Willie Dixon
William James Dixon (July 1, 1915 – January 29, 1992) was an American blues musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and record producer. He was proficient in playing both the upright bass and the guitar, and sang with a distinctive voice, but he is perhaps best known as one of the most prolific songwriters of his time. Next to Muddy Waters, Dixon is recognized as the most influential person in shaping the post–World War II sound of the Chicago blues. Dixon's songs have been recorded by countless musicians in many genres as well as by various ensembles in which he participated. A short list of his most famous compositions includes "Hoochie Coochie Man", "I Just Want to Make Love to You", "Little Red Rooster", "My Babe", "Spoonful", and "You Can't Judge a Book by the Cover". These songs were written during the peak years of Chess Records, from 1950 to 1965, and were performed by Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, and Bo Diddley; they influenced a generation of musicians worldwide. Dixon was an important link between the blues and rock and roll, working with Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley in the late 1950s. In the 1960s, his songs were adapted by numerous rock artists. He received a Grammy Award and was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. |
= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.
Recordings
Company | Matrix No. | Size | First Recording Date | Title | Primary Performer | Description | Role | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Victor | D7VB-0312 | 10-in. | 2/12/1947 | Farewell night life | John Sellers | Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | D7VB-0313 | 10-in. | 2/12/1947 | Let me be your sidetrack | John Sellers | Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | D7VB-0314 | 10-in. | 2/12/1947 | Mama, what you gonna do | John Sellers | Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | D7VB-0315 | 10-in. | 2/12/1947 | Play around with my head | John Sellers | Male vocal solo, with instrumental quartet | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | D7VB-0316 | 10-in. | 2/18/1947 | You can't make the grade | Washboard Sam ; Washboard Sam's Band | Male vocal solo, with instrumental quintet | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | D7VB-0317 | 10-in. | 2/18/1947 | You can't have none of that | Washboard Sam ; Washboard Sam's Band | Male vocal solo, with instrumental quintet | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | D7VB-0318 | 10-in. | 2/18/1947 | I just couldn't help it | Washboard Sam ; Washboard Sam's Band | Male vocal solo, with instrumental quintet | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | D7VB-0319 | 10-in. | 2/18/1947 | Soap and water blues | Washboard Sam ; Washboard Sam's Band | Male vocal solo, with instrumental quintet | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | D7VB-0374 | 10-in. | 3/28/1947 | Mellow chick swing | Sonny Boy Williamson | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | D7VB-0375 | 10-in. | 3/28/1947 | Polly put your kettle on | Sonny Boy Williamson | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | D7VB-0376 | 10-in. | 3/28/1947 | Lacey Belle | Sonny Boy Williamson | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | D7VB-0377 | 10-in. | 3/28/1947 | Apple tree swing | Sonny Boy Williamson | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | D7VB-0387 | 10-in. | 4/3/1947 | Where shall I go | Boogie Band ; J. T. Brown ; Memphis Jimmy | Male vocal solo, with instrumental quintet | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | D7VB-0388 | 10-in. | 4/3/1947 | Jimmy's jump | Boogie Band ; J. T. Brown ; Memphis Jimmy | Male vocal solo, with instrumental quintet | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | D7VB-0389 | 10-in. | 4/3/1947 | I had to let her go | Boogie Band ; Little Eddie Boyd ; J. T. Brown | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | D7VB-0390 | 10-in. | 4/3/1947 | Kilroy won't be back | Boogie Band ; Little Eddie Boyd ; J. T. Brown | Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble | instrumentalist, string bass | |
Victor | D7VB-0895 | 10-in. | 5/22/1947 | The jungle king (you ain't a doggone thing) | Count Basie ; Count Basie Orchestra | Male vocal solo, with vocal group and jazz/dance band | composer | |
Chess | U7130 | 10-in. | 11/10/1948 | My sweet lovin' woman | Robert Nighthawk | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7197 | 10-in. | 11/10/1948 | Return mail blues | Robert Nighthawk | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7445 | 10-in. | 8/12/1952 | The last time | Jimmy Roger's Rocking Four | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7447 | 10-in. | 8/12/1952 | Out on the road | Jimmy Roger's Rocking Four | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7558 | 10-in. | 9/24/1953 | Tortured soul | Eddie Boyd | composer, instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7559 | 10-in. | 9/24/1953 | Rattin' and running around | Eddie Boyd ; Chess Men | instrumentalist, string bass, composer | ||
