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Wet Willie (band)
Encyclopedia
Wet Willie is an American
band from Mobile
, Alabama
, U.S
. They were best known for their hit "Keep On Smilin'," reaching #10 on the Billboard Chart in August 1974, but had a number of charted songs in the 1970s utilizing their soulful brand of Southern rock
.
band that, from 1971 until 1978, produced an array of album
s awash in good-time music, rollicking high-energy blues
-rock
, and white Southern soul, but racked up just one Top Ten hit and a lot of admirers.
, vocals, harmonica
, saxophone
; Jimmy's brother Jack Hall on bass
; John Anthony on keyboards
; Ricky Hirsch on guitar
, and Lewis Ross on drum
s and percussion. The duo
of girls singing background vocals dubbed "The Williettes" were staple of the classic Wet Willie sound, and always featured Jimmy & Jack's sister, Donna Hall. Keyboardist
Mike Duke also joined from The Wetter The Better LP
onwards. For a short period of time in 1974 UK
singer Elkie Brooks
joined the band as a backing singer, as did future Honkette
Leslie Hawkins.
between 1971 and 1977. Along with a "Greatest Hits" album released on Polydor Records
, they also released 2 more final studio albums on Epic Records, although some hits collections and further live recordings have been released as recently as 2006. Perhaps their best-known LP is the 1973 live album
, Drippin' Wet, but their main claim to fame is the hit single
, "Keep On Smilin,'" which reached #10 on the Billboard
singles chart. They also enjoyed some other Billboard-charted
song
s with "Country Side Of Life," "Everything That 'Cha Do" (Will Come Back To You), "Leona," and from their Epic Records
period, "Street Corner Serenade" and "Weekend" from the LP's Manorisms and Which One's Willie? They toured and recorded extensively from 1969 through the early Eighties, and they still perform today.
Source: Allmusic.com
‡Compilations
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
band from Mobile
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, U.S
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. They were best known for their hit "Keep On Smilin'," reaching #10 on the Billboard Chart in August 1974, but had a number of charted songs in the 1970s utilizing their soulful brand of Southern rock
Southern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
.
History
Drummer Lewis Ross assembled the musicians for a group called "Fox" in the summer of 1969, which a year later became known as "Wet Willie." Wet Willie was a versatile, high-energy Southern rockSouthern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
band that, from 1971 until 1978, produced an array of album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
s awash in good-time music, rollicking high-energy blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
-rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, and white Southern soul, but racked up just one Top Ten hit and a lot of admirers.
Band members
The core members of the band during that period were Jimmy HallJimmy Hall
Jimmy Hall was the lead singer and harmonica player for the Southern rock group, Wet Willie. He cofounded the band in 1970, which had significant success in the 1970s; in 1980 he scored a hit of his own with the single "I'm Happy that Love Has Found You"...
, vocals, harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
, saxophone
Saxophone
The saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
; Jimmy's brother Jack Hall on bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
; John Anthony on keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
; Ricky Hirsch on guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, and Lewis Ross on drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s and percussion. The duo
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
of girls singing background vocals dubbed "The Williettes" were staple of the classic Wet Willie sound, and always featured Jimmy & Jack's sister, Donna Hall. Keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
Mike Duke also joined from The Wetter The Better LP
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
onwards. For a short period of time in 1974 UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
singer Elkie Brooks
Elkie Brooks
Elkie Brooks is an English singer, formerly a vocalist with Vinegar Joe, and later a solo artist. Elkie has been nominated twice for Brit Awards' top female singer. She is known for her powerful husky voice...
joined the band as a backing singer, as did future Honkette
The Honkettes
The Honkettes was the name given to the female backing singers of the Southern Rock and Roll band Lynyrd Skynyrd. These members were Cassie Gaines JoJo Billingsley, and Leslie Hawkins...
Leslie Hawkins.
Recordings
Wet Willie put out several albums on Capricorn RecordsCapricorn Records
Capricorn Records was an independent record label which was launched by Phil Walden, Alan Walden, and Frank Fenter in 1969 in Macon, Georgia.-First Incarnation:...
between 1971 and 1977. Along with a "Greatest Hits" album released on Polydor Records
Polydor Records
Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone...
