Willie "Big Eyes" Smith
Willie "Big Eyes" Smith | |
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Telarc, Big Eyes | |
Website | williebigeyessmith |
Willie Lee "Big Eyes" Smith (January 19, 1936 – September 16, 2011)[2] was an American electric blues vocalist, harmonica player, and drummer.[3] He was best known for several stints with the Muddy Waters band beginning in the early 1960s.
Biography
Born in
In 1961, Smith became a regular member of Muddy Waters' band, which then consisted of
In June 1980, Smith and other members of Muddy's band
His first solo recording started in 1995 with Bag Full of Blues, with Pinetop Perkins, harpist Kim Wilson, plus guitarists James Wheeler, Nick Moss and Gareth Best. In 1999, Smith recorded with Muddy Waters' son Big Bill Morganfield on his album Rising Son. Smith's album Way Back (2006), contained 11 songs, half of which he wrote. He was backed by Johnny Rapp and Frank Krakowski on guitar, Pinetop Perkins on piano, and guest shots by James Cotton and others.
Smith's 2008 album Born in Arkansas utilized bassman Bob Stroger, pianist Barrelhouse Chuck, guitarist Billy Flynn, guitarist Little Frank Krakowski (who has worked with Smith for years) and his son and drummer, Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith. In June 2010, Smith released Joined at the Hip with Pinetop Perkins. Joining these two in the studio were Stroger, and his son Kenny Smith on drums. John Primer, who was another Muddy Waters band alumnus, joined on lead guitar along with Frank Krakowski.
On February 13, 2011, Smith won a
Death
Smith died in Chicago following a stroke on September 16, 2011.[2]
The Blues Foundation Awards
Blues Music Awards[12]
| ||||
Year | Category | Result | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
2011 | Traditional Blues Album of the Year - Joined at the Hip (with Pinetop Perkins) | Winner | ||
2009 | Instrumentalist - Drums | Winner | ||
2008 | Instrumentalist - Drums | Winner | ||
2007 | Instrumentalist - Drums | Winner | ||
2006 | Instrumentalist - Drums | Winner | ||
2005 | Instrumentalist - Drums | Winner | ||
2004 | Blues Instrumentalist - Drums | Winner | ||
2003 | Blues Instrumentalist - Drums | Winner | ||
2002 | Blues Instrumentalist - Drums | Winner | ||
1999 | Blues Instrumentalist - Drums | Winner | ||
1998 | Blues Instrumentalist - Drums | Winner | ||
1997 | Blues Instrumentalist - Drums | Winner | ||
1996 | Blues Instrumentalist - Drums | Winner |
Selective discography
As bandleader
2012 | Live Blues Protected by Smith & Wilson (with Roger "Hurricane" Wilson) | Blues (acoustic) | Blue Storm |
2010 | Joined at the Hip (with Pinetop Perkins) | Blues | Telarc |
2008 | Born in Arkansas | Blues | Big Eyes Records |
2006 | Way Back | Blues | Hightone |
2004 | Bluesin' It | Blues | Electro-Fi |
2000 | Blues from the Heart | Blues | Juke Joint |
1999 | Nothin' but the Blues Y'all | Blues | Juke Joint |
1995 | Bag Full of Blues | Blues | Blind Pig |
Legendary Blues Band
Year | Title | Genre | Label |
---|---|---|---|
1993 | Money Talks | Blues | Wild Dog Blues |
1992 | Prime Time Blues | Blues | Wild Dog Blues |
1991 | U B da Judge | Blues | Ichiban |
1990 | Keepin' the Blues Alive | Blues | Ichiban |
1989 | Woke Up with the Blues | Blues | Ichiban |
1983 | Red Hot 'n' Blue | Blues | Rounder |
1981 | Life of Ease | Blues | Rounder |
With other artists
Year | Title | Artist | Label |
---|---|---|---|
1964 | The Blues of Otis Spann | Otis Spann | Decca |
1966 | Muddy, Brass & the Blues | Muddy Waters | Chess |
1971 | Live at Mr. Kelly's | Muddy Waters | Chess |
1973 | Last Night | Carey Bell | BluesWay |
1973 | Can't Get No Grindin' | Muddy Waters | Chess |
1974 | "Unk" in Funk | Muddy Waters | Chess |
1977 | Hard Again | Muddy Waters | Blue Sky |
1977 | Nothin' but the Blues | Johnny Winter | Blue Sky |
1978 | I'm Ready | Muddy Waters | Blue Sky |
1979 | Muddy "Mississippi" Waters – Live | Muddy Waters | Blue Sky |
1981 | King Bee | Muddy Waters | Blue Sky |
1997 | Born in the Delta | Pinetop Perkins | Telarc
|
2007 | Breakin' It Up, Breakin' It Down | Muddy Waters, Johnny Winter, James Cotton | Epic |
2010 | Live! in Chicago | Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band
|
Roadrunner |
References
- ISBN 978-0313344237.
- ^ a b "Willie Big Eyes Smith official homepage". Williebigeyessmith.com. September 16, 2011. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
- ISBN 1-904041-96-5.
- ^ "WangDangDula.com". Koti.mbnet.fi. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
- ISBN 1-84195-615-5
- ^ [1] Archived January 3, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ISBN 0-415-92699-8
- ISBN 1-893121-19-4
- ^ Roberty, Marc, Eric Clapton: The Complete Recording Sessions 1963 – 1995, St. Martin's Press, New York, 1993
- ^ Uchiyama, Elizabeth. "Blue Kitty Music". lizmandeville.com. Word Press. Retrieved August 16, 2014.
- ^ Vermilyea, John. "Liz Mandeville Clarksdale (USA)". bluesundergroundnetwork.com. The Blues Underground Network. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
- ^ "The Blues Foundation Database". Blues.org. Retrieved October 27, 2011.