Detroit called Sue Whitall, has sent me this url for a MySpace channel regarding Little Willie John:

https://www.myspace.com/littlewilliejohntheofficialsite

Listen to I'm shakin' - fantastic and very sophisticated!

Can you believe he sang the original version of 'Fever' and his sister was Mable John.

Sue Whitall has championed the music from the motor city with her writing skills for a number of publications over the years. Through the forums I visit, I met her in Detroit 2003 and also met her colleagues and jazz writers Lars Bjorn and Jim Gallert where all three together keep R& B, jazz and soul music alive and well in the city with their talks and seminars. This is Sue's home page:

https://www.susanwhitall.com/

and this is the 'History of Detroit Music' site:

https://www.detroitmusichistory.com/

So if anybody is interested in the music before Motown, these are the historians who know the deal. Sue is currently writing the biography of Little Willie John.

already made friends a while ago at myspace, and its good to know, people keep up good research working,

as i agree, he's to had been one of the most influential, though never freed voices around..

if you love 'I'm Shakin'', go and check 56' 'My Nerves',too! even more sparse & contemplating, just like he does in 'Fever'..

mable john's bro? truly a rich family..

well, theres been a lot of sophisticated and unpretentious music way before motown-sound got huge..

a sweetspot in history..

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

I've said this on here before but I never mind repeating myself for a good cause...

Willie John was the first real soul singer in the modern sense of the term. In my opinion, he is also the greatest soul singer of all time. It's a real shame that his career was over before soul really came to be the prominent form of black American music.

So many great LWJ tunes to recommend, but one above all - if you've never heard the astounding "My Baby's In Love With Another Guy" you have been doing your ears a massive disservice.

[Denbo]

I've said this on here before but I never mind repeating myself for a good cause...

Willie John was the first real soul singer in the modern sense of the term. In my opinion, he is also the greatest soul singer of all time. It's a real shame that his career was over before soul really came to be the prominent form of black American music.

So many great LWJ tunes to recommend, but one above all - if you've never heard the astounding "My Baby's In Love With Another Guy" you have been doing your ears a massive disservice.

I've tried to find a soundbyte of this record "My Baby's In Love With Another Guy" but can't find it anywhere.

Can somebody help or Tony, could you supply one for us?

Have you heard his "Young Girl" recently. Awesome!!!

[Mikevague]

A colleague of mine in Detroit called Sue Whitall, has sent me this url for a MySpace channel regarding Little Willie John:

https://www.myspace.com/littlewilliejohntheofficialsite

Listen to I'm shakin' - fantastic and very sophisticated!

Can you believe he sang the original version of 'Fever' and his sister was Mable John.

Sue Whitall has championed the music from the motor city with her writing skills for a number of publications over the years. Through the forums I visit, I met her in Detroit 2003 and also met her colleagues and jazz writers Lars Bjorn and Jim Gallert where all three together keep R& B, jazz and soul music alive and well in the city with their talks and seminars. This is Sue's home page:

https://www.susanwhitall.com/

and this is the 'History of Detroit Music' site:

https://www.detroitmusichistory.com/

So if anybody is interested in the music before Motown, these are the historians who know the deal. Sue is currently writing the biography of Little Willie John.

Don't know if anyone here knows this, but his last recordings were produced and arranged by H.B. Barham in 1968 for Capitol.

It has never come out.

Syd Nathan at King blocked its release, and it's never seen the light of day.

And it's REALLY good.

If anyone could sort out the legal situation, it could come out...

But for now, there are only 2 12" acetates of it, that will sit.

Mabel King has one....

[Mikevague]

Don't know if anyone here knows this, but his last recordings were produced and arranged by H.B. Barham in 1968 for Capitol.

It has never come out.

Syd Nathan at King blocked its release, and it's never seen the light of day.

And it's REALLY good.

If anyone could sort out the legal situation, it could come out...

But for now, there are only 2 12" acetates of it, that will sit.

Mabel King has one....

I just checked the myspace page, and it looks like its finally gonna be released!

Good thing.

HB told me when I got it from him not to do anything with it...Someone could get sued..!

Anyone know who's putting it out?

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

I just checked the myspace page, and it looks like its finally gonna be released!

Good thing.

HB told me when I got it from him not to do anything with it...Someone could get sued..!

Anyone know who's putting it out?

PM'd you, my friend....

[michael-j]

the other Little Willie John on myspace has more friends! (2000+)

'My Love Is' is one of my favourites that i rarely see mentioned

[Diggin' Dave]

James Brown even made a tribute album 'Thinking of Little Willie John'. It's also being said that he was the only musician James has ever really looked up to.

The only problem I have with him is that all Little Willie John 45s I encounter seem to be scratched up, maybe I'm jynxed or something like that?

[pow wow mik]

A true genius. Really surprised to learn he lived untill 1968 - i always assumed he died early 60s because i never heard any later material by him. Obviously his 50s - early 60s stuff is amazing and well known, but what was he doing mid-late 60s? you'd have thought a talent of his calibre would have made a few mid 60s killers at least in the style of that era. it's like he just stopped recording in 1962.

Would love to hear his 1968 stuff.

My favourite at the moment = 'it only hurts for a little while'

After a copy of 'i'm shakin' if anyone has one. had it few times but need it again to play with a newie, not with the over-dubbed drums though.

[Guest TONY ROUNCE]

but what was he doing mid-late 60s? you'd have thought a talent of his calibre would have made a few mid 60s killers at least in the style of that era. it's like he just stopped recording in 1962.

He did just stop recording, in 1963...

Unfortunately LWJ - a basically easy going soul who was possessed of a hair-trigger temper - became the very definition of a 'mid 60s killer' when he stabbed a man in a bar argument, after a show in late '63. He went to prison and died there in 1967...

I'm really glad that the New Breed scene has put some focus on this most soulful of performers. I've no doubt that any record he would have made in the mid 60s would have been the equal of his peerless King sides. He was still a young man when he died, roughly the same age in fact as - for example - Levi Stubbs, Marvin Gaye and Eddie Floyd and younger than James Brown....

[Guest Kajun58]

I've said this on here before but I never mind repeating myself for a good cause...

Willie John was the first real soul singer in the modern sense of the term. In my opinion, he is also the greatest soul singer of all time. It's a real shame that his career was over before soul really came to be the prominent form of black American music.

So many great LWJ tunes to recommend, but one above all - if you've never heard the astounding "My Baby's In Love With Another Guy" you have been doing your ears a massive disservice.

Yes ...that's a good one ... The song is on the Rhino Compilation Fever: The Best of Little Willie John Rhino Compilation - Fever The Best of Little Willie John

[Guest Kajun58]

the other Little Willie John on myspace has more friends! (2000+)

'My Love Is' is one of my favourites that i rarely see mentioned

Yes, it does have more friends but this one is the authentic one! It will have more information and other items that you will see no where else. You will learn about the book project that will chronicle the life and music of LWJ and much more ...

You will not see a lot of retreaded information pulled from other web site.

The information will be original and authentic. LWJ The Official My Space Music Page

Kajun58