The legendary Willie Dixon died on Jan 29, 1992 in Burbank, CA. Dixon`s importance to post-war Chicago Blues is well documented. Dixon was born in 1915 in Vicksburg, MS. He picked up his penchent for writing songs from his mother, who often spoke in rhymes to entertain her children. Dixon said it became a habit with her, so it was natural for him to do the same. Dixon first became enamored by the Blues when he would run through the streets of Vicksburg as a boy, following a flatbed truck that had Little Brother Montgomery`s band playing on it, promoting their gigs. By the time he was a teenager, Dixon was writing songs and selling them to local bands. He also met a carpenter/musician by the name of Theo Phelps, who taught him about vocal harmony. Dixon had a deep. rich bass voice, and he soon joined a group formed by Phelps called The Golden Jubilee Singers, who appeared on local radio broadcasts.
Dixon joined the southern Black migration to Chicago around 1932. He took up boxing and won the Golden Gloves heavyweight title as an amatuer in 1936. He turned pro in `37, and also learned to play the upright bass around the same time. He met guitarist Leonard "Baby Doo" Caston in a gym where Dixon worked out in and they formed a duo. They soon formed a group, The Five Breezes, and recorded for the Bluebird label. The whole thing screeched to a halt when Dixon refused induction into the Army at the start of WW2 and was jailed for a year as a consciencious objector. Upon his releases, Dixon briefly formed a group called The Four Jumps of Jive, but in 1943, he reunited with Caston and formed The Big Three Trio with guitarist Bernado Dennis.
Dixon would often go to late-night jam sessions, after gigs with The Big Three Trio, in Chicago`s growing Blues community, including at a club owned by Leonard Chess. When the Chess Brothers started Aristocrat (later Chess) Records, they hired Dixon to play bass on a session with Robert Nighthawk. The Chess brothers were impressed with Dixon`s songwriting talent, as well as his abilities in production and arranging. He was soon working regularly at Chess Records.
Dixon really began making his mark when he wrote "Hootchie Coothie Man" for Muddy Waters, "Evil" for Howlin Wolf, and "My Babe" for Little Walter. All three became big hits, and the Chess brothers were convinced that they had found a meal ticket in Dixon. In addition to becoming Chess` leading songwriter, Dixon continued playing bass and acting as recording manger for artists like Lowell Fulson, Bo Diddly and Otis Rush. For all these contributions, including his songwriting, Dixon recieved only a $100 a week salary. Frustrated, Dixon moved to Cobra Records, where he wrote the Blues chestnut "I Can`t Quit You Baby" for Otis Rush. When Cobra folded, Dixon wound up back in the Chess stable. Chess began phasing out Dixon`s bass playing in favor of electric bass guitar in the 60s, and Dixon`s studio work decreased significantly. He moonlighted as musical director for The American Folk-Blues Festival, the now legendary and historical series of tours of American Blues artists in Europe. He worked in that capacity for over ten years, all the while recoring on his own and making much more than he was making at Chess. His deal with Chess records finally fizzled out in the late 60s after the death of Leonard Chess and the sale of the company.
Dixon decided to return to performing, and formed The Chicago Blues All-Stars, releasing an album of his best known songs "I Am The Blues' on Columbia and touring Europe extensively.Dixon began to wonder why he wasn`t seeing the rewards of British Blues rockers covering his songs. Convinced by some of these rockers , such as Eric Clapton, that he was being ripped off, he began to investigate. He discovered that ARC Publishing, who published his songs he wrote for Chess, had successfully sued Led Zeppelin for "Bring It On Home" on Led Zeppelin 2, but he had recieved only a token payment. Dixon`s manager did an audit of ARC`s books, which resulted in both Dixon and Muddy Waters suing the publishing company. Around the same time, Dixon filed suit against Led Zeppelin for royalties of "Whole Lotta Love". Both suits wound up with lucrative out-of-court settlements.
With his sudden windfall, Dixon formed The Blues Heaven Foundation. The foundation was dedicated to helping older Blues artists collect their royalties due to them, as well as other philanthropic endeavers such as health care and financial assistance for retired Blues artists. Muddy Waters was the first (honarary) board member. The foundation,which is housed in the old Chess Records building, also intiated the Blues In The Schools program and has a scholarship fund.
