Willie Hall (drummer)
Encyclopedia
Willie "Too Big" Hall was born August 8, 1950, in Memphis, Tennessee
. He began his career as a drummer in 1965, while still in high school. He played with the Bar-Kays
band and Isaac Hayes
's band The Movement. In the seventies, as part of the Stax-Volt Recording Section Team from 1968–77, Hall backed dozens of major Stax
artists on recordings, including such artists as The Emotions
, Little Milton
, Carla
and Rufus Thomas
, Johnnie Taylor
, The Staple Singers
, Albert King
and Isaac Hayes
. Hall produced Hayes' last Stax album, and did percussion on Hayes' albums Hot Buttered Soul
and The Isaac Hayes Movement
, as well as his Theme from Shaft
.
Hall also recorded the album Universal Language
with Booker T. & the MGs, and later joined guitarist Steve "The Colonel" Cropper
and bass player Donald "Duck" Dunn as a member of The Blues Brothers
, which led to his appearance in the hit movie The Blues Brothers
and its sequel. He appeared as himself in the 2008 movie Soul Men.
Hall has toured the world and recorded with a variety of artists, including The Blues Brothers
, Cab Calloway
, Aretha Franklin
, Ray Charles
, KC and the Sunshine Band
, Bonnie Raitt
, Earl Scruggs
, Charlie Daniels Band, Todd Rundgren
and Roger McGuinn
, among others. He is currently a member of The Bo-Keys, a band of highly respected Memphis musicians, including Isaac Hayes's wah-wah guitarist Charles "Skip" Pitts
. He is the father of rapper Gangsta Pat
.
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. He began his career as a drummer in 1965, while still in high school. He played with the Bar-Kays
Bar-Kays
The Bar-Kays are a popular soul, R&B, and funk group who began performing in 1966 and continue to perform today, although with only one original member. The group had dozens of charting singles from the 1960s to the 1980s, including "Soul Finger" The Bar-Kays are a popular soul, R&B, and funk group...
band and Isaac Hayes
Isaac Hayes
Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr. was an American songwriter, musician, singer and actor. Hayes was one of the creative influences behind the southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songwriter and as a record producer, teaming with his partner David Porter during the...
's band The Movement. In the seventies, as part of the Stax-Volt Recording Section Team from 1968–77, Hall backed dozens of major Stax
Stax Records
Stax Records is an American record label, originally based in Memphis, Tennessee.Founded in 1957 as Satellite Records, the name Stax Records was adopted in 1961. The label was a major factor in the creation of the Southern soul and Memphis soul music styles, also releasing gospel, funk, jazz, and...
artists on recordings, including such artists as The Emotions
The Emotions
The Emotions are an American all female soul and R&B singing group. The group was formed in its current hometown of Chicago, Illinois originally consisting of the three Hutchinson sisters, all the children of Joseph and Lillian Hutchinson....
, Little Milton
Little Milton
James Milton Campbell, Jr. , better known as Little Milton, was an American electric blues, rhythm and blues, and soul singer and guitarist, best known for his hit records "Grits Ain't Groceries" and "We're Gonna Make It."-Biography:Milton was born James Milton Campbell, Jr., in the Mississippi...
, Carla
Carla Thomas
Carla Thomas is an American singer, who is often referred to as the Queen of Memphis Soul. She is the daughter of Rufus Thomas.-Childhood:...
and 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...
, 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:...
, The Staple Singers
The Staple Singers
The Staple Singers were an American gospel, soul, and R&B singing group. Roebuck "Pops" Staples , the patriarch of the family, formed the group with his children Cleotha , Pervis , Yvonne , and Mavis...
, Albert King
Albert King
Albert King was an American blues guitarist and singer, and a major influence in the world of blues guitar playing.-Career:...
and Isaac Hayes
Isaac Hayes
Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr. was an American songwriter, musician, singer and actor. Hayes was one of the creative influences behind the southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songwriter and as a record producer, teaming with his partner David Porter during the...
