Little Willie John
Encyclopedia
William Edward John was better known by his stage name
Little Willie John. Many sources erroneously give his second name as Edgar. He was an American
R&B
singer who performed in the 1950s and early 1960s and is best known for his popular music chart
successes with songs such as, "All Around the World" (1955), "Need Your Love So Bad
" (1956) and "Fever" the same year, the latter covered
in 1958 by Peggy Lee
.
, Arkansas
, one of ten children, his family moving to Detroit, Michigan
when he was four so that his father could pursue factory work. In the late 1940s, the eldest children, including Willie, formed a gospel singing group, and Willie also performed in talent shows, which brought him to the notice of Johnny Otis
and, later, musician and producer Henry Glover
. After seeing him sing with the Paul "Hucklebuck" Williams orchestra, Glover signed him to a recording contract
with King Records
in 1955. He was nicknamed "Little Willie" John for his short stature.
His first recording, a version of Titus Turner
's "All Around the World", was a hit, reaching # 5 on the Billboard
R&B chart. He followed up with a string of R&B hits, including the original version of "Need Your Love So Bad
", written by his elder brother Mertis John Jr. One of his biggest hits, "Fever" (1956) (Pop #24), was more famously covered by Peggy Lee
in 1958. However, John's version alone sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc
. Another song, "Talk to Me, Talk to Me" recorded in 1958, reached #5 in the R&B chart
and #20 in the Pop
chart
, and also sold over one million. A few years later it was a hit once again by Sunny & the Sunglows
. He also recorded "I'm Shakin'" by Rudy Toombs
, "Suffering With The Blues", and "Sleep" (1960) (Pop #13). In all, John made the Billboard
Hot 100
a total of fourteen times. A cover version of "Need Your Love So Bad" by Fleetwood Mac
was also a hit in Europe. Another of his songs to be covered was "Leave My Kitten Alone
", (1959). The Beatles
recorded a version in 1964, intended for their Beatles for Sale
album, but it went unreleased until 1995.
Willie John was known for his short temper and propensity to abuse alcohol, and was dropped by his record company in 1963. In 1966, he was convicted of manslaughter
and sent to Washington State Penitentiary for a fatal knifing incident following a show in Seattle. He appealed against his conviction and was released while the case was reconsidered, during which time he recorded what was intended to be his comeback album, but owing to contractual wrangling and the decline of his appeal, it was not released until 2008 (as Nineteen Sixty Six). Little Willie John died in 1968 at Washington State Penitentiary
in Walla Walla, Washington
. Despite counter claims, the official cause of death was listed in his death certificate as a heart attack
.
His interment was in Warren, Michigan
's Detroit Memorial Park East.
Little Willie John was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
in 1996.
He was the brother of singer Mable John
, who recorded for Motown
and Stax
, and the father of Keith John, a long time backing vocalist
for Stevie Wonder
.
James Brown
, who early in his career had opened shows for John, recorded a tribute album
, Thinking about Little Willie John... and a Few Nice Things.
Robbie Robertson
, former lead guitarist for The Band
, referenced John in a song on his 1987 self-titled solo debut album
titled Somewhere Down the Crazy River.
A biography, Fever: Little Willie John; A Fast Life, Mysterious Death and the Birth of Soul written by Susan Whitall with Kevin John (the son of Little Willie John) has been released in 2011 by Titan Books.
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
Little Willie John. Many sources erroneously give his second name as Edgar. He was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
singer who performed in the 1950s and early 1960s and is best known for his popular music chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
successes with songs such as, "All Around the World" (1955), "Need Your Love So Bad
Need Your Love So Bad
"Need Your Love So Bad" sometimes known as "I Need Your Love So Bad", is a blues song first published in 1955 and written by Mertis John Jr....
" (1956) and "Fever" the same year, the latter covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
in 1958 by Peggy Lee
Peggy Lee
Peggy Lee was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, composer, and actress in a career spanning six decades. From her beginning as a vocalist on local radio to singing with Benny Goodman's big band, she forged a sophisticated persona, evolving into a multi-faceted artist and...
.
Biography
He was born in CullendaleCullendale, Arkansas
Cullendale is an unincorporated community in Ouachita County, Arkansas, United States. It is part of the Camden Micropolitan Statistical Area.Latitude: 33.53917 : Longitude: -92.82222 : Elevation: 130 ft-External links:**...
