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at the
Zanzibar club, where Henry Strong's harp playing inspired him to learn that instrument. In 1956, at the age of eighteen he formed a trio. He led the band on harp, Bobby Lee Burns played guitar and Clifton James was the drummer. As "Little Willie" Smith he played in the Rocket Four, led by
324:) were released between 1971 and 1979 during Smith's tenure with the band. Though he did not play on all of these albums, Smith is estimated to have participated in twelve sessions yielding 84 tracks.
297:. By the mid '60s, he'd left the band for more steady work as a cab driver. In the late '60s he rejoined Muddy's band and remained a permanent member until 1980. All of Muddy's
464:, 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
353:(1980). Smith was the only band member, besides Hooker, to appear onscreen in close-up. With varying personnel over the years, the Legendary Blues Band recorded seven albums,
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Roberty, Marc, Eric
Clapton: The Complete Recording Sessions 1963 – 1995, St. Martin's Press, New York, 1993
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label. Drummers were in more demand than harp players so Smith switched to drums and starting playing with
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with
Pinetop Perkins. Joining these two in the studio were Stroger, and his son Kenny Smith on drums.
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radio show, some of which were broadcast from Helena's Miller
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to start her own record label (Blue Kitty Music) and he was featured on two tracks of her album,
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came out in 1993, Smith had become a very credible singer. The
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In 1961, Smith became a regular member of Muddy Waters' band, which then consisted of
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437:(2006), contained 11 songs, half of which he wrote. He was backed by
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1351:(1st ed.). Fulham, London: Flame Tree Publishing. p. 181.
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player, and drummer. He was best known for several stints with the
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Smith died in
Chicago following a stroke on September 16, 2011.
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491:. He remained active in his final year of life, encouraging
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221:, Smith learned to play harmonica at age 17 after moving to
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197:(January 19, 1936 – September 16, 2011) was an American
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In June 1980, Smith and other members of Muddy's band
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1301:. Santa Barbara: Praeger Publishers. p. 163.
270:band. Smith recorded with Muddy on the 1960 album
378:were recorded between 1981 and 1993. By the time
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421:and Gareth Best. In 1999, Smith recorded with
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1328:. Williebigeyessmith.com. September 16, 2011
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1454:, Lake Claremont Press (2007), page 192 –
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394:(whom Smith had recorded with in the 1964
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1326:"Willie Big Eyes Smith official homepage"
250:label. In 1955 Smith played harmonica on
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539:Traditional Blues Album of the Year -
118:Singer, musician, bandleader, composer
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1349:The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music
1297:Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013).
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272:Muddy Waters Sings Big Bill Broonzy
209:band beginning in the early 1960s.
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475:On February 13, 2011, Smith won a
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1509:"Liz Mandeville Clarksdale (USA)"
1184:Muddy "Mississippi" Waters – Live
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331:(piano), Calvin Jones (bass) and
1635:The Legendary Blues Band members
1605:American blues harmonica players
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322:The Muddy Waters Woodstock Album
318:The London Muddy Waters Session,
315:Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live,
1535:"The Blues Foundation Database"
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441:and Frank Krakowski on guitar,
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657:Blues Instrumentalist - Drums
646:Blues Instrumentalist - Drums
635:Blues Instrumentalist - Drums
624:Blues Instrumentalist - Drums
613:Blues Instrumentalist - Drums
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1590:Blues musicians from Arkansas
1299:Blues – A Regional Experience
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445:on piano, and guest shots by
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813:Nothin' but the Blues Y'all
511:The Blues Foundation Awards
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339:(harmonica/guitar) to form
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1395:The Great Rock Discography
312:They Call Me Muddy Waters,
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591:Instrumentalist - Drums
580:Instrumentalist - Drums
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558:Instrumentalist - Drums
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341:The Legendary Blues Band
1615:Chicago blues musicians
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1008:The Blues of Otis Spann
918:Keepin' the Blues Alive
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244:Arthur "Big Boy" Spires
235:Sonny Boy Williamson II
233:, and harmonica player
100:Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
1595:American blues singers
934:Woke Up with the Blues
361:Woke Up with the Blues
54:Background information
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1480:Uchiyama, Elizabeth.
1452:Today's Chicago Blues
1146:Nothin' but the Blues
1090:Can't Get No Grindin'
689:Selective discography
843:Legendary Blues Band
797:Blues from the Heart
427:Big Bill Morganfield
283:George "Mojo" Buford
254:'s recording of the
1052:Live at Mr. Kelly's
452:Smith's 2008 album
1482:"Blue Kitty Music"
1430:Komara, Edward M.
