Willie Williams


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American blues drummer and guitarist. Played with Howlin' Wolf, Carey Bell and others. Nicknamed Rough Dried or Fast Feet. Williams started off playing guitar at fish fries and juke joints in the '30s, before launching a career as a professional dancer. Known as Fast Feet, Williams tap-danced throughout the South over a 13-year period. After a stint in the Civilian Conservation Corps, he mi-grated to Chicago in 1943 and took up the drums. Before settling permanently in Chicago, however, Williams moved down to St. Louis, where he formed his first band in the mid- '50s. Back in Chicago, he hooked up with Howlin' Wolf and backed up Wolf on tour through the early '70s. Williams is probably best known for his downhome jukebox favorite Wine-Headed Woman, a nationwide hit and one of the most popular Chicago blues records of the 1970s. Wine-Headed Woman appeared on the LP Raw Unpolluted Soul on the Supreme label, an album featuring the backing talents of Hubert Sumlin, Pinctop Perkins, Eddie Taylor, and Carey Bell. Williams also recorded a session for Ralph Bass in 1977, from which several cuts have been released in England on the Red Lightnin' label. Known for his gruff vocals and hard-driving backbeat, Williams was a regular in West Side Chicago taverns, where he was often accompanied by Carey Bell. Probably the co-writer of the song Rough Dried Woman recorded by Big Mac (incorrectly credited to Audrey Williams (2) on the BMI website).
Born : March 13, 1922 in Lake Village, Arkansas - Died : December 08, 1988 in Chicago, Illinois.

Not to be confused with either the 1950s rock 'n roll guitarist Willie Williams (2), reggae artist Willi Williams or set designer Willie Williams.

APPEARANCES +


Various
Do You Mean It (Earthquakes From The Gitbox)
2019, CD, Comp, Koko Mojo Records, ,
Rhythm & Blues/Rock & Roll
Various
Light: On The South Side
2009, ,
Chicago Blues/Funk/Soul/Rhythm & Blues
Lurrie Bell
Let's Talk About Love
2007, CD, Album, Aria B.G. Records, ,
Chicago Blues
Various
Meat & Gravy From Bea & Baby
2002, 2x CD, ,
Chicago Blues
Homesick James
Chicago Slide Guitar Legend
1998, CD, Comp, Official (3)
Sunnyland Slim With Bonnie Lee, Big Time Sarah & Zora Young
She Got A Thing Goin' On
1998, CD, Album, Earwig Music
Knucklebone Oscar
This Is Knucklebone Oscar & His Hitmen!
1996, CD, Album, Bluelight Records
Various
Offbeat Fess-tival 1996
1996, CD, Album, Comp, Promo, Louisiana Red Hot Records, ,
Jazz-Rock/Piano Blues/Country Blues/Louisiana Blues/Funk/Rhythm & Blues
Johnny Hallyday
Destination Vegas
1996
Various
Blues Masters, Volume 9: Postmodern Blues
1993, CD,
Doobie Twisters
Rocket Pocket
1991, CD,
Various
Rough Dried Blues (Jewel, Paula, Ronn Recordings)
1987, LP, Comp, Charly R&B
Various
I Didn't Give A Damn If Whites Bought It! - The Ralph Bass Session Vol. 4
1985, LP, Comp, Red Lightnin', ,
Rhythm & Blues/Chicago Blues
Cashmere
Cashmere
1985
Various
I Didn't Give A Damn If Whites Bought It! - The Ralph Bass Session Vol. 3
1984, LP, Comp, Red Lightnin', ,
Chicago Blues
Tarheel Slim / Big Mac
Number 9 Train / Rough Dried Woman (Part 1) / Rough Dried Woman (Part 2)
1980, 7", Comp, Mono, Charly R&B
Marty Martinez
Martinez on the Rocks
1980, LP, BJs Productions
Instant Funk
Witch Doctor
1979
Various
Jewel Spotlights The Blues Volume 1
1978, Vinyl, ,
Rhythm & Blues/Louisiana Blues/Texas Blues
Sunnyland Slim & Big Time Sarah
Patience Like Job
1978
Various
Hits That Missed
1978
Various
Records Was Cheap To Make Then
1978, ,
Chicago Blues/Rhythm & Blues
Lee Jackson
Lonely Girl
1974
Howlin' Wolf
Live And Cookin' At Alice's Revisited
1972, Vinyl, ,
Chicago Blues
Peps Persson
The Week Peps Came To Chicago
1972
Homesick James
The Country Blues
1971
Various
Blues From The Bayou
1970, LP, Comp, Mono, Pye International
Various
Blues Roots
1969, 2x CD, ,
Country Blues/Delta Blues
Carey Bell
Carey Bell's Blues Harp
1969, ,
Chicago Blues/Harmonica Blues
Little Eddie
Teddy Bear Blues / The Skrooch
1968
Big Mac
Rough Dried Woman
1967
Various
Bea & Baby Records Presents: The Best Of Chicago Blues
CD, Comp, Wolf Records (2)
Various
Blues Masters, Volume 9: Postmodern Blues
CD, Comp, Rhino Records (2),
Various
Foxy R&B Richard Stamz Chicago Blues
2013, CD, Comp, RM, Ace
Various
Got My Mojo Working
2007, CD, Comp, Weton-Wesgram
E. Rodney Jones Friends Of Rodney Jones Various
E. Rodney Jones: The World's Greatest Disc Jockey Presents...The World Series Of Blues & Soul Vol. 1
2005, CD, Comp, S.D.E.G. Records
Various
The Best Of Blues
2001, Cass, Comp, РОФФ Текнолоджиз
Various
The Best Of Blues. Величайшие Мировые Хиты
2000, 2xCD, Comp, ООО "Тиаро"
Various
Nothin' But The Blues
1998, 4xCD, Comp, Box, Castle Communications PLC
Various
Masters Of Chicago Blues Guitar
1997, CD, Comp, P-Vine Non Stop
Various
Harp Legends II
1997, CD, Comp, Catfish Records, ,
Harmonica Blues
Various
Born With The Blues
1997, CD,
Various
Chicago Blues session
1996, CD, Album, Comp, Sequel Records
Various
Gang Stage - Mod Classics
1995, CD, Comp, P-Vine Records, ,
Mod/Rhythm & Blues
Various
Super Blues Breaks
1995, CD,
Various
Down And Out Blues
1994, 4xCD, Comp + Box, Comp, Castle Communications
Various
Cookin' With The Blues 2
1994, CD, Comp, Beehive
Various
Done Still Got The Blues
1994, CD,
Various
Cryin' The Blues
1994
Various
Chicago Blues
1993, CD, Comp, Castle Communications PLC, ,
Chicago Blues
Various
Chicago Blues
1993, CD, Comp, Castle Communications, ,
Chicago Blues/Electric Blues/Delta Blues
Various
Blues Legends
1993
Various
Blues Roots
1969
Various
Bea & Baby Presents: The Best Of Chicago Blues Vol. 3
CD, Comp, Wolf Records (2)
Various
Blues Brothers Soul Sisters 2
2xCass, Comp, Dol, Concept Records (6), ,
Delta Blues/Rhythm & Blues/Soul
Various
Sum Her Path Hymn Vol. 5
1993, Cass, Comp, Unofficial, Not On label
Various
We're Gonna Boogie
CD, Album, Comp, Unofficial, Crawdad Records