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, one of ten children, his family moving to Detroit, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
when he was four so that his father could pursue factory work. In the late 1940s, the eldest children, including Willie, formed a gospel singing group, and Willie also performed in talent shows, which brought him to the notice of Johnny Otis
Johnny Otis
Johnny Otis is an American singer, musician, talent scout, disc jockey, composer, arranger, recording artist, record producer, vibraphonist, drummer, percussionist, bandleader, and impresario.He is commonly referred to as The Godfather Of Rhythm And Blues.-Personal life:Otis, the son of Alexander...
and, later, musician and producer Henry Glover
Henry Glover
Henry Glover was an American songwriter, arranger, record producer and trumpet player. In the music industry of the time, Glover was one of the more successful, and influential, black executives. He gained eminence in the late 1940s, primarily working for the independent King label...
. After seeing him sing with the Paul "Hucklebuck" Williams orchestra, Glover signed him to a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
with King Records
King Records (USA)
King Records is an American record label, started in 1943 by Syd Nathan and originally headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.-History:At first it specialized in country music, at the time still known as "hillbilly music." King advertised, "If it's a King, It's a Hillbilly -- If it's a Hillbilly, it's a...
in 1955. He was nicknamed "Little Willie" John for his short stature.
His first recording, a version of Titus Turner
Titus Turner
Titus Turner was an American R&B and East Coast blues singer and songwriter. His best remembered recordings were "We Told You Not To Marry" and "Sound-Off," plus he wrote "Leave My Kitten Alone," and "Tell Me Why."...
's "All Around the World", was a hit, reaching # 5 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
R&B chart. He followed up with a string of R&B hits, including the original version of "Need Your Love So Bad
Need Your Love So Bad
"Need Your Love So Bad" sometimes known as "I Need Your Love So Bad", is a blues song first published in 1955 and written by Mertis John Jr....
", written by his elder brother Mertis John Jr. One of his biggest hits, "Fever" (1956) (Pop #24), was more famously covered by Peggy Lee
Peggy Lee
Peggy Lee was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, composer, and actress in a career spanning six decades. From her beginning as a vocalist on local radio to singing with Benny Goodman's big band, she forged a sophisticated persona, evolving into a multi-faceted artist and...
in 1958. However, John's version alone sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
. Another song, "Talk to Me, Talk to Me" recorded in 1958, reached #5 in the R&B chart
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
and #20 in the Pop
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
, and also sold over one million. A few years later it was a hit once again by Sunny & the Sunglows
Sunny & the Sunglows
Sunny & the Sunglows were an American musical group formed in 1959 in San Antonio, Texas.The group's members were all chicanos with the exception of Amos Johnson Jr., and their style was a blend of rhythm and blues, tejano, blues, and mariachi. They first recorded in 1962 for their own label,...
. He also recorded "I'm Shakin'" by Rudy Toombs
Rudy Toombs
Rudolph "Rudy" Toombs , born in Monroe, Louisiana, was an American black songwriter who wrote "Teardrops from My Eyes", Ruth Brown's first number one R&B successful song...
, "Suffering With The Blues", and "Sleep" (1960) (Pop #13). In all, John made the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
a total of fourteen times. A cover version of "Need Your Love So Bad" by Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are a British–American rock band formed in 1967 in London.The only original member present in the band is its eponymous drummer, Mick Fleetwood...
was also a hit in Europe. Another of his songs to be covered was "Leave My Kitten Alone
Leave My Kitten Alone
"Leave My Kitten Alone" is a 1959 R&B hit, written by Little Willie John, James McDougal and Titus Turner, first recorded by Little Willie John, and covered in 1960 by Johnny Preston. The song is also the 22nd song on the second disc to The Beatles' Anthology 1...
", (1959). The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
recorded a version in 1964, intended for their Beatles for Sale
Beatles for Sale
Beatles for Sale is the fourth studio album by the English rock band The Beatles, released in late 1964 and produced by George Martin for Parlophone. The album marked a minor turning point in the evolution of Lennon and McCartney as lyricists, John Lennon particularly now showing interest in...
album, but it went unreleased until 1995.
Willie John was known for his short temper and propensity to abuse alcohol, and was dropped by his record company in 1963. In 1966, he was convicted of manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
and sent to Washington State Penitentiary for a fatal knifing incident following a show in Seattle. He appealed against his conviction and was released while the case was reconsidered, during which time he recorded what was intended to be his comeback album, but owing to contractual wrangling and the decline of his appeal, it was not released until 2008 (as Nineteen Sixty Six). Little Willie John died in 1968 at Washington State Penitentiary
Washington State Penitentiary
Washington State Penitentiary is a Washington State Department of Corrections men's prison located in Walla Walla, Washington...
in Walla Walla, Washington
Walla Walla, Washington
Walla Walla is the largest city in and the county seat of Walla Walla County, Washington, United States. The population was 31,731 at the 2010 census...