Dixon`s list of classic Blues songs he has written is nearly endless. "My Babe", "No Need To Go No Further","Goin Down Slow", "I Just Want to Make Love To You", I`m Ready", "The Same Thing" "300 Pounds of Heavenly Joy", "Hidden Charms, "I Aint Superstitious", "Backdoor Man", "Wang Dang Doodle" "The Red Rooster", "The Seventh Son" are but a few of the classics Willie Dixon has given the Blues.
Dixon joined the southern Black migration to Chicago around 1932. He took up boxing and won the Golden Gloves heavyweight title as an amatuer in 1936. He turned pro in `37, and also learned to play the upright bass around the same time. He met guitarist Leonard "Baby Doo" Caston in a gym where Dixon worked out in and they formed a duo. They soon formed a group, The Five Breezes, and recorded for the Bluebird label. The whole thing screeched to a halt when Dixon refused induction into the Army at the start of WW2 and was jailed for a year as a consciencious objector. Upon his releases, Dixon briefly formed a group called The Four Jumps of Jive, but in 1943, he reunited with Caston and formed The Big Three Trio with guitarist Bernado Dennis.
Dixon would often go to late-night jam sessions, after gigs with The Big Three Trio, in Chicago`s growing Blues community, including at a club owned by Leonard Chess. When the Chess Brothers started Aristocrat (later Chess) Records, they hired Dixon to play bass on a session with Robert Nighthawk. The Chess brothers were impressed with Dixon`s songwriting talent, as well as his abilities in production and arranging. He was soon working regularly at Chess Records.
Dixon really began making his mark when he wrote "Hootchie Coothie Man" for Muddy Waters, "Evil" for Howlin Wolf, and "My Babe" for Little Walter. All three became big hits, and the Chess brothers were convinced that they had found a meal ticket in Dixon. In addition to becoming Chess` leading songwriter, Dixon continued playing bass and acting as recording manger for artists like Lowell Fulson, Bo Diddly and Otis Rush. For all these contributions, including his songwriting, Dixon recieved only a $100 a week salary. Frustrated, Dixon moved to Cobra Records, where he wrote the Blues chestnut "I Can`t Quit You Baby" for Otis Rush. When Cobra folded, Dixon wound up back in the Chess stable. Chess began phasing out Dixon`s bass playing in favor of electric bass guitar in the 60s, and Dixon`s studio work decreased significantly. He moonlighted as musical director for The American Folk-Blues Festival, the now legendary and historical series of tours of American Blues artists in Europe. He worked in that capacity for over ten years, all the while recoring on his own and making much more than he was making at Chess. His deal with Chess records finally fizzled out in the late 60s after the death of Leonard Chess and the sale of the company.
Dixon decided to return to performing, and formed The Chicago Blues All-Stars, releasing an album of his best known songs "I Am The Blues' on Columbia and touring Europe extensively.Dixon began to wonder why he wasn`t seeing the rewards of British Blues rockers covering his songs. Convinced by some of these rockers , such as Eric Clapton, that he was being ripped off, he began to investigate. He discovered that ARC Publishing, who published his songs he wrote for Chess, had successfully sued Led Zeppelin for "Bring It On Home" on Led Zeppelin 2, but he had recieved only a token payment. Dixon`s manager did an audit of ARC`s books, which resulted in both Dixon and Muddy Waters suing the publishing company. Around the same time, Dixon filed suit against Led Zeppelin for royalties of "Whole Lotta Love". Both suits wound up with lucrative out-of-court settlements.
With his sudden windfall, Dixon formed The Blues Heaven Foundation. The foundation was dedicated to helping older Blues artists collect their royalties due to them, as well as other philanthropic endeavers such as health care and financial assistance for retired Blues artists. Muddy Waters was the first (honarary) board member. The foundation,which is housed in the old Chess Records building, also intiated the Blues In The Schools program and has a scholarship fund.
Dixon`s list of classic Blues songs he has written is nearly endless. "My Babe", "No Need To Go No Further","Goin Down Slow", "I Just Want to Make Love To You", I`m Ready", "The Same Thing" "300 Pounds of Heavenly Joy", "Hidden Charms, "I Aint Superstitious", "Backdoor Man", "Wang Dang Doodle" "The Red Rooster", "The Seventh Son" are but a few of the classics Willie Dixon has given the Blues.
