Blues Boy Willie was born William Daniel McFalls on November 28, 1946 in the cotton farming community of Memphis, TX. Willie's father, Gaines 'Tim' McFalls, played harmonica for the famous 'Ma' Rainey when he wasn't working in the cotton field. Willie was always interested in his father's talents and wanted to become a harmonica player too. As a boy, he would sneak the harmonica out of his father's pocket and play it.
At five years old, his first performance was with his brother's band singing Little Richard's 'Lucille' for the high school prom. The blues bug had bit him, and he continued his love of singing in the local juke joints and roadhouses in Memphis, TX. Club owners and patrons all loved him and dubbed him the 'Juke Joint King'.
Willie's first release was 'Strange Things Happening' under the Ichiban label in 1989. Willie's second release, 1990's 'Be Who?', topped the charts with the novelty 'Be Who?'. The hit stayed on the charts for 21 weeks, and Ichiban asked Willie for a sequel. As a result, 'Be Who Two' was released. The third of the novelties, 'Be Who Three', was on the 'I Got The Blues' release. The late Rufus Thomas once told Willie he could continue with these novelties forever.
In the late 90s, the Ichiban Records company failed, filing bankruptcy and leaving the artists without royalties for their work. Financial stress and loss of relationships took their toll on Willie and he suffered a heart attack in 1994. Time passed, and Willie realized he could not survive if he couldn't perform. In 1996, he came back to record 'Back Again', produced by Johnny Rawls. Willie’s therapy is stepping on stage and playing his heart out to a thrilled audience.
Willie has been featured in various magazines and television programs. He was inducted into the Texas Blues Hall of Fame. In 2011, Willie was named ‘Male Vocalist of the Year’ as part of the West Coast Blues Awards and was invited to perform at the Monterey Blues Festival.
Blues Boy Willie has been all over the country performing in festivals, casinos, stage shows as well as venues in his local communities. He is an experienced artist who knows how to engage the audience. He is a welcome addition to any band or orchestra. He has a multitude of wonderful musicians who love to play with him. If you have never seen Blues Boy Willie perform, don't miss another performance! You are guaranteed to be entertained.
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