Little Willie John - All 15 of His Chart Hits 1953-1962

one in the holy trinity of male soul singers

sam cooke, ray charles and little willie john make up in my opinion the holy trinity of the great male soul singers [all the other great and gifted soulsters are merely congregation] indeed these three more than all the others shaped what soul at its best could be and would become. but the unfortunate truth is that even more than sam cooke - little willie john may be the most underrated soul-blues singer of all time. listen to his 'sufferin' with the blues' or his 'my love is' or 'fever' [his fever is far superior to all brand x remakes] and if you aren't moved in some way then quite possibly you're pulseless. the strong timbre, musical use of his gritty falsetto, his control on difficult phrases' the power and convition of his interpetations can easily leave one breathless and effected in sad and wonderful ways. an absolute must for any true soul-blues collection. ---- bernard tanner,jr. June 2, 2000

Dynamic

Little Willie John has got to be one of the most underrated singers of all time. Even thpugh he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996, many people still don't know who he is. His voice was so dynamic. When listening to him it's hard to believe such a big voice can come from such a little person. Among my favorites on this CD are "Cottage For Sale" "Let Them Talk" "Talk to Me" "Walk Slow" and "Sleep". "Sleep" is a remake of an old standard first recorded in 1924. But Little Wille takes it to new heights. Listening to his music always makes me feel kind of melancholy because of the circumstances surrounding his death. He died in prison at the age of thirty. He was serving a 20 year sentence for manslaughter. It is so tragic to think of the great talent that was wasted and a life that was way too short. March 19, 2000

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