. Despite counter claims, the official cause of death was listed in his death certificate as a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
.
His interment was in Warren, Michigan
Warren, Michigan
Warren is a city in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The 2010 census places the city's population at 134,056, making Warren the largest city in Macomb County, the third largest city in Michigan, and Metro Detroit's largest suburb....
's Detroit Memorial Park East.
Little Willie John was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located on the shore of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It is dedicated to archiving the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, engineers and others who have, in some major way,...
in 1996.
He was the brother of singer Mable John
Mable John
Mable John is an American blues vocalist and was the first female signed by Berry Gordy to Motown's Tamla label.- Biography :...
, who recorded for Motown
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
and Stax
Stax Records
Stax Records is an American record label, originally based in Memphis, Tennessee.Founded in 1957 as Satellite Records, the name Stax Records was adopted in 1961. The label was a major factor in the creation of the Southern soul and Memphis soul music styles, also releasing gospel, funk, jazz, and...
, and the father of Keith John, a long time backing vocalist
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
for Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
.
James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
, who early in his career had opened shows for John, recorded a tribute album
Tribute album
A tribute album is a recorded collection of cover versions of songs or instrumental compositions. Its concept may be either various artists making a tribute to a single artist, a single artist making a tribute to various artists, or a single artist making a tribute to another single artist.There...
, Thinking about Little Willie John... and a Few Nice Things.
Robbie Robertson
Robbie Robertson
Robbie Robertson, OC; is a Canadian singer-songwriter, and guitarist. He is best known for his membership as the guitarist and primary songwriter within The Band. He was ranked 59th in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time...
, former lead guitarist for The Band
The Band
The Band was an acclaimed and influential roots rock group. The original group consisted of Rick Danko , Garth Hudson , Richard Manuel , and Robbie Robertson , and Levon Helm...
, referenced John in a song on his 1987 self-titled solo debut album
Robbie Robertson (album)
Robbie Robertson is the self-titled solo debut by Robbie Robertson, released in 1987. The album won the Juno Award for "Album of the Year", and producers Lanois and Robertson won the "Producer of the Year" Juno award, both in 1989 as there were no Juno Awards held in 1988.The album is notable for...
titled Somewhere Down the Crazy River.
A biography, Fever: Little Willie John; A Fast Life, Mysterious Death and the Birth of Soul written by Susan Whitall with Kevin John (the son of Little Willie John) has been released in 2011 by Titan Books.
Single discography
| Year | Title | Label & Cat. No. |
U.S. R&B Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
U.S. Pop Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | "All Around the World" | King 4818 | |
|
| 1956 | "Need Your Love So Bad Need Your Love So Bad "Need Your Love So Bad" sometimes known as "I Need Your Love So Bad", is a blues song first published in 1955 and written by Mertis John Jr.... " / "Home at Last" |
King 4841 | |
|
| 1956 | "Fever" / "Letter from My Darling" | King 4935 | |
|
| 1956 | "Do Something for Me" | King 4960 | |
|
| 1958 | "Talk to Me, Talk to Me" | King 5108 | |
|
| 1958 | "You're a Sweetheart" | King 5142 | |
|
| 1958 | "Tell It Like It Is" | King 5147 | |
|
| 1959 | "Leave My Kitten Alone Leave My Kitten Alone "Leave My Kitten Alone" is a 1959 R&B hit, written by Little Willie John, James McDougal and Titus Turner, first recorded by Little Willie John, and covered in 1960 by Johnny Preston. The song is also the 22nd song on the second disc to The Beatles' Anthology 1... " |
King 5219 | |
|
| 1959 | "Let Them Talk" | King 5274 | |
|
| 1960 | "A Cottage for Sale" | King 5342 | |
|
| 1960 | "Heartbreak (It's Hurtin' Me)" | King 5356 | |
|
| 1960 | "Sleep" | King 5394 | |
|
| 1961 | "Walk Slow" | King 5428 | |
|
| 1961 | "Leave My Kitten Alone" (reissue) | King 5452 | |
|
| 1961 | "The Very Thought of You" | King 5458 | |
|
| 1961 | "Flamingo" / "(I've Got) Spring Fever" | King 5503 | |
|
| 1961 | "Take My Love (I Want to Give It All to You)" / "Now You Know" | King 5516 | |
|