[Harp-L] Re: Rhythm Willie

["Bert van Oortmarssen" <bluesbertje@xxxxxxxxx>]

> From: Tom Ball <havaball@xxxxxxx>
> Subject: [Harp-L] Re: Rhythm Willie
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Cc: jkally3@xxxxxxx, wasabileo@xxxxxxxxxx
> Message-ID: <f06230900c14c213c8589@[68.227.83.158]>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"
>
...
> As to John Kally's question regarding RW's version of "I Got Rhythm,"
> it was recorded in 1950 w/ possibly Memphis Slim's Orchestra and
> released on Premium PR-866. To my knowledge this has not been
> reissued. He did do some 1947 recordings with Earl Bostic's band, but
> only one cut ("Willie's Boogie") was issued on a now-out-of-print
> French LP (Aladdin/Pathe Marconi 1561321.) This is the sample
> referred to by Xavier.  To repeat Xavier's post, part of the song is
> here: http://harmonica.typepad.com/harmonica_ramblings/files/Q2EX3.mp3
>
> ...
> cheers and best to all,
>
> Tom Ball
> Santa Barbara CA


Hi Tom,
From:
http://hubcap.clemson.edu/~campber/miracle.html

<quote>
Rhythm Willie, whose real name was William Hood, had been performing in the
top black and tans in Chicago since 1938, particularly at the Club DeLisa.
He began recording in 1939 behind bluesman Peetie Wheatstraw, and was
responsible for one previous recording session as a leader: Rhythm Willie
and His Gang, consisting of Willie on harmonica and piano, with unidentified
bassist and drummer, cut four sides for OKeh on October 10, 1940, all of
which were released.
The two sides Rhythm Willie did for Premium in September 1950 were not
accompanied by Memphis Slim and His House Rockers, as discographers have
surmised in the past... [read the full paragraph at the hubcap page]

..... Unfortunately, Rhythm Willie's reputation as harp virtuoso was fully
matched by his reputed propensity to consume vast quantities of alcohol, and
he died prematurely in 1954, around the age of 45.
</quote>

I have a couple of Rhythm Willie songs on (harmonica copu^H^Hmpilation)
cd's, but it certainly would be nice to have his complete output on one cd !

Bert