American rhythm and blues, soul and funk singer.
Not to be confused with the jazz trumpeter and leader, Willie Hightower.
Born in 1940 in Gadsden, Alabama, Willie was singing in his Church choir at six years of age. By the time he was in his teens, he had formed his own ’quartet-style’ Gospel group, ’The Silver Stars’, patterned after his idols The Soul Stirrers. Shortly after Sam Cooke left the group and ’crossed-over’ in 1957, Willie decided to do the same, and began singing in local clubs in and around Birmingham. He was soon noticed by legendary civil rights activist and WENN dee-jay Shelley Stewart, who was so impressed by his voice that he sent out a tape to his friend Bobby Robinson in New York. Like most record label owners at the time, Bobby had been on the lookout for ’the next Sam Cooke’ since his tragic murder in late 1964, and offered to fly Hightower up to New York to record him.