, they also released 2 more final studio albums on Epic Records, although some hits collections and further live recordings have been released as recently as 2006. Perhaps their best-known LP is the 1973 live album
Live album
A live album is a recording consisting of material recorded during stage performances using remote recording techniques, commonly contrasted with a studio album...
, Drippin' Wet, but their main claim to fame is the hit single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, "Keep On Smilin,'" which reached #10 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...
singles chart. They also enjoyed some other Billboard-charted
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....
song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s with "Country Side Of Life," "Everything That 'Cha Do" (Will Come Back To You), "Leona," and from their Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
period, "Street Corner Serenade" and "Weekend" from the LP's Manorisms and Which One's Willie? They toured and recorded extensively from 1969 through the early Eighties, and they still perform today.
Current formations
They remain an active performing band in two distinct versions. With original singer Jimmy Hall in their lineup, they are billed as Wet Willie. Shows and recordings billed as The Wet Willie Band have Ric Seymour, a member of the band since 1992, as lead singer and guitarist. For example, on the albums High Humidity (Live) (2004) and Playing Live Tonight: The Wet Willie Band (2006), it is Seymour, not Hall, who is the lead singer.Discography
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Wet Willie | Capricorn Capricorn Records Capricorn Records was an independent record label which was launched by Phil Walden, Alan Walden, and Frank Fenter in 1969 in Macon, Georgia.-First Incarnation:... |
| 1972 | Wet Willie II | Capricorn Capricorn Records Capricorn Records was an independent record label which was launched by Phil Walden, Alan Walden, and Frank Fenter in 1969 in Macon, Georgia.-First Incarnation:... |
| 1973 | Drippin' Wet (Live) | Capricorn Capricorn Records Capricorn Records was an independent record label which was launched by Phil Walden, Alan Walden, and Frank Fenter in 1969 in Macon, Georgia.-First Incarnation:... |
| 1974 | Keep On Smilin' | Capricorn Capricorn Records Capricorn Records was an independent record label which was launched by Phil Walden, Alan Walden, and Frank Fenter in 1969 in Macon, Georgia.-First Incarnation:... |
| 1975 | Dixie Rock | Capricorn Capricorn Records Capricorn Records was an independent record label which was launched by Phil Walden, Alan Walden, and Frank Fenter in 1969 in Macon, Georgia.-First Incarnation:... |
| 1976 | The Wetter the Better | Capricorn Capricorn Records Capricorn Records was an independent record label which was launched by Phil Walden, Alan Walden, and Frank Fenter in 1969 in Macon, Georgia.-First Incarnation:... |
| 1977 | Left Coast Live | Capricorn Capricorn Records Capricorn Records was an independent record label which was launched by Phil Walden, Alan Walden, and Frank Fenter in 1969 in Macon, Georgia.-First Incarnation:... |
| 1977 | Greatest Hits‡ | Polydor Polydor Records Polydor is a record label owned by Universal Music Group, headquartered in the United Kingdom.-Beginnings:Polydor was originally an independent branch of the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft. Its name was first used as an export label in 1924, the British and German branches of the Gramophone... |
| 1978 | Manorisms Manorisms Manorisms is a 1977 album by Wet Willie and was released on the Epic Records label. The building on the cover is The Manor Studio in Shipton-on-Cherwell where much of the album was recorded.-Track listing:# "Rainman"... |
Epic Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A... |
| 1979 | Which One's Willie? | Epic Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A... |
| 1994 | The Best of Wet Willie (Live)‡ | Polygram |
| 2002 | Take Two‡ with Redbone Redbone (band) Redbone is a Native American rock group that was most active in the 1970s. They reached the Top 5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1974 with the million-selling gold-certified single, "Come and Get Your Love".-History:... |
Sony |
| 2003 | 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Wet Willie‡ | Mercury Mercury Records Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal... |
| 2004 | High Humidity (Live) | Fuel 2000 |
| 2005 | Epic Willie (The Epic Recordings)‡ | Acadia |
| 2005 | Keep on Smilin'/Dixie Rock‡ | Gotdiscs |
| 2006 | Playing Live Tonight: The Wet Willie Band | St. Clair St. Clair Entertainment Group The St. Clair Entertainment Group is a discount distributor of music and entertainment CDs and DVDs, with its corporate head office located in Woodland Hills, California. It was founded in 1985 as a distributor of music special products in Canada... |
Source: Allmusic.com
‡Compilations