Weeks, Willie (5th August 1947-Present)

He is a bass guitarist born in Salemburg, North Carolina, whose first guitar was made up of fishing line and an axe. He began his ventures into music by singing and playing guitar in church with a gospel group and moved on to play the electric bass at the turn of the 1960s when he took his influences from songs he heard on the radio.

He became a member of various bands dotted about the United States, such as Les Watson & The Panthers, Gypsy and Alvin Cash & The Crawlers and then moved to Chicago to play with Rufus before Chaka Khan was with them. In 1972 he became recognised for his solo work on Donny Hathaway’s live “Voices Inside (Everything is Everything)” and then took a year out in Puerto Rico.

From there he went back to New York and then to London where he teamed up with Andy Newmark and recorded with Ronnie Wood, Rod Stewart, The Rolling Stones and George Harrison and also toured with Harrison on his Dark Horse tour. He is also remembered for his performances on Stevie Wonder’s “He’s Misstra Know It All” and David Bowie’s chart-topping “Fame”.

In the early 1980s he sadly lost his wife and moved to Nashville with the responsibility of raising his young daughter and began working with many of the artists there and received steady work.

Working as a studio and touring musician he has been heard with countless other groups and artists such as Gregg Allman, Joan Baez, Johnny Bristol, J.J. Cale, Carlene Carter, Rosanne Cash, Peter Cetera, Kevin Chalfant, Julie Covington, Robert Cray, Charlie Daniels, Dan Fogelberg, Aretha Franklin, Vince Gill, Isaac Hayes, Dan Hill, Janis Ian, George Jones, Wynonna Judd, B.B. King, Linda Lewis, Lyle Lovett, Herbie Mann, John Mellencamp, Bette Midler, Maria Muldaur, Randy Newman, The Pointer Sisters, Kenny Rogers, David Lee Roth, Leon Russell, Earl Scruggs, Carly Simon, The Texas Tornadoes, Pam Tillis, Tanya Tucker, Conway Twitty, Junior Wells and Tammy Wynette to name just a select few.

Albums he has appeared on number into the hundreds and a sample of the list includes Dreams by The Allman Brothers Band, Young Americans by David Bowie, Floridays by Jimmy Buffett, The Higher They Climb the Harder They Fall by David Cassidy, In the Blues with E.C., Pt. 1 by Eric Clapton, Romantic Journey by Norman Connors, Best of the Doobies, Vol. 2 by The Doobie Brothers, Rock of Ages…Hymns & Faith by Amy Grant, Possibilities by Herbie Hancock, Gone Troppo by George Harrison, Live by Donny Hathaway, Bring ‘Em In by Buddy Guy, Glow by Al Jarreau, The Complete Hits Collection: 1973-1997 by Billy Joel, Continuum by John Mayer, If That’s What It Takes by Michael McDonald, Homeless Brother by Don McLean, Endless Flight by Leo Sayer, Night on the Town by Rod Stewart, Gorilla by James Taylor, You Can’t Argue With a Sick Mind by Joe Walsh, First Light by Richard & Linda Thompson, Keep on Running by Steve Winwood, I Can Understand It by Bobby Womack, Innervisions by Stevie Wonder.

In the world of television and movies he has appeared in Lightning in a Bottle and Blues Brothers 2000 and on the soundtracks of Prince of Egypt, Martin Scorcese Presents the Blues: A Musical Journey and Touched by An Angel.

He joined up with Eric Clapton’s band in 2005 and has since recorded and appeared on tour with him.

Sources:

Weeks, Willie (5th August 1947-Present)

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