Maybe it was presumptuous of Willie Dixon to call his 1989 autobiography I Am the Blues, but the blues-and its bratty offspring, rock & roll-wouldn’t be the same without him. Sometimes I’d write it … I personally would have put him in as a Non-Performer rather than an Early Influence. His influence cannot be underestimated. This song is traveling through outer space right now aboard the Voyager spacecraft. 7. His mother was a devoutly religious person who spent much of her time writing religious poems, which gave the young Willie exposure to rhyming and meter. His own singing never had the supple expressiveness of the immortals, so Dixon worked mostly as the house bassist and occasional producer for Chess Records, the label that exported Chicago blues to the rest of the world. While paying a visit with Neville to Muddy’s decrepit old digs on the south side of Chicago, Keith recalls Willie Dixon taking him to a house party there many years ago. However, his first real musical influence came at th… Rock performers such as the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Presley, and Led Zeppelin recorded his songs. by Slay McComb (SHS) As one of the greatest American songwriters of all times, Willie James Dixon was a bright, self-confident, determined, intelligent, and gifted man who helped the blues evolve from the 1940’s through the 1980’s (Songwriters 11). For those not familiar with Willie Dixon, he's one of the giants of American blues. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Dixon’s songs included ‘I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man,’ ‘Little Red Rooster,’ ‘Back Door Man,’ ‘The … It was decided that it was so far away in time and influence that … Well, you only get caught when you’re successful. That did go on, but as Dixon revealed in his essential 1990 biography I Am The Blues (written with Don Snowden) he made tapes of his music to help kids like Brian, Mick and Keith in their blues studies: “Kids would come and say they liked our music and want to sing our music. T Many credit Chicago>s Maxwell Street Market as the birthplace of R&B. Dixon was a huge influence on Jimmy Page, however, this track was recorded just a … Born in Vicksburg, Miss., the seventh of 14 kids in a broken home, he had a rough- and-tumble adolescence, traveling around the country from the age of 12 and getting arrested for theft and hoboing. His songs were first recorded by Chess artists like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and Little Walter, but they were listened to by dozens of budding rock and blues musicians, who, when they got recording contracts, played Dixon's songs. Dixon played behind blues and rock greats, from Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf to Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley-often recording his own tunes. Dixon was the founder of the Blues Heaven Foundation, a nonprofit organization designed to benefit destitute blues performers and provide scholarships to young musicians. Willie Dixon is without doubt the most influential musician in modern music. What did Waters do for work in Chicago? In the 1960s he toured Europe with the American Folk Blues Festival and formed the Chicago Blues All-Stars, which traveled widely throughout the United States and Europe. T The Chicago blues sound comes from the electric guitar and the addition of other instrumentalists including piano, bass, harmonica and drums. Willie Dixon [1] 1915–1992 Blues singer, songwriter, bass player, record producer At a Glance… [2] Learned About the Real Blues [3] Early Work on Chicago Blues Circuit [4] Big Three Trio Achieved Success [5] Began Affiliation With Chess Records [6] Left Chess Over Royalty Dispute [7] Brought Blues By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Among his best-known songs were “I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man” and “I’m Ready,” written for Muddy Waters; “Little Red Rooster” and “Back Door Man,” for Howlin’ Wolf; “My Babe,” for Little Walter; “Bring It on Home,” for the second Sonny Boy Williamson (Alex “Rice” Miller); and “The Seventh Son” and “Wang Dang Doodle.” In the late 1950s he worked with the short-lived Cobra label. Willie Dixon, in full William James Dixon, (born July 1, 1915, Vicksburg, Mississippi, U.S.—died January 29, 1992, Burbank, California), American blues musician who, as a record producer, bassist, and prolific songwriter, exerted a major influence on the post-World War II Chicago style. Willie Dixon has influenced and continues to influence generations of Blues and Rock artists, he played a pivotal role on influencing some of the most relevant 1950’s and 1960’s Rock bands and artists, who covered his songs extensively; next to Muddy Waters, Dixon is recognized as the most influential person in shaping the post–World War II sound of the Chicago blues. He was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the “early influences” (pre-rock) category in 1994. Blues legend Willie Dixon was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, in 1915. Dixon turned to music after moving to Chicago in the mid-’30s. Type: True or False Points Awarded: 1.000/1.000 User Answer(s): FALSE Question 41: What record was Kurt Cobain’s favorite Stooges album of all time? Dixon was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980 and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. What did amplification do for Waters' guitar? Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Willie Nelson was born Willie Hugh Nelson on the 29th of April 1993 in Abbott, Texas to Ira Doyle Nelson and Myrle Marie- Greenhaw. His mother, Daisy, often rhymed things she said, a habit her son imitated. Born the seventh of fourteen children on July 1, 1915, in Vicksburg, Mississippi,Dixon was greatly influenced by his mother, Daisy, who turned everything she said into rhymes, and Willie learned to do the same. Willie Dixon used the money received from this settlement for the Blues … I'm glad Willie Dixon is in. They were meant to help me piece together the general history of rock drumming and the specific history of key drummers. Really. Willie Dixon had become everybody’s favorite uncle; the elder statesman whose dues had all been paid. Updates? What performer is at the root of Waters' style? Offers may be subject to change without notice. He worked as a band leader, producer, talent scout, A&R man, music publisher, singer, bassist, and is best known for his work with Chess Records. His father, Late. A huge man both in girth and talent, he became a voice for the broken man and the troubled woman. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Just keep on walking, man. His mother Daisy often rhymed the things she said, a habit her son imitated. Eventually he lost one of his legs and died of heart failure in 1992, at the age 76. SKF NOTE: This interview with blues legend Willie Dixon is a backgrounder interview for a five-part feature series, The History of Rock Drumming, I wrote for Modern Drummer in the early 1980s. As a bluesman who had been there and done that, Willie lived his life exactly like he wrote songs; simply, without pretension and at gut level. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. So on May 21, 1955 Berry recorded, "Ida Red" renamed "Maybellene," the name taken from a line of cosmetics, with Johnny Johnson, Jerome Green (from Bo Diddley's band) on the maracas, Jasper Thomas on the drums and blue legend Willie Dixon on the bass. Later in his teens, he learned how to sing harmony from a local carp… For bands like Cream, the Yardbirds, the Doors, and the Allman Brothers, covering a Dixon song was both a sign of respect and a badge of authenticity. Willie Dixon's health increasingly deteriorated during the 1970s and the 1980s, mainly due to his long-term diabetes. Willie’s albums including Shotgun Willie and Stardust topped the charts. One of his own groups, the Big Three Trio, had an R&B hit in 1948 with ”You Sure Looked Good to Me,” and he made occasional solo albums up until 1988. William James "Willie" Dixon (July 1, 1915 – January 29, 1992) was an American blues musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and record producer. Willie Dixon. Dixon’s upbeat blues compositions, which he sold for as little as $30, helped usher in the Chicago blues sound of the 1950s. Seems like he was much more renowned for his songwriting than his actual recordings, but "Walkin' The Blues" is a great song. His mother was a devoutly religious person who spent much of her time writing religious poems, which gave the young Willie exposure to rhyming and meter. The foundations’ current vice president is Willie’s grandson Alex Dixon… Willie Dixon was granted a Grammy Award in 1989 for his album Hidden Charms. A Grammy Award winner who was proficient on both the upright bass and the guitar and as a vocalist, Dixon is perhaps best known as one of the most prolific songwriters of his time. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. (the Stooges and Iggy Pop were a great influence on Nirvana)! Willie Dixon is an American blues legend who for more than forty years loomed in the vanguard of the Chicago blues scene. Spread the love with EW's Valentine's Day gift guide. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. Profile: American blues bassist, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and record producer, born 1 July 1915 in Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA, died 29 January 1992 in Burbank, California, USA. Little Willie Littlefield and “Kansas City” Jimmy Page often cited Scottish folk musician Bert Jansch as an influence. He has a sister, Bobbie. His autobiography is entitled I Am the Blues (1989). At the age of seven, young Dixon became an admirer of a band that featured pianist Little Brother Montgomery. Willie Dixon "You Shook Me" Muddy Waters: Unchanged: This song was correctly credited to Willie Dixon, but a similar controversy exists over whether Page got the idea from friend and former bandmate Jeff Beck: [Beck] had the same sort of taste in music as I did. When that group dissolved, he began working full-time for Chess Records, serving as a house bassist and arranger on recording sessions. User Answer(s): FALSE Question 40: Country Music is a more significant influence on the development of Rock and Roll than Blues Music? 