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Willie Dixon

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William "Willie" Dixon
(July 1, 1915 - January 29, 1992)

As his autobiography boldly proclaims, Willie Dixon is the Blues. He was born in Mississippi and lived an extra-ordinary life almost from the start. At 21 years old, he moved to Chicago, and took up professional boxing. He did quite well for himself, sparring occasionally with none other than the famous Joe Louis and even winning the Golden Gloves in Illinois, though his boxing career ended quickly, after a fight in the boxing commissioner's office.

He learned Bass and guitar, eventually forming a band until he was imprisoned for his resisting the WWII draft. After he was released, he won a recording contract with the quintessential Blues label Chess Records in 1948. His star rose quickly, though not in the way of recording. Instead, Dixon's responsibilities quickly leaned towards composing and producing songs far more than recording his own. Dixon made Chess. A staggering amount of Chess hits were touched by Dixon, many written by him, including Little Walter's chart-topping hit "My Babe", Muddy Waters' "Hoochie Coochie Man", Bo Diddley's"I'm a Man", and Howlin' Wolf's hit "Back Door Man", among many others for artists such as John Lee Hooker and Chuck Berry. Not only did Willie play, live, and work among some of the greatest Bluesmen to have ever lived, he was one. He was also the greatest catylist to many of their successes. He left for a brief stint with Cobra records, where he met Buddy Guy and Otis Rush, but returned to Chess Records after less than two years. When Chess finally shut it's doors, Willie continued an illustrious career creating, recording, and producing music, even scoring movies before his retirement. In 2008, Cedric the Entertainer played Dixon in a film portrayal of the Chess label called Cadillac Records.

In 1982, Willie Dixon founded Willie Dixon's Blues Heaven, which was a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and continued support for Blues. The organization's many projects included Blues in the Schools, which is still widely operated and incredibly successful, and a charity for down-on-their-luck Blues men. After Willie passed away in 1992, his widow purchased the old Chess Records building at 2120 S. Michigan Avenue in Chicago, which is now used as a pseudo-museum and center for Willie Dixon's Blues Heaven.

Notable songs by Willie Dixon
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Notable books on Willie Dixon
I Am The Blues: The Willie Dixon Story by Willie Dixon

Notable films on Willie Dixon
Cadillac Records

Notable websites on Willie Dixon
Willie Dixon's Blues Heaven
Blues in the Schools