Robert Lee Willis
b. September 24th, 1934 in Cabiness (Georgia)
d. December 7th, 2013 in Forsyth (Georgia)
THE BAYTONE RECORDS STORY
Gold Dust
1959
SOUL TRANSFUSION : LET'S SOUL DANCE vol.2
History of Soul
1962
A DEEP DIP INTO MISSISSIPPI SOUL & BLUES vol.2 : THE GREENVILLE CONNECTION
Soul from the Vaults
1969
STOOP DOWN BABY LET YOUR DADDY SEE
LaVal
Collectables
1969 / 1972
WE'LL BE TOGETHER
MT
1984
I AIN'T JIVING BABY
Stoop Down
1985
Malgré une production cheap sur son propre label, on trouve tout de même quelques bons titres comme "I ain't jiving baby", "Selfish lover", "You're gonna miss me". Mais le reste du programme avec batterie électronique et synthétiseurs n'est guère convaincant.
Despite a cheap production on his own label, we still find some good titles like "I ain't jiving baby", "Selfish lover", "You're gonna miss me". But the rest of the program with electronic drums and synthesizers is hardly convincing.
CHICK SINGS CHUCK
Ichiban
April 1987
NOW
Ichiban
1988
FOOTPRINTS IN MY BED
Ichiban
1990
C'est lors de sa longue et fructueuse collaboration avec le label Ichiban que Chick Willis a enregistré ses meilleurs albums. On retrouve ici ce son Soul-Blues mordant et excitant, une belle section cuivres et une guitare incisive (jouée par Chick Willis ou Gary B.B. Coleman). Tous les producteurs d'Ichiban ont été mis à contribution pour la réalisation de cet album : Bryan Cole, Gary B.B. Coleman, Buzz Amato, Jimmy O'Neill. On retient en particulier les excitants "Use what you got", "Footprints in my bed", "Big red Caboose", "Voodoo woman" ou encore une superbe reprise de "Hello central".
It was during his long and fruitful collaboration with the Ichiban label that Chick Willis recorded his best albums. Here we find this biting and exciting Soul-Blues sound, a beautiful horn section and an incisive guitar (played by Chick Willis or Gary B.B. Coleman). All of Ichiban's producers were involved in the production of this album : Bryan Cole, Gary B.B. Coleman, Buzz Amato, Jimmy O'Neill. We particularly point out the exciting "Use what you got", "Footprints in my bed", "Big red Caboose", "Voodoo woman" or a superb cover of "Hello central".
BACK TO THE BLUES
Ichiban
1991
Produit cette fois uniquement par Buzz Amato et Bryan Cole, Chick Willis inscrit cet album dans la directe continuation du précédent : une Soul-Blues excitante avec cuivres. Un programme consistant avec "Goin' to the dogs", "Bowlegged woman", "I ain't superstitious", "Story of my life", "Strange things happening" et une nouvelle version de "I ain't jivin' baby".
Produced this time only by Buzz Amato and Bryan Cole, Chick Willis records this album in the direct continuation of the previous one : an exciting Soul-Blues with horns. A consistent program with "Goin' to the dogs", "Bowlegged woman", "I ain't superstitious", "Story of my life", "Strange things happening" and a new version of "I ain't jivin' baby".
ICHIBAN BLUES AT CHRISTMAS vol.1
Ichiban
1991
HOLDIN' HANDS WITH THE BLUES
Ichiban
1992
ICHIBAN BLUES AT CHRISTMAS vol.2
Ichiban
1992
NASTY CHICK
Ichiban
1992
I GOT A BIG FAT WOMAN
Ichiban
1994
Pour son dernier album chez Ichiban, Chick Willis produit lui-même les sessions d'enregistrement. Son inspiration se recentre nettement sur le Blues notamment avec la participation de l'harmoniciste Chicago Bob. Même si le programme est composé de nombreuses reprises, il s'avère puissant et joué avec une grande efficacité : "I got a big fat woman", "I can't work and watch you", "Cummins prison farm", "She like to live high on the hog", "Hoochie coochie man".
For his latest album on Ichiban, Chick Willis produced the recording sessions himself. His inspiration is clearly refocused on the Blues, in particular with the participation of the harmonica player Chicago Bob. Even if the program is composed of many covers, it is powerful and played with great efficiency : "I got a big fat woman", "I can't work and watch you", "Cummins prison farm", "She like to live high on the hog", "Hoochie coochie man".
