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Willie Dixon

 


Musician, singer, composer, record producer, talent scout, session musician, arranger, record label owner, social entrepreneur and boxer William James Dixon was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, one of 14 children,  on 1 July 1915. He is one of the most prolific song writers with more than 500 published songs, and together with Muddy Waters' helped to shape the sound and style (and success) of 20th century rhythm and blues music. Most of his songs were written during the peak years of Chicago's Chess Records, 1950 to 1965.  Dixon was also an important link between blues music and rock and roll music. Dixon was six feet six inches tall and won a boxing championship in 1937. He met Leonard Caston at a boxing gym, and Caston persuaded him to take a more active role in music. By 1951 he was a full time staff member at Chess. He was one of the founders of the Blues Heaven Foundation.

Willie Dixon died from diabetes and heart failure in Burbank, California, on 29 January 1992.

Image: Rolling Stone

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