Willie Hale
Encyclopedia
Willie Hale often known by the name Little Beaver, is an American R&B guitarist, singer and songwriter featured on many hit records since the 1960s.
Hale was born in Forrest City, Arkansas
, and acquired the nickname "Little Beaver" as a child because of his prominent teeth. He became a virtuoso guitarist at an early age. In the early 1960s he moved to Florida, and in 1969 was signed by songwriter and producer Willie Clarke to the Cat label, an offshoot of Henry Stone
’s TK Records
.
As a session musician, his characteristic guitar sound was soon heard on many hit TK recordings, including Betty Wright
’s “Clean Up Woman”. (However, contrary to some sources, he was not featured on George McCrae's "Rock Your Baby", which featured Jerome Smith of KC & the Sunshine Band).
In 1972 he launched a solo career with the single “Joey”. His biggest solo hit came in 1974 with “Party Down”, which made # 2 on the US R&B chart. He also released five albums as Little Beaver in the 1970s, a mixture of blues, soul and funk. However, he lost out commercially at the height of the disco boom. Many of his records featured other key Florida R&B musicians including Wright, pianist Benny Latimore
, and organist Timmy Thomas
. His 1974 album Party Down also featured, on one track, bassist Jaco Pastorius
, credited as Nelson "Jocko" Padron.
After ending his recording career in the late 1970s, he was recruited by Betty Wright in 2003 to play on Joss Stone
’s albums The Soul Sessions
and Mind, Body & Soul
.
Some of his tracks have been sampled by hip-hop artists in recent years. The Los Angeles hip-hop duo People Under the Stairs
sampled "Get into the Party Life" and "I Can Dig It Baby," for two tracks on their 2002 album O.S.T.
, and titled the songs "Suite For Beaver, Part 1" and "Suite For Beaver, Part 2," respectively, as a tribute. "Get into the Party Life" was also later sampled on Jay-Z's track "Party Life" from his American Gangster
album.
Hale was born in Forrest City, Arkansas
Forrest City, Arkansas
Forrest City is a city in and the county seat of St. Francis County, Arkansas, United States. It was named for General Nathan Bedford Forrest, who used the location as a campsite for a construction crew completing a railroad between Memphis and Little Rock, shortly after the Civil War. The...
, and acquired the nickname "Little Beaver" as a child because of his prominent teeth. He became a virtuoso guitarist at an early age. In the early 1960s he moved to Florida, and in 1969 was signed by songwriter and producer Willie Clarke to the Cat label, an offshoot of Henry Stone
Henry Stone
Henry Stone is an American record company executive and producer whose career spans the era from R&B in the early 1950s through the disco boom of the 1970s to the present day. He is best known as co-owner and president of TK Records....
’s TK Records
TK Records
TK Records was an American record label started by record distributor, Henry Stone in Miami, Florida, one of several labels that he founded in the 1960s and 1970s...
.
As a session musician, his characteristic guitar sound was soon heard on many hit TK recordings, including Betty Wright
Betty Wright
Bessie Regina Norris, better known by her stage name, Betty Wright , is a Grammy winning Miami-based soul and R&B singer-songwriter, who won fame in the 1970s with hits such as "Clean Up Woman" and "Tonight Is the Night"...
’s “Clean Up Woman”. (However, contrary to some sources, he was not featured on George McCrae's "Rock Your Baby", which featured Jerome Smith of KC & the Sunshine Band).
In 1972 he launched a solo career with the single “Joey”. His biggest solo hit came in 1974 with “Party Down”, which made # 2 on the US R&B chart. He also released five albums as Little Beaver in the 1970s, a mixture of blues, soul and funk. However, he lost out commercially at the height of the disco boom. Many of his records featured other key Florida R&B musicians including Wright, pianist Benny Latimore
Latimore (musician)
Benjamin "Benny" Latimore , usually known professionally simply as Latimore, is an American R&B singer, songwriter and pianist....
, and organist Timmy Thomas
Timmy Thomas
Timmy Thomas is an American R&B singer, keyboardist, songwriter and record producer, best known for the hit song, "Why Can't We Live Together".-Career:...
. His 1974 album Party Down also featured, on one track, bassist Jaco Pastorius
Jaco Pastorius
John Francis Anthony Pastorius III , known as Jaco Pastorius, was an American jazz musician and composer widely acknowledged as a virtuoso electric bass player....
, credited as Nelson "Jocko" Padron.
After ending his recording career in the late 1970s, he was recruited by Betty Wright in 2003 to play on Joss Stone
Joss Stone
Jocelyn Eve Stoker , better known by her stage name Joss Stone, is an English soul singer-songwriter and actress. Stone rose to fame in late 2003 with her multi-platinum debut album, The Soul Sessions, which made the 2004 Mercury Prize shortlist...
’s albums The Soul Sessions
The Soul Sessions
The Soul Sessions is the debut album by English recording artist Joss Stone. It was released in the United Kingdom on 24 November 2003 by Relentless Records...
and Mind, Body & Soul
Mind, Body & Soul
Mind Body & Soul is the second studio album by English recording artist Joss Stone. Released in the United Kingdom on 27 September 2004 by Relentless Records, it is Stone's most successful album to date in the United Kingdom, where it debuted at number one and stayed atop for one week...
.
Some of his tracks have been sampled by hip-hop artists in recent years. The Los Angeles hip-hop duo People Under the Stairs
People Under the Stairs
People Under the Stairs is a hip hop group from Los Angeles, California formed in 1997 by Thes One and Double K. The group has released eight critically acclaimed full-length albums and performed on every continent except Antarctica. It is estimated that the group has performed well over 1,000 sold...
sampled "Get into the Party Life" and "I Can Dig It Baby," for two tracks on their 2002 album O.S.T.
O.S.T. (album)
O.S.T. is the third album by the People Under the Stairs. In between managing tours and performing, Thes One began producing and engineering the third People Under The Stairs album, which would be released in June 2002 as O.S.T....
, and titled the songs "Suite For Beaver, Part 1" and "Suite For Beaver, Part 2," respectively, as a tribute. "Get into the Party Life" was also later sampled on Jay-Z's track "Party Life" from his American Gangster
American Gangster (album)
American Gangster is the tenth studio album by American rapper Jay-Z, released November 6, 2007 on Roc-A-Fella Records. It is Jay-Z's last studio release for the Def Jam and Roc-A-Fella Records label and his first concept album, which was inspired by the film of the same name. The album features...
album.