Chick willis

The Stoop Down Man

It is no exaggeration to state that the Blues is one of the most flexible of musical forms.  While most people associate this music with despair, the down and out, and the overcoming of adversity, it is also a sanctuary for much humor about the human condition.  While the majority of performers only hint at this and even fewer utilize it effectively, hilarity and good times permeate the music of Blues recording artist "Chick Willis".  He can, and often does lay down some serious Blues.  But his good nature and concern for his audience almost demand that he keep it on the light side.  Chic, who currently resides in Forsyth, Georgia, was born in 1934 in Cabiness, Georgia.  His dad was a railroad man and the Willis family moved to Atlanta when he was about 6 years of age.  He was surrounded by music as a youngster and displayed an early affinity by teaching himself guitar while already having experience with vocals, learned by singing with a gospel group he and his brother and cousins sand with at their family church and other church gatherings.  His early influences included Sam "Lighting" Hopkins, Guitar Slim, T-Bone-Walker, and Little Milton in the later years.  He became good enough in his late teens to begin working professionally in Atlanta at the old Royal Peacock Club, where he backed or played with a variety of talent such as Jackie Wilson, The Five Royals, Ray Charles, Big Joe Turner, Nappy Brown, Sam Cook, Jimmy Reed, Ruth Brown, Fay Adams, The Midnighters and many others at venues ranging from the Apollo theater to the Magnolia Ballroom.  He made his recording debut around this time for the small EBB record label out of Los Angeles, California.

Chick began working with his cousin, Chuck Willis, a rollicking R & B showman who was later known as the "King of the Stroll".  Throughout the middle 50's and up until Chuck's death in 1958, Chick toured incessantly with Chuck's review all over the country.  It was with this band that Chick solidified his concept of a satisfying stage show and emerged from this period with a wealth of valuable experience.  Chick has since fronted his own units and has become one of the most in-demand performers on the Blues and R & B circuit.  His penchant for raucous humor was undoubtedly primed when he gigged in the 60's with Rudy Ray Moore of "petie Wheatstraw" fame.  He even snagged a part in the movie.  He also had a small part in the Buddy Holly story.  In addition to being a first rate guitarist and vocalist, Chick plays drums, keyboards, harmonica and bass.  Sometimes he will play the guitar with his feet, his tongue, under his legs.  Anything is possible in his pursuit to electrify an audience with his dynamic stage presence.

In 1971, Chick recorded his first album, "Stoop Down Baby, Let Your Daddy See", which was released on La Val records out of Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1972.  The self-penned "Stoop Down Baby, Let Your Daddy See" sold over three million copies, thus becoming Chick's biggest hit and among the top longest selling single ever.  With the popularity of this song, people begain calling Chick "The Stoop Down Man".  Which became his signature song.  Today Chick is still known as "The Stoop Down Man".  (It's even on his business card)

In 1987, Chick began recording with Ichiban Records out of Atlanta, Georgia under the direction of John Abby.  His first CD was "Chick Sings Chuck", a tribute to the late great Chuck Willis.  In 988 Chick recorded "Now", which included Tampa Reds 40's hit "I want to Play With Your Poodle".  From this same LP came Chick's other self-penned "I Want A big Fat Woman", which was nominated for a W. C. handy award as one of the top ten contemporary Blues singles.  Chick recorded several other CD's with Ichiban records including "Footprints in My Bed", "Back to the Blues", "Ichiban Blues at Christmas Volume I", "Ichiban at Christmas Volume II, "Nasty Chick", "Holding Hands with the Blues", and "I Got a Big Fat Woman".

At the end of Chick's contract with Ichiban records in 1995, Chick signed a deal with Five Star Records under the direction of R & B recording artist of the Stax era William Bell.  This CD was entitled "Blue Class Blues", which is his first complete original material CD.  Chick also produced this CD.

Chick recorded his first ever "Live" CD with Ifgam Records out of Stone Mountain, Georgia on July 31, 1999 at "The Rib Shack Blues Cafe", in Decatur, Georgia.  He also has a CD out on the Rock House Records label "From the Heart and Soul", out of Greensboro, North Carolina, which was released March 2001.

Chick spearheaded the creation of the "Middle Georgia Blues Society", (MGBS), a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation, promotion, and perpetuation of Blues in the Middle Georgia area.  He also opened his own music park, "Chick's Music Park", which hosted the Middle Georgia Blues Society's first and second annual "Stoop Down Blues Festivals September 23, 2000 and September 21 & 22, 2001.

Chick was featured in Living Blues magazine, with a ten page spread in issue #147, September/October, 1999.  He also made the front cover of Juke Blues Magazine, with a ten page spread in issue #45, Autumn 1999.

Chick is not only known throughout the U.S., but has also become one of the most popular entertainers throughout the world, traveling throughout Europe, Ireland, Norway, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Panama, Sweden and Switzerland.

Johnny Rawls saw his opportunity to persuade Chick to record one of the first albums produced under his new label "Deep South Sound".

Listen to Chick's new album "I Won't Give Up".