Chick Willis
Encyclopedia
Robert "Chick" Willis is an American
blues
singer. His cousin was Chuck Willis
.
Chick Willis served in the military in the early 1950s before working as a chauffeur
for Chuck Willis during his heyday. He won a talent show
at the Magnolia Ballroom in Atlanta, Georgia
and made his first record
in 1956, with the Ebb Records' single
"You're Mine". Initially, he only sang, but learned guitar while touring with his cousin; Guitar Slim
was one of his foremost influences.
After Chuck's death in 1957, Willis played with Elmore James
, recording singles through the 1960s for Atco
and other labels
. His 1972 release, "Stoop Down Baby", was a jukebox
hit but secured no radio airplay
, due to its sexually explicit content. He released a steady stream of album
s on Ichiban Records
in the 1980s and 1990s, and continued to record into the 2000s.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
singer. His cousin was Chuck Willis
Chuck Willis
Harold "Chuck" Willis was an American blues, rhythm and blues, and rock and roll singer and songwriter. His biggest hits, "C. C. Rider" and "What Am I Living For" , both reached no. 1 in the Billboard R&B chart...
.
Chick Willis served in the military in the early 1950s before working as a chauffeur
Chauffeur
A chauffeur is a person employed to drive a passenger motor vehicle, especially a luxury vehicle such as a large sedan or limousine.Originally such drivers were always personal servants of the vehicle owner, but now in many cases specialist chauffeur service companies, or individual drivers provide...
for Chuck Willis during his heyday. He won a talent show
Talent show
A talent show is an event where participants perform their talent or talents of acting, singing, dancing, acrobatics, drumming, martial arts, playing an instrument, and other activities to showcase a unique form of talent, sometimes for a reward, trophy or prize...
at the Magnolia Ballroom in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
and made his first record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
in 1956, with the Ebb Records' 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...
"You're Mine". Initially, he only sang, but learned guitar while touring with his cousin; Guitar Slim
Guitar Slim
Eddie Jones , better known as Guitar Slim, was a New Orleans blues guitarist, from the 1940s and 1950s, best known for the million-selling song, produced by Johnny Vincent at Specialty Records, "The Things That I Used to Do"...
was one of his foremost influences.
After Chuck's death in 1957, Willis played with Elmore James
Elmore James
Elmore James was an American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and band leader. He was known as "the King of the Slide Guitar" and had a unique guitar style, noted for his use of loud amplification and his stirring voice.-Biography:James was born Elmore Brooks in the old Richland community in...
, recording singles through the 1960s for Atco
Atco Records
ATCO Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, currently operating through WMG's Rhino Entertainment.-Beginnings:Atco Records was founded in 1955 as a division of Atlantic Records. It was devised as an outlet for productions by one of Atlantic's founders, Herb Abramson, who...
and other labels
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
. His 1972 release, "Stoop Down Baby", was a jukebox
Jukebox
A jukebox is a partially automated music-playing device, usually a coin-operated machine, that will play a patron's selection from self-contained media...
hit but secured no radio airplay
Airplay
* Airplay is the amount of time a song is played on the radio.It may also refer to:* AirPlay, an audio & video streaming technology from Apple Inc.* Airplay , Foster & Graydon music project from 1980* Citroën C1, Citroën C1 Airplay...
, due to its sexually explicit content. He released a steady stream 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 on 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...
in the 1980s and 1990s, and continued to record into the 2000s.
Discography
- Stoop Down Baby...Let Your Daddy See (La ValLa ValLa Val is a comune in the province of South Tyrol in the Italian region Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, located about 90 km northeast of the city of Trento and about 45 km northeast of the city of Bolzano....
, 1972) - Chick Sings Chuck (Ichiban, 1985)
- Now (Ichiban, 1988)
- Footprints in My Bed (Ichiban, 1990)
- Back to the Blues (Ichiban, 1991)
- Holdin' Hands with the Blues (Ichiban, 1992)
- Nasty Chick (Ichiban, 1992)
- I Got a Big Fat Woman (Ichiban, 1994)
- Blue Class Blues (Paula, 1998)
- Y2K Recorded Live (Ifgam, 2000)
- From the Heart and Soul (Rock House, 2001)
- I Won't Give Up (Deep South, 2002)
- I Did it All (CML, 2005)
- Cookin' the Blues (Old School, 2006)
- The Don of the Blues (CDS, 2008)
- Hit & Run Blues (Benevolent Blues, 2009)
- Mr. Blues- The Best Of...So Far (Benevolent Blues, 2010)