For four decades, deep soul man Willie West has been one of New Orleans' best kept musical secrets. A contemporary of Johnny Adams, Aaron Neville, Lee Dorsey, Irma Thomas and Ernie K-Doe, West's career has been overlooked by some because his resume l [+]For four decades, deep soul man Willie West has been one of New Orleans' best kept musical secrets. A contemporary of Johnny Adams, Aaron Neville, Lee Dorsey, Irma Thomas and Ernie K-Doe, West's career has been overlooked by some because his resume lacks the one identifiable national hit that can shape a recording artist's career. Nevertheless, his string of great single and album releases have continually proven West is a top-ranked New Orleans entertainer. This CD again underlines that fact.
Born in Raceland, Louisiana, West broke into show business as a teenager singing with a group called the Sharks.
Signed by the Rusttone label in the early 1960's, West scored a regional hit with the memorable "Did You Have Fun," which led to a string of one-nighters performing opposite the likes of Solomon Burke and Jimmy Reed. After moving to New Orleans in the mid-1960's, West switched to the Frisco label. Singles like "Lost Love" and "I'm Back Again" made noise around town, but he became better known as an energetic showman with a stage routine comparable to James Brown and Jackie Wilson at their best. West became equally popular at fraternity parties, chitlin' circuit clubs and French Quarter nightspots.
In 1966, Allen Toussaint recruited West for his Deesu label, and they collaborated on several excellent singles. On the live front, West joined Deacon John's band, The Electric Soul Train, then one of the area's most popular and exciting reviews.In the early 1970's, West became a "part-time" vocalist with the Meters, a position he held until the group disbanded in 1980. He also recorder the Allen Toussaint-produced soundtrack for the movie "Black Samson" which starred William Smith.
For the better part of the last decade, West has been performing in the French Quarter and on a circuit of clubs in the South. On stage, West exudes the tremendous personal magnetism his audience appreciates. West fuses gospel, pop and R&B into his own personal brand of soul. That warm soul style pervades every song on this outstanding new CD spotlighting the exciting Willie West.
By Jeff Hannusch New Orleans, October 2002
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