BLUES ROYALTY : BLUE CLASS BLUES
Paula
1998
Y2K RECORDED LIVE
Ifgam
July 1999
FROM THE HEART AND SOUL
Rock House
2001
Pour le label Rock House du bluesman Roy Roberts, Chick délivre un nouveau disque de Soul-Blues avec une belle section cuivres et une guitare incisive. On retient en particulier "Ribshack blues cafe", "Someday baby", "One eyed woman", "Black widow spider" et "Mr DJ" (composé par Roy Roberts).
For bluesman Roy Roberts' Rock House label, Chick delivers a new Soul-Blues record with a beautiful horn section and incisive guitar. We particularly point out "Ribshack blues cafe", "Someday baby", "One eyed woman", "Black widow spider" and "Mr DJ" (composed by Roy Roberts).
EASY ON THE SOUL
Stoop Down Baby
2002
I WON'T GIVE UP
Deep South Sound
2002
BLUES ESTAFETTE 2003
Blues Estafette
November 2003
I DID IT ALL
CML
2005
Album autoproduit présentant le cocktail Soul-Blues habituel de Chick Willis. Une tracklist peu originale mais qui devrait plaire aux amateurs confirmés. On retient en particulier "Easy blues", "Married to four women", "She got it", "You can't run".
Self-produced album presenting Chick Willis' usual Soul-Blues cocktail. A not very original tracklist but which should please confirmed fans. We particularly point out "Easy blues", "Married to four women", "She got it", "You can't run".
SOUTHERN SOUL BLUES HITS
Aviara
Mid 2000's ?
COOKIN' THE BLUES
Old School
2006
BLUES & SOUL REVIEW vol.1
Rock House
2006
LIVE AT THE BOSTON BLUES FESTIVAL vol.2
Blues Trust
2007
THE DON OF THE BLUES
CDS - Benevolent Blues
2008
En 2008, Chick Willis entame une collaboration avec le label californien CDS Records. Produit moyennement par Willis lui-même et Marlon Hunter, il délivre une Soul-Blues contemporaine malheureusement gâchée par des arrangements synthétiques peu convaincants. Il faut mentionner qu'on trouve dans cet album une chanson de soutien au futur président Barack Obama ("Obama") et un titre caché.
In 2008, Chick Willis began a collaboration with the californian label CDS Records. Fairly produced by Willis himself and Marlon Hunter, he delivers a contemporary Soul-Blues unfortunately marred by unconvincing synthetic arrangements. It should be mentioned that we find in this album a support song for the future president Barack Obama ("Obama") and a hidden title.
LET THE BLUES SPEAK FOR ITSELF
CDS - Benevolent Blues
2009
Bien que ce second album pour CDS soit un peu plus convaincant que le premier, on retrouve la même production synthétique. La tracklist est souvent médiocre à part "Crush on my next door neighbor" et "On your way fishing". Sur certains titres, Chick Willis est rejoint par Travis "Moonchild" Haddix (chant et guitare).
Although this second album for CDS is a little more convincing than the first, we find the same synthetic production. The tracklist is often mediocre apart from "Crush on my next door neighbor" and "On your way fishing". On some tracks, Chick Willis is joined by Travis "Moonchild" Haddix (vocals and guitar).
HIT & RUN BLUES
CDS - Benevolent Blues
2010
Cet album est indubitablement meilleur que les deux précédents. Un bon cocktail de Soul-Blues cuivré avec des titres percutants comme "Houdini lover", "Stoop down low", "Country lovin' man", "Looking for my baby" et un long et excellent titre live "Blues man". Chick Willis montre qu'il demeure toujours un beau chanteur et un excellent guitariste à plus de 75 ans.
This album is undoubtedly better than the previous two. A good cocktail of brassy Soul-Blues with hard-hitting titles like "Houdini lover", "Stoop down low", "Country lovin' man", "Looking for my baby" and a long and excellent live title "Blues man". Chick Willis shows that he is still a nice singer and an excellent guitarist at over 75 years old.
BLUES ME BEFORE YOU LOSE ME
CDS - Benevolent Blues
2012
Quatrième et dernier album pour CDS (Chick est décédé l'année suivante). Un programme inégal avec de bons moments comme "Black widow spider", "Keep singing the blues", "In the mood we're in" mais le reste demeure peu convaincant (une nouvelle chanson louant Barack Obama, "Why we need Obama").
Fourth and final album for CDS (Chick died the following year). An uneven program with good moments like "Black widow spider", "Keep singing the blues", "In the mood we're in" but the rest remains unconvincing (a new song praising Barack Obama, "Why we need Obama").
MR BLUES
CDS - Benevolent Blues
2010's