. Hall produced Hayes' last Stax album, and did percussion on Hayes' albums Hot Buttered Soul
Hot Buttered Soul
Hot Buttered Soul was Isaac Hayes' second studio album. Released in 1969, it is recognized as a landmark in soul music.-Album history:The album almost never came to be...
and The Isaac Hayes Movement
The Isaac Hayes Movement (album)
The Isaac Hayes Movement was the third studio album released by Isaac Hayes. Released in 1970, it was the follow-up to "Hot Buttered Soul", Hayes' landmark 1969 album. Marvell Thomas had come up with "The Isaac Hayes Movement" as a name for Hayes' backup ensemble. He modeled the name after the Jimi...
, as well as his Theme from Shaft
Theme from Shaft
"Theme from Shaft", written and recorded by Isaac Hayes in 1971, is the soul and funk-styled theme song to the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film, Shaft...
.
Hall also recorded the album Universal Language
Universal Language (Booker T album)
Universal Language is a 1977 album by southern soul band Booker T. & the MGs. The album was recorded for Asylum Records, following the demise of Stax Records, of which the MG's were an integral element, in 1975....
with Booker T. & the MGs, and later joined guitarist Steve "The Colonel" Cropper
Steve Cropper
Steve Cropper , also known as Steve "The Colonel" Cropper, is an American guitarist, songwriter and record producer. He is best known as the guitarist of the Stax Records house band, Booker T...
and bass player Donald "Duck" Dunn as a member of The Blues Brothers
The Blues Brothers
The Blues Brothers are an American blues and soul revivalist band founded in 1978 by comedy actors Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi as part of a musical sketch on Saturday Night Live...
, which led to his appearance in the hit movie The Blues Brothers
The Blues Brothers (film)
The Blues Brothers is a 1980 musical comedy film directed by John Landis and starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as "Joliet" Jake and Elwood Blues, characters developed from a musical sketch on the NBC variety series Saturday Night Live. It features musical numbers by R&B and soul singers James...
and its sequel. He appeared as himself in the 2008 movie Soul Men.
Hall has toured the world and recorded with a variety of artists, including The Blues Brothers
The Blues Brothers
The Blues Brothers are an American blues and soul revivalist band founded in 1978 by comedy actors Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi as part of a musical sketch on Saturday Night Live...
, Cab Calloway
Cab Calloway
Cabell "Cab" Calloway III was an American jazz singer and bandleader. He was strongly associated with the Cotton Club in Harlem, New York City where he was a regular performer....
, Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
, Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...
, KC and the Sunshine Band
KC and the Sunshine Band
KC and the Sunshine Band is an American musical group. Founded in 1973 in Miami, Florida, their style has included funk, R&B, and disco. Their most well known songs include the disco hits "That's the Way ", " Shake Your Booty", "I'm Your Boogie Man", "Keep It Comin' Love", "Get Down Tonight", "Give...
, Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Lynn Raitt is an American blues singer-songwriter and a renowned slide guitar player. During the 1970s, Raitt released a series of acclaimed roots-influenced albums which incorporated elements of blues, rock, folk and country, but she is perhaps best known for her more commercially...
, Earl Scruggs
Earl Scruggs
Earl Eugene Scruggs is an American musician noted for perfecting and popularizing a 3-finger banjo-picking style that is a defining characteristic of bluegrass music...
, Charlie Daniels Band, Todd Rundgren
Todd Rundgren
Todd Harry Rundgren is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and record producer. Hailed in the early stage of his career as a new pop-wunderkind, supported by the certified gold solo double LP Something/Anything? in 1972, Todd Rundgren's career has produced a diverse range of recordings...
and Roger McGuinn
Roger McGuinn
James Roger McGuinn is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for being the lead singer and lead guitarist on many of The Byrds' records...
, among others. He is currently a member of The Bo-Keys, a band of highly respected Memphis musicians, including Isaac Hayes's wah-wah guitarist Charles "Skip" Pitts
Charles Pitts
Charles "Skip" Pitts is an American soul / blues guitarist whose distinctive "wah-wah" style can be heard on Isaac Hayes' title track from the 1971 movie Shaft....
. He is the father of rapper Gangsta Pat
Gangsta Pat
Gangsta Pat is an American rapper from Memphis, Tennessee who established himself in the Memphis underground during the late 1980s and is the son of Stax Records drummer, Willie Hall...
.