Willie Dixon
Willie Dixon
1915-1992
If he didn't do everything at Chess Records in the 1950s and early 1960s, he sure came close. There's a story that when the Rolling Stones came to Chicago in 1964, they made a pilgrimage to Chess Studios to discover Muddy Waters on a ladder, painting the ceiling. My guess instead is that it was Willie Dixon. During the years he was at Chess, he played bass, arranged, produced, and did everything else. He also seems to have written everything in sight, or claims to have. Evil. Hoochie Coochie Man. Back Door Man. Spoonful. I'm Ready. Many of these tunes were, of course, better known in association with other Chess artists. Willie often faded into the background during the 1950s, playing bass and producing sessions, but he was a driving force in what's known as the "Chess sound," and you can hear his mark on recordings from dozens of artists.
Willie came up from Vicksburg, where he was born in 1915, the same year as Muddy. He came up to Chicago in 1936, and strangely enough became a champion heavyweight boxer, taking the 1937 Illinois Golden Gloves crown, and also becoming a sparring partner for Joe Louis for a short time. He took time out after his career ended to learn upright bass, and spent the 1940s making a name for himself with a small group that cut some regional hit records.
He was a big man, a powerful man. Late in life he put his efforts toward preserving Chicago's blues heritage, taking over the old Chess building at 2120 South Michigan and turning it into the headquarters of the Blues Heaven Society. They're still there, though Willie is gone from us now. But the records live on. As Willie said, I Am The Blues.
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