Little Willie John • Fever

Biography by John Floyd

He never received the accolades given to the likes of Sam Cooke, Clyde McPhatter, and James Brown, but Little Willie John ranks as one of R&B's most influential performers. His muscular high timbre and enormous technical and emotional range belied his young age (his first hit came when he was 18), but his mid-'50s work for Syd Nathan's King label would play a great part in the way soul music would sound. Everyone from Cooke, McPhatter, and Brown to Jackie Wilson, B.B. King, and Al Green has acknowledged his debt to this most overlooked of rock and soul pioneers.

His debut recording, a smoking version of Titus Turner's "All Around the World" from 1955, set the pattern for a remarkable string of hits: "Need Your Love So Bad," "Suffering with the Blues," "Fever," "Let Them Talk," and his last, "Sleep," from 1961. His version of "Fever" was copied note for note by Peggy Lee and Elvis Presley, both of whom had bigger hits with it; John's version, however, remains definitive. His second hit, "Need Your Love So Bad," contains one of the most intimate, tear-jerking vocals ever caught on tape.

John had a volatile temper, fueled by a taste for liquor and an insecurity regarding his slight height (5 feet 4 inches). He was known to pack a gun and knife; in 1964, he stabbed a man and was sent to the Washington State penitentiary, where he died of pneumonia in 1968. James Brown recorded a tribute album to John that year, and his material has been recorded by scores of artists from the Beatles to Fleetwood Mac to the Blasters. Nevertheless, Little Willie John remains a stranger to most listeners and has never received the respect his talent deserves.

Fever: The Best of Little Willie John

Little Willie John was one of the first artists featured in Rhino's King reissues series. Fever was issued late in 1993, and the single-disc, 20-track anthology included such John releases as "Need Your Love So Bad," "Suffering with the Blues," and the title cut.

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Biografía de John Floyd

Nunca recibió los elogios de Sam Cooke, Clyde McPhatter y James Brown, pero Little Willie John se ubica como uno de los artistas más influyentes de R & B. Su musculoso timbre alto y su enorme rango técnico y emocional desmentían su corta edad (su primer golpe llegó cuando tenía 18 años), pero su trabajo a mediados de los años 50 para el sello King de Syd Nathan jugaría un papel importante en la forma en que sonaría la música soul. Todos, desde Cooke, McPhatter y Brown hasta Jackie Wilson, B.B. King, y Al Green han reconocido su deuda con este pionero del rock y el alma más ignorado.

Su grabación de debut, una versión para fumar de "All Around the World" de Titus Turner de 1955, estableció el patrón para una serie de éxitos notables: "Need Your Love So Bad", "Suffering with the Blues", "Fever", "Let Ellos hablaron, y su último, "Sleep", de 1961. Su versión de "Fever" fue copiada nota por nota por Peggy Lee y Elvis Presley, quienes tuvieron éxitos más importantes; La versión de John, sin embargo, sigue siendo definitiva. Su segundo éxito, "Need Your Love So Bad", contiene una de las voces más íntimas y conmovedoras que jamás se haya grabado en una cinta.

John tenía un temperamento volátil, alimentado por el gusto por el licor y una inseguridad con respecto a su pequeña altura (5 pies y 4 pulgadas). Se sabía que empacaba una pistola y un cuchillo; en 1964, apuñaló a un hombre y fue enviado a la penitenciaría del estado de Washington, donde murió de neumonía en 1968. James Brown grabó un álbum en homenaje a John ese año, y su material ha sido grabado por decenas de artistas de los Beatles a Fleetwood. Mac a los Blasters. Sin embargo, Little Willie John sigue siendo un extraño para la mayoría de los oyentes y nunca ha recibido el respeto que merece su talento.

Little Willie John fue uno de los primeros artistas presentados en la serie de reediciones de Rhino's King. La fiebre se publicó a fines de 1993, y la antología de 20 pistas de un solo disco incluía lanzamientos de John como "Need Your Love So Bad", "Suffering with the Blues" y el recorte del título.

 Tracklist:
A1 - Fever
A2 - I'm Stickin' With You Baby
A3 - Do Something For Me
A4 - Love, Life And Money
A5 - Suffering With The Blues
A6 - Dinner Date
B1 - All Around The World
B2 - Need Your Love So Bad
B3 - Young Girl
B4 - Letter From My Darling
B5 - I've Got To Go Cry
B6 - My Nerves

Label: King Records ‎– 564
Released: 1956
Genre: Blues
Style: Rhythm & Blues






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