Willie Littlefield, Jr.,[2] billed as Little Willie Littlefield (September 16, 1931 – June 23, 2013),[3] was an American
R&B and
boogie-woogie pianist and singer[4] whose early recordings "formed a vital link between
boogie-woogie and
rock and roll".[4] Littlefield was regarded as a teenage wonder and overnight sensation when in 1949, at the age of 18, he popularized the
triplet piano style on his
Modern Records debut single, "It's Midnight".[5] He also recorded the first version of the song "
Kansas City" (originally issued as "K. C. Lovin'"), in 1952.
Career
Early career
Littlefield was born in
El Campo, Texas, and grew up in Houston with his mother. By 1947, at the age of sixteen, he was already a local attraction in many of the clubs on Dowling Street in Houston and was recording for Eddie Henry, a local record shop proprietor who ran his own label, Eddie's Records.[6] He formed his first band with the saxophonist
Don Wilkerson, a friend from school.[4]
His first recording, "Little Willie's Boogie", was a hit in Texas in 1949 and brought him to the attention of
Jules Bihari, of
Modern Records in Los Angeles, who was searching for a performer to rival the success of Amos Milburn.[4]
Success at Modern records
Littlefield returned to Modern Records and recorded "It's Midnight". It reached number three on the BillboardR&B chart, and its follow-up, "Farewell", reached number five.[7] He became a major nightclub attraction and recorded with West Coast musicians such as
Maxwell Davis. Don Wilkerson, Littlefield's schoolmate and the leading saxophone player in his band, also travelled to Los Angeles, but Milburn promptly persuaded him to lead Milburn's new band, the
Aladdin Chickenshackers.[6]
In the late 1970s he toured Europe successfully, settling in the Netherlands and releasing a number of albums from 1982 into the late 1990s for the
Oldie Blues label from Martin van Olderen.[9]
Retirement and comeback
After touring for more than 50 years, Littlefield stopped in 2000. After five years of retirement in his adopted home country, the Netherlands, he decided to play again, starting in 2006, declaring, "I went fishing for five years – now I know every herring in Holland by name – it got boring. I feel great and I want to be back with my audience."[10]
In his later years Littlefield continued to perform occasionally, mainly at festivals, particularly in the UK. In 2008 he played at the 20th
Burnley Blues Festival, in 2008, and at the 5th annual UK Boogie Woogie Festival at
Sturminster Newton in Dorset, in July 2009. He performed at Shakedown Blues Club, at Castor Village Hall, near
Castor,
Peterborough, in 2006 and made a return appearance in October 2010.[11][12]
He died at his home in
Voorthuizen, Netherlands, in 2013, at the age of 81. He had cancer.[4]
Selected discography
Selected singles
1948 (late): "Little Willie's Boogie" / "My Best Wishes", Eddie's 1202 (10" shellac)