Biography

Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, played drums with the incomparable Muddy Waters for fifteen years. His traditional "shuffle" style has been regarded as the heart and soul of the Chicago blues sound, with Willie laying the beat behind many of the blues classics.

Willie was born in Helena, Arkansas in 1936. At the age of 17 he ventured to Chicago where he saw his first Muddy Waters performance. He was so taken by the music that he immediately bought a harmonica and started playing with various blues records. Willie was hooked on the blues and the attraction to the music persuaded him to stay in Chicago. In addition to the clubs, the blues was also vibrant at church gatherings, where Muddy Waters and other musicians would jam. Willie got to know Muddy and in fact was inspired to learn drums by Freddy Below, Waters' drummer.

In 1954 Willie formed a trio and began gigging at various clubs. The following year Willie was asked to perform with Bo Diddley and turned him down, but did consent to play drums on Bo Diddley's seminal hit "Diddy Wah Diddy."

In 1956 Willie was playing harmonica for Arthur "Big Boy" Spires for a spell and then decided to form his own band. In 1957 he returned to drumming for Little Hudson's Red Devil Trio. Shortly thereafter Muddy Waters asked Willie to join his band as an understudy to drummer "Mojo" Buford. Willie replaced Buford in the studio within a year and gigged with the band until 1960. During this period, as he progressed and solidified his Chicago sound, Willie recorded with James Cotton, Jo Jo Williams and Muddy Waters on a tribute to blues vocalist Big Bill Broonzy.

The 60's were lean times for the blues and Willie found himself working in a restaurant and collecting welfare. Willie packed up his drum kit in the closet. After several years at this low point in his life, Willie decided to go out and listen to Muddy one night. Rediscovering his urge to play, he asked to sit in with the band, and did. The next day Muddy asked Willie to rejoin his band.

Willie Smith's traditional Chicago style "shuffle" solidified the "Muddy Waters Sound." His playing style has been described as "energetic, but subtle, solidly in the pocket of the traditional Chicago Shuffle... natural coordination of traditional blues style and a voice that rolls the old blues lyrics out as if Muddy himself were belting out his message to the masses."

After performing with Waters, Smith established his own niche within the tradition of the Delta Blues Sound by co-founding the Legendary Blues Band with Pinetop Perkins, Louis Meyers, Calvin Jones, and Jerry Portnoy. The group won six Grammy awards, recorded four critically acclaimed albums on the Ichiban label, backed up Buddy Guy, Howlin' Wolf and Junior Wells, toured with Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton. They also played behind Muddy for the soundtrack of the movie "The Last Waltz." Their best known appearance was in the movie "The Blues Brothers," where they played street musicians backing John Lee Hooker.

Willie Smith's latest recording, Bag Full of Blues, marks his debut as a bandleader, where he not only drives the songs, but also demonstrates his fine songwriting and vocal skills. Featuring special guests Kim Wilson on harmonica and Pinetop Perkins on piano, the album captures the signature sound that has made Willie a blues inspiration.