Chess | U7561 | 10-in. | 9/24/1953 | Hush baby, don't you cry | Eddie Boyd ; Chess Men | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7589 | 10-in. | 1/7/1954 | I'm your hoochie kooche man | Muddy Waters | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7590 | 10-in. | 1/7/1954 | She's so pretty | Muddy Waters | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7591 | 10-in. | 1/7/1954 | Blues all day long | Jimmy Rogers | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7592 | 10-in. | 1/7/1954 | Chicago bound | Jimmy Roger's Rocking Four | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7611 | 10-in. | February 1954 | Would you baby? | Willie Mabon | composer | ||
Chess | U7612 | 10-in. | February 1954 | Late again | Willie Mabon | composer | ||
Chess | U7618 | 10-in. | March, 1954 | No place to go | Howlin' Wolf | composer, instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7621 | 10-in. | March 1954 | Rockin' daddy | Howlin' Wolf | composer, instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7630 | 10-in. | 4/13/1954 | Just make love to me | Muddy Waters | composer, instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7631 | 10-in. | 4/13/1954 | Oh! yeh | Muddy Waters | composer, instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7632 | 10-in. | 4/13/1954 | Sloppy drunk | Jimmy Roger's Rocking Four | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7657 | 10-in. | 5/25/1954 | Baby how long? | Howlin' Wolf | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7658 | 10-in. | 5/25/1954 | Evil is goin' on | Howlin' Wolf | composer, instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7687 | 10-in. | 9/1/1954 | I'm ready | Muddy Waters | composer, instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7697 | 10-in. | 9/1/1954 | I'm ready | Muddy Waters | composer, instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7699 | 10-in. | 9/1/1954 | I don't know why | Muddy Waters | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7722 | 10-in. | 1954 | Poison ivy | Willie Mabon | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7723 | 10-in. | 1954 | Say man | Willie Mabon | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7740 | 10-in. | October, 1954 | I'll be around | Howlin' Wolf | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7741 | 10-in. | October, 1954 | Forty four | Howlin' Wolf | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7746 | 10-in. | Oct. - Nov. 1954 | I'm a natural born lover | Muddy Waters | composer, instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7747 | 10-in. | Oct.-Nov. 1954 | Ooh wee | Muddy Waters | composer, instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7770 | 10-in. | 1955 | This train | Robert Ballinger | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7771 | 10-in. | 1955 | How I got over | Robert Ballinger | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7784 | 10-in. | 2/3/1955 | Young fashion ways | Muddy Waters | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7785 | 10-in. | 2/3/1955 | I want to be loved | Muddy Waters | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7795 | 10-in. | March, 1955 | Who will be next | Howlin' Wolf | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7796 | 10-in. | March, 1955 | I have a little girl | Howlin' Wolf | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7797 | 10-in. | 2/3/1955 | My eyes | Muddy Waters | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7798 | 10-in. | 3/31/1955 | Come to me baby | Howlin' Wolf | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7799 | 10-in. | March, 1955 | Don't mess with my baby | Howlin' Wolf | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7829 | 10-in. | May, 1955 | Starlite | The Moonglows | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7830 | 10-in. | May? 1955 | Foolish me | The Moonglows | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7833 | 10-in. | May? 1955 | Slow down | The Moonglows | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7834 | 10-in. | May, 1955 | In love | The Moonglows | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7844 | 10-in. | May, 1955 | Maybellene | Chuck Berry | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7845 | 10-in. | May, 1955 | Wee wee hours | Chuck Berry | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7846 | 10-in. | 2/3/1955 | Manish boy | Muddy Waters | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7871 | 10-in. | 1955 | The seventh son | Willie Mabon | composer | ||
