Blues Boy Willie

William Daniel McFalls Better Known As Blues Boy Willie Born November 28 1946 Is An African American Electric Blues Singer And Harmonica Player From Memphis Texas. Blues Boy Willie Is A Living Legend In Blues Music. He Is Gifted In Music With The Ability To Play Many Instruments. McFalls Is Attempting To Revive The Popularity Which The Blues Enjoyed In His Native Memphis During The 1930s 1940s And 1950s. McFalls Is Known For His Unique Urban Sound And His Keen Sense Of Humor As He Attempts To Make Blues Sometimes Defined As The "secular Folk Music Of American Blacks" Pertinent To Modern Society. He Started At A Very Young Age Playing The Piano With His Father Gaines McFalls In A Ma Rainey Minstrel Show. Among McFalls' Recordings Are "Leroy" And "Where Is Leroy?". 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'. McFalls Graduated From Memphis High School And Then Studied Music At Nearby Two-Year Clarendon College Then Clarendon Junior College In Clarendon The Seat Of Donley County Where He Learned To Play The Upright Bass And Toured The College Circuit As A Guitarist. Later He Moved To Los Angeles Where He Spent A Decade Promoting His Music And Touring The California Coast With A Blues Trio. In 1988 McFalls Joined Ichiban Records At The Invitation Of A Boyhood Friend The Producer Gary B.B. Coleman. Willie's First Release Was 'Strange Things Happening' Under The Ichiban Label In 1989. In 1990 His Album Be Who? Remained On The Billboard Chart For Twenty-One Weeks And Ichiban Asked Willie For A Sequel. As A Result 'Be Who Two' Was Released. His Albums Have Been Recorded With A Small Studio Band. 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. Through Coleman McFalls Met Johnny Rawls And The Pair Started The "Blues Review" Touring Company Which Performed In The American South. Rufus Thomas Tyrone Davis And Johnnie Taylor Joined The Group. Rawls Then Asked McFalls To Be An Artist On His New Label Deep South Sound. 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. Steve Leggett Of Allmusic Stated That McFalls "makes Things Work By The Sheer Force Of His Engaging Personality." Early In 2008 McFalls Was Featured On A Segment Of Bob Phillips' Syndicated Television Anthology Series Texas Country Reporter. In The Interview McFalls Explained To Phillips How Important The Legacy Of Memphis Texas Had Been To His Singing Career And His Peace Of Mind As A Person. 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. His Vocals And Upfront Performance Can Put Fireworks Into The Souls Of A Crowd That Wakes Them Up And Shakes Them Into Dancing. He Has 10 CD's Within His Discography And Has Another One In Progress. Even Though An Audience Loves To See Blues Boy Willie On Stage With His Harmonicas Singing And Leading A Band He Is Also Proficient With A Blues Bass Guitar Rhythm Guitar Electric Guitar Drums And Keyboard. 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. read less