6. Who was Willie Dixon? January 29, 1992 – Willie Dixon was born July 1st 1915 in Vicksburg, Mississippi. After he passed, a former manager kept sniping claims at his estate, attempting to secure as much as 33% of Dixon's publishing royalties that he claimed he was due. A giant in more ways than one-at 6-foot-4, his solid frame carried well over 300 pounds-Dixon drew upon some of his own hard times when he wrote. The following year he won the Illinois Golden Glove amateur heavyweight boxing championship. Though Dixon did record, his greatest influence was a bass player and songwriter. Dixon’s mother wrote religious poetry, and he sang in a gospel quartet before moving to Chicago in 1936. Born the seventh of fourteen children, his greatest influence was his mother, who turned everything she said into rhymes and he learned to do the same. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Willie-Dixon, Mississippi Writers and Musicians - Biography of Willie Dixon, Maps of World - Biography of John Tyler the 10th President of US, All About Jazz - Biography of Willie Dixon, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - Biography of Willie Dixon, Blackpast.org - Biography of William James Dixon, Willie Dixon - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Chicago. ”He put a fire under the blues,” says Koko Taylor, who had a hit in 1966 with ”Wang Dang Doodle.” ”There’ll never be another Willie Dixon.”w, Updated February 14, 1992 at 05:00 AM EST. Posted by Philip on Tuesday, 08/25/2009 @ 23:00pm None of my backgrounder interviews were meant to see the light of day. Willie Dixon later sued Led Zeppelin, successfully, for taking another of his riffs without giving him credit or royalties. Willie Dixon. But it was his writing-as rich and potent as good earth- that made him so important. They are of English-Scottish ethnicity. At the age of seven, young Dixon became an admirer of a band that featured pianist Little Brother Montgomery. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Dixon, who died Jan. 29 of heart failure at the age of 76, wrote more than 500 songs-among them such down ‘n’ dirty masterpieces as ”Spoonful,” ”Hoochie Coochie Man,” ”Wang Dang Doodle,” and ”I Just Want to Make Love to You”-creating the basic repertoire of urban blues, songs that had a profound influence on major rock bands like the Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin, both of whom did Dixon tunes on their first albums. 4. Willie Dixon, American blues musician who, as a record producer, bassist, and prolific songwriter, exerted a major influence on the post-World War II Chicago style. Legendary Blues Musician and Songwriter. He began playing the double bass in 1939 and worked extensively with the Big Three Trio (1946–52). Willie Dixon plays bass on this tune, as he did in many of Chuck Berry’s hit songs. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Corrections? Blues songwriting maestro Willie Dixon wrote the slow and sexy track for Muddy Waters in 1954, topping the Billboard charts. This music became essential listening among young rockers in the ’60s. Blues legend Willie Dixon was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, in 1915. Dixon turned to music after moving to Chicago in the mid-’30s. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. Says bluesman Robert Cray, who named his first record, Who’s Been Talkin’, after a Dixon song: ”Willie Dixon was probably the best of all blues writers.” Unlike other blues greats, Dixon earned his fame by putting words in other people’s mouths. Ira was a mechanic. T John Lee Hooker is often considered to be the last link to the blues of the Deep South. You Shook Me – A song written for Muddy Waters by Willie Dixon, credited as such. “2120 South Michigan Ave.” by the Rolling Stones The Stones recorded this instrumental during their sessions on the second floor of the Chess Building. He sang his first song at Springfield Baptist Church at the age of four Dixon was first introduced to blueswhen he served time on prison farms in Mississippi as a young teenager. T Willie Dixon was once the "Golden Gloves" heavyweight-boxing champion? The case was settled out of court and recent Led Zeppelin releases have given songwriting credit for “Whole Lotta Love” to Willie Dixon along with all four members of Led Zeppelin. He sang his first song at Springfield Baptist Church at the age of […] ... Inducted into The Blues Foundation Hall of Fame in 1980. Omissions? Willie Nelson- Birth Age, Family. At the age of seventeen, he left his hometown for Chicago to become a … 5. He was one of fourteen children. Willie Dixon's victory over Zeppelin was just one in a war, and the legal battles did not even end with his death. That's why you'll find on the early LPs we both did a song like "You Shook Me." As one example, Led Zeppelin's first album, released in 1969, has several Willie Dixon covers on it. Dixon was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, on July 1, 1915. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Real Name: William James Dixon.