Blues Boy Willie
Encyclopedia
William Daniel McFalls, better known as Blues Boy Willie (born November 28, 1946), is an African American
electric blues
singer and harmonica
player from Memphis, Texas
. McFalls is attempting to revive the popularity which the blues enjoyed in his native Memphis during the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s.
McFalls is known for his unique urban sound and his keen sense of humor as he attempts to make blues, sometimes defined as the "secular folk music
of American blacks" pertinent to modern society. Reared in a musical family, his father was in Ma Rainey
's touring minstrel
show. Among McFalls' recordings are "Leroy" and "Where Is Leroy?".
, then Clarendon Junior College in Clarendon
, the seat of Donley County
, where he learned to play the upright bass and toured the college circuit as a guitar
ist. Later he moved to Los Angeles
, where he spent a decade promoting his music and touring the California
coast with a blues trio.
In 1988, McFalls joined Ichiban Records
at the invitation of a boyhood friend, the producer
Gary B.B. Coleman
. In 1990, his album, Be-Who?, remained on the Billboard
chart for twenty-one weeks. His albums have been recorded with a small studio band. In novelty numbers, McFalls engages in bantering, including one comical exchange about the legitimacy of his children with his then wife, "Miss Lee".
Through Coleman, McFalls met Johnny Rawls, and the pair started the "Blues Review" touring company which performed in the American South. Rufus Thomas
, Tyrone Davis
, and Johnnie Taylor
joined the group. Rawls then asked McFalls to be an artist on his new label, Deep South Sound.
Steve Leggett of Allmusic stated that McFalls "makes things work by the sheer force of his engaging personality."
Early in 2008, McFalls was featured on a segment of Bob Phillips
' syndicated television
anthology series Texas Country Reporter
. In the interview, McFalls explained to Phillips how important the legacy of Memphis, Texas, had been to his singing career and his peace of mind as a person.
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
electric blues
Electric blues
Electric blues is a type of blues music distinguished by the amplification of the guitar, bass guitar, drums, and often the harmonica. Pioneered in the 1930s, it emerged as a genre in Chicago in the 1940s. It was taken up in many areas of America leading to the development of regional subgenres...
singer and 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...
player from Memphis, Texas
Memphis, Texas
Memphis is a city in Hall County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the population was 2,479. It is the county seat of Hall County.Memphis is the birthplace of former U.S...
. McFalls is attempting to revive the popularity which the blues enjoyed in his native Memphis during the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s.
McFalls is known for his unique urban sound and his keen sense of humor as he attempts to make blues, sometimes defined as the "secular folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
of American blacks" pertinent to modern society. Reared in a musical family, his father was in Ma Rainey
Ma Rainey
Ma Rainey was one of the earliest known American professional blues singers and one of the first generation of such singers to record. She was billed as The Mother of the Blues....
's touring minstrel
Minstrel
A minstrel was a medieval European bard who performed songs whose lyrics told stories of distant places or of existing or imaginary historical events. Although minstrels created their own tales, often they would memorize and embellish the works of others. Frequently they were retained by royalty...
show. Among McFalls' recordings are "Leroy" and "Where Is Leroy?".
Life and career
McFalls graduated from Memphis High School, and then studied music at nearby two-year Clarendon CollegeClarendon College (Texas)
Clarendon College is a community college located in Clarendon, the seat of Donley County in the Texas Panhandle. The college operates branch campuses in Pampa and Childress....
, then Clarendon Junior College in Clarendon
Clarendon, Texas
Clarendon is a city in Donley County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,974 at the 2000 census. The county seat of Donley County, Clarendon is located on United States Highway 287 in the Texas Panhandle some sixty miles east of Amarillo. It was established in 1878 by Methodist clergyman L.H...
, the seat of Donley County
Donley County, Texas
Donley County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2000, its population was 3,828. It is named for Stockton P. Donley, a frontier lawyer. Its county seat is Clarendon....
, where he learned to play the upright bass and toured the college circuit as a 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...
ist. Later he moved to Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, where he spent a decade promoting his music and touring the California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
coast with a blues trio.
In 1988, McFalls joined Ichiban Records
Ichiban Records
Ichiban Records was a hip hop record label founded in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1985. Wrap Records and Nastymix Records were some of its subsidiary labels. Urgent! Records was distributed by Ichiban. Most of its discography is now out of print. Besides hip hop groups, Ichiban also released albums by...
at the invitation of a boyhood friend, the producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Gary B.B. Coleman
Gary B.B. Coleman
Gary B.B. Coleman was an American soul blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and record producer.Originally a local-musician turned-blues promoter and session musician, Coleman recorded his debut album in 1986, which was re-released on Ichiban Records...
. In 1990, his album, Be-Who?, remained 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...
chart for twenty-one weeks. His albums have been recorded with a small studio band. In novelty numbers, McFalls engages in bantering, including one comical exchange about the legitimacy of his children with his then wife, "Miss Lee".
Through Coleman, McFalls met Johnny Rawls, and the pair started the "Blues Review" touring company which performed in the American South. Rufus Thomas
Rufus Thomas
Rufus Thomas, Jr. was an American rhythm and blues, funk and soul singer and comedian fromMemphis, Tennessee, who recorded on Sun Records in the...
, Tyrone Davis
Tyrone Davis
Tyrone Davis , born Tyrone Fettson, was a leading American soul singer with a distinctive style, recording a long list of hit records over a period of more than 20 years. He had three no...
, and Johnnie Taylor
Johnnie Taylor
Johnnie Harrison Taylor was an American vocalist in a wide variety of genres, from rhythm and blues, soul, blues and gospel to pop, doo-wop and disco.-Early years:...
joined the group. Rawls then asked McFalls to be an artist on his new label, Deep South Sound.
Steve Leggett of Allmusic stated that McFalls "makes things work by the sheer force of his engaging personality."
Early in 2008, McFalls was featured on a segment of Bob Phillips
Bob Phillips
Robert Leon Phillips, known as Bob Phillips , is an American television journalist best known for his long-running program Texas Country Reporter...
' syndicated television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
anthology series Texas Country Reporter
Texas Country Reporter
Texas Country Reporter is a weekly syndicated television program hosted and produced by Bob Phillips. It airs in all 22 Texas media markets, generally on weekends, and reruns are broadcast nationally on the satellite/cable channel RFD-TV...
. In the interview, McFalls explained to Phillips how important the legacy of Memphis, Texas, had been to his singing career and his peace of mind as a person.
Discography
| Year | Title | Record label |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Strange Things Happening | Ichiban Ichiban Records Ichiban Records was a hip hop record label founded in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1985. Wrap Records and Nastymix Records were some of its subsidiary labels. Urgent! Records was distributed by Ichiban. Most of its discography is now out of print. Besides hip hop groups, Ichiban also released albums by... |
| 1990 | Be Who? | Ichiban |
| 1992 | I Got the Blues | Ichiban |
| 1993 | Don't Look Down | Ichiban |
| 1995 | Juke Joint Blues | Ichiban |
| 2002 | Back Again | Deep South |