WILLIE KING
FOTOGRAFIA MARK GOOCH
En esta excelente fotografía de Mark Gooch creemos que queda reflejada perfectamente la personalidad, el modus vivendi y el quehacer del Bluesman ( si es verdad la frase de que una imagen vale más que mil palabras .... ) WILLIE KING., un hombre auténtico que se movió siempre por los escenarios menos convencionales y que nos dejó su huella en la forma de hacer sin duda , diferente , lejos del mundanal ruído diríamos..........
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Willie King (March 18, 1943 – March 8, 2009) was an American blues guitarist and singer, known for shunning fame and playing at a local bar in Mississippi.
King was born in Prairie Point, a community in Noxubee County, Mississippi near the Alabama border. Prior to recording, he worked as a share cropper, moonshine maker and traveling salesman to name but a few of his many occupations. Later he became active with the civil rights movement,[3] which inspired him to write socially conscious blues songs. In 1983 he founded the Rural Members Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the traditional rural skills King had grown up with, which he called 'survival skills,' and helping improve his local community. In 1997, the Rural Members Association started the annual Freedom Creek blues festival, which has since received international recognition He began recording in 1999 and his 2000 recordings Freedom Creek and I Am The Blues, were the first of several acclaimed albums.
King performed at national and international festivals but mostly played near his home, most notably as a regular at Bettie's Juke joint in Mississippi. He described his music as "struggling blues" because of its focus on the "injustices in life in the rural South".
King died from a heart attack shortly before his 66th birthday, near his home in the rural community of Old Memphis, Alabama, just a few miles from his birthplace
Willie King on film
Dutch film-makers Saskia Rietmeijer and Bart Drolenga (Visible World Films) wanted to produce a documentary about African American arts and culture in the Deep South. But they met Willie King and instead decided to devote their efforts to creating a documentary about Willie's life and times, titled Down in the Woods. King was also featured in Martin Scorsese's 2003 documentary series The Blues and Shout Factory's Blues Story the same year.
WILLIE KING, a wonderful bluesman and humanitatian, passed away suddenly Sunday, March 8. I have been a Willie fan for along time and 4 years ago at Kentuck, he and his band were playing. I was stoked-I made him a Willie King piece and was able to give it to him in person and chat awhile. What i found was a gracious and sweet man loaded with talent. Little did I know that 2 of his band members, Debbie and Rick, headed up the Alabama Blues Project. They invited me to do an art project with their summer camp ,which i have done for the past few years. Willie would also come and perform and talk to the kids.. he was the real deal-he was the blues. I am certain alot of people have Willie memories-I am honored to have known him. Willie will be missed but his music will live on!
WILLIE KING, un músico de blues maravilloso y humanitatian, falleció repentinamente el domingo 8 de marzo he sido un fan de Willie por largo tiempo y hace 4 años en Kentuck, él y su banda estaban jugando. Yo estaba equipada-le un pedazo Willie Rey hice y fui capaz de darle a él en persona y charlar un rato. Lo que me encontré fue un hombre amable y dulce lleno de talento. Yo no sabía que 2 de sus miembros de la banda, Debbie y Rick, encabezó el Blues Project Alabama. Me invitaron a hacer un proyecto de arte con su campamento de verano, lo que he hecho durante los últimos años. Willie también vendría a realizar y hablar con los niños .. él era el verdadero negocio, él era el blues. Estoy seguro de que mucha gente tiene recuerdos-I Willie siento honrado de haberlo conocido. Willie se perdió pero su música vivirá para siempre !
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