Chuck Willis
There were two distinct sides to Chuck Willis. In addition to being a convincing blues shouter, the Atlanta-born Willis harbored a vulnerable blues balladeer side. In addition, he was a masterful songwriter who penned some of the most distinctive R&B numbers of the 1950s. He can't be granted principal credit for his 1957 smash adaptation of "C.C. Rider," an irresistible update of a classic folk-blues, but Willis did write such gems as "I Feel So Bad" (later covered by Elvis Presley, Little Milton, and Otis Rush), the anguished ballads "Don't Deceive Me (Please Don't Go)" and "It's Too Late" (the latter attracting covers by Buddy Holly, Charlie Rich, and Otis Redding) and his swan song, "Hang Up My Rock and Roll Shoes."
Harold Willis (he adopted Chuck as a stage handle) received his early training singing at YMCA-sponsored "Teenage Canteens" in Atlanta and fronting the combos of local bandleaders Roy Mays and Red McAllister. Powerful DJ Zenas "Daddy" Sears took an interest in the young vocalist's career, hooking him up with Columbia Records in 1951. After a solitary single for the major firm, Willis was shuttled over to its recently reactivated OKeh R&B subsidiary.
In 1952, he crashed the national R&B lists for OKeh with a typically plaintive ballad, "My Story," swiftly encoring on the hit parade with a gentle cover of Fats Domino's "Goin' to the River" and his own "Don't Deceive Me" the next year and "You're Still My Baby" and the surging Latin-beat "I Feel So Bad" in 1954. Willis also penned a heart-tugging chart-topper for Ruth Brown that year, "Oh What a Dream."
Willis moved over to Atlantic Records in 1956 and immediately enjoyed another round of hits with "It's Too Late" and "Juanita." Atlantic strove mightily to cross Willis over into pop territory, inserting an exotic steel guitar at one session and chirpy choirs on several more. The strategy eventually worked when his 1957 revival of the ancient "C.C. Rider" proved the perfect number to do the "Stroll" to; American Bandstand gave the track a big push, and Willis had his first R&B number one hit as well as a huge pop seller (Gene "Daddy G" Barge's magnificent sax solo likely aided its ascent).
Barge returned for Willis's similar follow-up, "Betty and Dupree," which also did well for him. But the turban-wearing crooner's time was growing short -- he had long suffered from ulcers prior to his 1958 death from peritonitis. Much has been made of the ironic title of his last hit, the touching "What Am I Living For," but it was no more a clue to his impending demise than its flip, the joyous "Hang Up My Rock and Roll Shoes." Both tracks became massive hits upon the singer's death, and his posthumous roll continued with "My Life" and a powerful "Keep A-Driving" later that year.
© Bill Dahl /TiVo
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I Remember Chuck Willis (US Internet Release)
R&B - Lançado por Rhino Atlantic em 1 de jan. de 1963
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The Complete Okeh Recordings 1951-1956
Pop - Lançado por SMSP em 21 de out. de 2008
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The King Of The Stroll
R&B - Lançado por Rhino Atlantic em 1 de jan. de 1958
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Strolling with Chuck Willis
Blues - Lançado por Poppydisc em 18 de mai. de 1957
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Love-Struck Blues
Blues - Lançado por Black Sheep Music em 5 de set. de 2013
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Rockin' with the Sheik of the Blues
Soul - Lançado por Yeah Mama Records em 24 de jul. de 2016
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The Complete Singles As & BS 1951-59
Blues - Lançado por ACROBAT em 7 de abr. de 2017
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My Baby's Coming Home To Me
Blues - Lançado por Reminisce Music em 17 de mar. de 2023
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The Very Best of the Chuck Willis, Vol. 3
Blues - Lançado por Black Sheep Music em 31 de ago. de 2012
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Be Good or Be Gone
Blues - Lançado por Music Today Records em 9 de jun. de 2016
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Greatest Hits Collection
Rock - Lançado por Classic Music International em 24 de ago. de 2010
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The Very Best of the Chuck Willis, Vol. 1
Blues - Lançado por Black Sheep Music em 31 de ago. de 2012
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The Very Best of
Rock - Lançado por Burning Fire em 13 de jan. de 2009
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The King of the Stroll (Remastered)
R&B - Lançado por Master Tape Records em 8 de mai. de 2020
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Strollin' With Chuck
Blues - Lançado por Excess Music em 29 de abr. de 2020
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Les idoles américaines du rhythm and blues : Chuck Willis, Vol. 1
R&B - Lançado por Mpm em 6 de out. de 2019
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Blues Ballads
Blues - Lançado por Jane Records em 8 de ago. de 2015
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Caldonia / C.C. Rider (Remastered)
Blues - Lançado por CHILLS´N FEVER em 1 de jan. de 1961
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I Remember Chuck Willis
World - Lançado por TP4 Music em 6 de jan. de 2022
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Chuck Willis Wails the Blues
World - Lançado por TP4 Music em 6 de jan. de 2022
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C.C. Rider
Rock - Lançado por TF Sound em 27 de nov. de 2015
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