1373:"WangDangDula.com"
982:With other artists
519:Blues Music Awards
407:Bag Full of Blues,
350:The Blues Brothers
231:Joe Willie Wilkins
173:williebigeyessmith
93:September 16, 2011
45:Smith at the 2008
1600:American drummers
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363:(nominated for a
358:Red Hot 'n' Blue,
227:KFFA King Biscuit
223:Chicago, Illinois
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301:winning albums (
276:Big Bill Broonzy
242:blues guitarist
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132:Years active
95:(2011-09-16)
18:
1580:2011 deaths
1575:1936 births
1541:October 27,
1537:. Blues.org
1332:October 27,
868:Money Talks
820:Juke Joint
804:Juke Joint
779:Bluesin' It
717:Blue Storm
470:John Primer
458:Bob Stroger
439:Johnny Rapp
431:Rising Son.
380:Money Talks
337:Louis Myers
1569:Categories
1519:August 25,
1492:August 16,
1284:References
1276:Roadrunner
1126:Hard Again
1076:Carey Bell
1070:Last Night
1014:Otis Spann
836:Blind Pig
787:Electro-Fi
497:Clarksdale
460:, pianist
415:Kim Wilson
413:, harpist
396:Otis Spann
309:I'm Ready,
304:Hard Again
295:Otis Spann
262:" for the
252:Bo Diddley
201:vocalist,
187:Willie Lee
159:, Big Eyes
153:Electro-Fi
75:1936-01-19
60:Birth name
1210:Blue Sky
1192:Blue Sky
1174:Blue Sky
1166:I'm Ready
1156:Blue Sky
1080:BluesWay
770:Hightone
528:Category
419:Nick Moss
384:Bob Dylan
213:Biography
203:harmonica
136:1954–2011
1416:Archived
1379:July 11,
1202:King Bee
1135:Blue Sky
975:Rounder
959:Rounder
925:Ichiban
763:Way Back
435:Way Back
291:Pat Hare
217:Born in
191:Big Eyes
149:Hightone
29:Big Eyes
995:Artist
942:Ichiban
908:Ichiban
738:Telarc
682:Winner
671:Winner
660:Winner
649:Winner
638:Winner
627:Winner
616:Winner
605:Winner
594:Winner
583:Winner
572:Winner
561:Winner
550:Winner
531:Result
264:Checker
248:Delmark
168:Website
145:Rounder
25:Willie
1458:
1438:
1401:
1355:
1305:
1231:Telarc
1116:Chess
1098:Chess
1060:Chess
998:Label
992:Title
972:Blues
956:Blues
938:Blues
922:Blues
904:Blues
888:Blues
872:Blues
859:Label
856:Genre
853:Title
833:Blues
817:Blues
801:Blues
783:Blues
767:Blues
751:Blues
735:Blues
728:(with
707:(with
543:(with
425:' son
386:, the
258:song "
157:Telarc
141:Labels
105:Genres
84:, U.S.
1260:2010
1237:2007
1215:1997
1197:1981
1179:1979
1161:1978
1141:1977
1121:1977
1103:1974
1085:1973
1065:1973
1047:1971
1041:Chess
1025:1966
1019:Decca
1003:1964
989:Year
964:1981
948:1983
930:1989
914:1990
896:1991
880:1992
864:1993
850:Year
825:1995
809:1999
793:2000
775:2004
759:2006
743:2008
722:2010
701:2012
676:1996
665:1997
654:1998
643:1999
632:2002
621:2003
610:2004
599:2005
588:2006
577:2007
566:2008
555:2009
536:2011
525:Year
503:Death
409:with
195:Smith
109:Blues
33:Smith
1543:2011
1521:2014
1494:2014
1456:ISBN
1436:ISBN
1399:ISBN
1381:2015
1353:ISBN
1334:2011
1303:ISBN
1254:Epic
483:for
479:for
402:".)
390:and
374:and
320:and
293:and
175:.com
89:Died
69:Born
367:),
1571::
1511:.
1484:.
1317:^
732:)
711:)
547:)
289:,
285:,
278:.
193:"
155:,
151:,
147:,
1545:.
1523:.
1496:.
1383:.
1361:.
1336:.
1311:.
306:,
189:"
77:)
73:(
31:"
27:"
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