Willie Big Eyes Smith (January 19, 1936 – September 16, 2011) was a Grammy Award-winning American electric blues vocalist, harmonica player, and multi-award winning drummer .He was best known for several stints with the Muddy Waters band beginning in the early 1960s. Born in Helena, Arkansas, Smith learned to play harmonica at age seventeen after moving to Chicago. Smiths influences included listening to 78s and the KFFA King Biscuit radio show, some of which were broadcast from Helenas Miller Theater, where he saw guitar player Joe Willie Wilkins, and harmonica player Sonny Boy Williamson II. On a Chicago visit in 1953 his mother took him to hear Muddy Waters at the Zanzibar club, where Henry Strongs harp playing inspired him to learn that instrument. In 1956, at the age of eighteen he formed a trio. He led the band on harp, Bobby Lee Burns played guitar and Clifton James was the drummer. As Little Willie Smith he played in the Rocket Four, led by blues guitarist Arthur Big Boy Spires, and made recordings that were later reissued on the Delmark label. In 1955 Smith played harmonica on Bo Diddleys recording of the Willie Dixon song Diddy Wah Diddy for the Checker label. Drummers were in more demand than harp players so Smith switched to drums and starting playing with Muddy Waters band. Smith recorded with Muddy on the 1960 album Muddy Waters Sings Big Bill Broonzy, a tribute to Big Bill Broonzy https://youtube/watch?v=c4kO98p2V88
Posted on: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 09:58:41 +0000
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