Little Willie Littlefield
BIOGRAPHY AND DISCOGRAPHY
One of rock’s first teen sensations who went on to a long-lasting career that saw only brief flurries of commercial success, but who built an enduring reputation that lasted into the next century.
Littlefield was born in Texas in 1931 becoming proficient on guitar by age six, then finding his true métier on the piano the next year. By fourteen he was playing bars, his flashy technique already drawing notice and just before turning seventeen a local Houston record shop owner, Eddie Henry, started his own label specifically to record the young rock prodigy, releasing a handful of sides over the next few months before Littlefield was scouted and signed by Modern Records of Los Angeles, a much more established independent label.
Immediately upon arrival he notched his first hit and followed it with two more records that made the still skimpy national charts, while also scoring numerous regional hits along the way.
Though an excellent boogie pianist Littlefield’s biggest influence came with what he called his “floating right hand” which introduced the value of piano triplets behind mid-tempo and slower numbers, something Fats Domino picked up on and popularized throughout the next decade, always crediting Littlefield as his source of inspiration.
Vocally Littlefield was very similar to fellow Texas rock pianist Amos Milburn, using a disarmingly lethargic delivery with a warm mellow tone to convey an enormous amount of soul in his singing. Despite writing most of his own material Littlefield was an early recipient of some of Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller’s compositions when they were just starting out, including the original version of “Kansas City”, which Federal Records confusingly renamed “K.C. Loving”, perhaps costing themselves sales in the process. A few years later when Wilbert Harrison used Leiber & Stoller’s preferred simpler title and scored a #1 hit with it, prompting many to go back in the years since and explore Littlefield’s original which as a result remains his most identifiable recording.
After a commercial downturn in the mid-50’s he returned to the charts on tiny Rhythm Records in 1957. Oddly enough, despite this revival of his fortunes and the subsequent revisiting of Kansas City in 1959, Littlefield’s recording career – at least in terms of released singles – was essentially over by 1960, save for a few stray sides coming out. When touring opportunities dried up, though he was still just in his early 30’s, he settled into the San Francisco club scene playing a varied set list that encompassed everything from classics to country and western along with his preferred rockin’ boogie style.
Rediscovered in the mid-70’s he played U.S festivals and traveled overseas for the first of many highly acclaimed European tours which led in turn to his first opportunities to cut full-length albums in the early 1980’s. In addition he met and married a woman from the Netherlands and settled in that country where he remained for the rest of his life, touring fairly steadily until 2000. His retirement lasted until 2006 when he got tired of fishing and returned to the stage, as vibrant a performer as ever, until cancer claimed him in 2013 at 81 years old.
LITTLE WILLIE LITTLEFIELD DISCOGRAPHY:
LITTLE WILLIE’S BOOGIE
(Eddie’s Records 1202; September, 1948)
The musical equivalent of an adrenaline shot to the heart, a loud, boisterous, unapologetic piano workout that perfectly embodies the teenage musical spirit of its creator as well as its growing young audience. Frivolous and fun from start to finish. (7)
MY BEST WISHES
(Eddie’s Records 1202; September, 1948)
Solid vocal from Littlefield, sounding like he’s channeling fellow Texas piano rocker Amos Milburn’s drawn out delivery and tone, but shoddy production values necessitating a second take to iron out the missteps – or to smooth out the composition itself – pull it slightly under. (4)
BOOGIE WOOGIE PLAYGIRL
(Eddie’s Records 1212; January, 1949)
Littlefield’s most obvious Amos Milburn imitation comes off alright as he was too talented to not be reasonably effective, but he was never going to make a name for himself by riding on the coattails of somebody else’s name. (5)
SWANEE RIVER
(Eddie’s Records 1212; January, 1949)
Rambunctious take on the Stephen Foster standard by way of Albert Ammons, this may be crude in nature but how can you really find fault with a great melody being played with the exuberant drive of a youthful rock pianist feeling his oats. (5)
LITTLEFIELD BOOGIE
(Freedom 1502; March, 1949)
Another good boogie woogie performance by the teenager who proves he can pound the ivories with the best of them, but if he wants to make a name for himself he’ll have to move beyond the interchangeable instrumentals and offer up something less derivative and more distinctive. (6)
IT’S MIDNIGHT (NO PLACE TO GO)
(Modern 20-686; July, 1949)
A huge artistic leap for the teenage triple threat who makes a stunning debut on a bigger label, his songwriting, piano playing and vocals all perfectly meshing with the top notch band to create an instant classic. (9)
MIDNIGHT WHISTLE
(Modern 20-686; July, 1949)
A throwaway B-side instrumental that sounds as if it wasn’t worked out much in advance… the concept itself is alright, even a little inventive in theory, but the slow pace and horns being out of step with Littlefield’s piano make it his weakest side to date. (3)