Chess | 7898 | 10-in. | September, 1955 | Together | Chuck Berry | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 7899 | 10-in. | September, 1955 | Thirty days | Chuck Berry | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7937 | 10-in. | 1955 | I got to find my baby | Muddy Waters | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7938 | 10-in. | 1955 | Sugar sweet | Muddy Waters | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7939 | 10-in. | 1955 | Trouble no more | Muddy Waters | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U7940 | 10-in. | Oct.-Nov. 1954 | Clouds in my heart | Muddy Waters | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 7951 | 10-in. | December, 1955 | You can't catch me | Chuck Berry | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 7954 | 10-in. | December, 1955 | The downbound train | Chuck Berry | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 7955 | 10-in. | December, 1955 | No money down | Chuck Berry | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 7970 | 10-in. | 1955 | You're the one | Jimmy Rogers | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 7985 | 10-in. | 1956 | Smoke stack lightning | Howlin' Wolf | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 7986 | 10-in. | January, 1956 | You can't be beat | Howlin' Wolf | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 8012 | 10-in. | 1956 | Forty days & forty nights | Muddy Waters | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 8013 | 10-in. | 1956 | All aboard | Muddy Waters | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 8108 | 10-in. | February? 1956 | Drifting heart | Chuck Berry | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 8109 | 10-in. | February? 1956 | Brown eyed handsome man | Chuck Berry | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 8110 | 10-in. | February? 1956 | Roll over Beethoven | Chuck Berry | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 8111 | 10-in. | February? 1956 | Too much monkey business | Chuck Berry | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U8147 | 10-in. | 1956 | Just to be with me | Muddy Waters | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 8303 | 10-in. | 1956 | Havana moon | Chuck Berry | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 8304 | 10-in. | 10/29/1956 | If it ain't me | Jimmy Rogers | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 8305 | 10-in. | 10/29/1956 | Walking by myself | Jimmy Rogers | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 8378 | 10-in. | December, 1956 | Deep feeling | Chuck Berry | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 8379 | 10-in. | December, 1956 | School day | Chuck Berry | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 8380 | 10-in. | December, 1956 | Lajaunda | Chuck Berry | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 8381 | 10-in. | December, 1956 | Blue feeling | Chuck Berry | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 8499 | 10-in. | May, 1957 | Rock & roll music | Chuck Berry | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 8500 | 10-in. | May, 1957 | Oh baby doll | Chuck Berry | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 8627 | 10-in. | February, 1958 | Sweet little sixteen | Chuck Berry | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 8632 | 10-in. | February, 1958 | Reelin and rocking | Chuck Berry | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 8633 | 10-in. | February, 1958 | Johnny B. Goode | Chuck Berry | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 8732 | 10-in. | 1958 | I won't go on | Muddy Waters | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 8733 | 10-in. | 1958 | She's got it | Muddy Waters | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 8979 | 10-in. | November?, 1958 | She's nineteen years old | Muddy Waters | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 8980 | 10-in. | November? 1958 | Close to you | Muddy Waters | composer, instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U9070 | 10-in. | 1956 | Anthony boy | Chuck Berry | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 9072 | 10-in. | 12/31/1958 | Memphis, Tennessee | Chuck Berry | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U9150 | 10-in. | March, 1959 | I'm leaving you | Howlin' Wolf | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U9152 | 10-in. | March, 1959 | Change my way | Howlin' Wolf | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | U9207 | 10-in. | January, 1959 | That's my desire | Chuck Berry | instrumentalist, string bass | ||
Chess | 9237 | 10-in. | February, 1959 | Back in the U. S. A. | Chuck Berry ; Chuck Berry | instrumentalist, string bass |
Citation
Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Dixon, Willie," accessed June 26, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/357926.
Dixon, Willie. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved June 26, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/357926.
"Dixon, Willie." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 26 June 2024.
DAHR Persistent Identifier
External Sources
Wikipedia: Willie Dixon
Discogs: Willie Dixon
Allmusic: Willie Dixon
Grove: Willie Dixon
IMDb: Willie Dixon
Britannica: Willie Dixon
Linked Open Data Sources
LCNAR: Dixon, Willie, 1915-1992 - http://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n83125288
Wikidata: Willie Dixon - http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q204092
VIAF: http://viaf.org/viaf/178453802
MusicBrainz: Willie Dixon - https://musicbrainz.org/artist/ff4c8d42-4871-4778-885b-d41b01245133
Wikipedia content provided under the terms of the Creative Commons BY-SA license
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