FAREWELL
(Modern 20-709; October, 1949)
Effective mood piece, one which is despondent and unfocused lyrically to match his state of mind yet with some sizzling guitar licks to spice it up, a record which confirmed his newfound stardom when it became almost as big of a hit as the record he was following up. (7)
DRINKIN’ HADACOL
(Modern 20-709; October, 1949)
Crudely potent ode to illicit “medicine” designed to get you drunk, it’s hardly smooth going down but both the record and the drink get the job done. (6)
MERRY XMAS
(Modern 20-716; November, 1949)
As morose Christmas songs go, this is well played and sung but the story lacks the specifics needed to win our sympathy making it one present that winds up getting lost in the shuffle of gaudier gifts this time of year. (5)
COME ON BABY
(Modern 20-716; November, 1949)
Rip-roaring uptempo vocal by Littlefield with a tight high octane band in perfect lockstep with one another… the composition itself may be pretty standard fare, but their enthusiasm and playing are all first rate. (7)
THE MOON IS RISIN’
(Modern 20-726; December, 1949)
A streamlined sound delivered by Littlefield and the band which, save for some garbled vocals, comes close to perfecting an earlier prototype he’d tried repeatedly in studio sessions and which shows that he was hitting on all cylinders virtually every time out. (7)
FRIGHTENED
(Modern 20-726; December, 1949)
A good idea, well played and at times well sung – though at others he struggles with modulation – this really just needed another run through to tighten it up, though the addition of a tenor sax to add to the ambiance wouldn’t have hurt either. (4)
ROCKIN’ CHAIR MAMA
(Modern 20-729; February, 1950)
A rousing call-to-arms both vocally and musically as delivered by a rambunctious and horny teenager with a sax solo to drive the point home, the epitome of what rock’s vibrant energy was all about through the years. (8)
YOUR LOVE WASN’T SO
(Modern 20-729; February, 1950)
Mesmerizing performance all around as Littlefield’s way with a ballad reaches full flower, aided immeasurably by a haunting sax and incredible dynamics. (9)
TELL ME BABY
(Modern 20-747; April, 1950)
Almost conceived like a live cut from a nightclub with just brief vocals to set the scene before letting the band churn away while Littlefield’s piano commands the lion’s share of your attention, leaving little doubt as to why he was such a star in that setting. (7)
WHY LEAVE ME ALL ALONE
(Modern 20-747; April, 1950)
A complete turnaround from the uptempo flip, a wistful ballad that finds Willie fending off his sadness with determined resiliency aided by an exquisite arrangement in which every element falls perfectly into place while still feeling completely effortless. (8)
CHEERFUL BABY
(Modern 20-754; June, 1950)
Exquisitely crafted post-breakup song examining the way in which hurt leads to optimism in the form of karmic retribution, taking solace in something that you don’t control, all of which Littlefield delivers as if it’s mood music for the emotionally ravaged. (7)
HAPPY PAY DAY
(Modern 20-754; June, 1950)
Though Littlefield and producer/saxman Maxwell Davis make this cover record sound far better than any other version, the insipid lyrics drag it down and make you wish they just cut the catchy melody as an instrumental instead. (4)
HIT THE ROAD
(Modern 20-775; September, 1950)
A breakneck pace and a great arrangement with significant contributions from guitar, sax and Willie’s own piano somewhat mask the shoddy bare bones story and wheezy vocals making this an exciting record rather than a perfectly sensible one. (6)
TROUBLE AROUND ME
(Modern 20-775; September, 1950)
Solid Milburn-esque ballad with all of the expected touches, from his laid-back vocals to the languid sax that answers each line and creates and back and forth dialogue between them, this might not be top shelf Littlefield, but it’s nice and reliable all the same. (6)
AIN’T A BETTER STORY TOLD
(Modern 20-781; November, 1950)
Little Willie and co-star Laura Wiggins deliver a song that is unambiguously about the act of sex and manage to do so in a way that’s suggestive without being obscene, lyrically or musically, yet loses none of its appeal in the process. (9)
YOU’LL NEVER MISS A GOOD WOMAN ‘TILL SHE’S GONE
(Modern 20-781; November, 1950)
Though the despondent mood they set with its sparse arrangement, drawn out guitar solo and sad-sack delivery is well done, there’s not much detail here about what caused it to make you care enough to suffer along with him for long. (5)
I’VE BEEN LOST
(Modern 20-801; February. 1951)
Another duet with Laura Wiggins but one which never gives either of them much chance to make an impression as the structure of the song switches you back and forth from one to the other to singing in tandem leaving holes in the story and undercutting the momentum. (5)
ONCE WAS LUCKY
(Modern 20-801; February, 1951)
A rather thin song that attempts to combine a rock ballad mindset with a cocktail blues atmosphere and a pure urban blues guitar break which doesn’t really work even though it’s never really bad either… just forgettable. (4)
MEAN MEAN WOMAN
(Modern 20-837; September, 1951)
A simple but effective story using some vivid imagery told with a sly attitude over a churning groove set by Willie’s piano and Maxwell Davis’s discreet sax is a formula that never seems to get old as everything here is working in tandem to put this over well. (7)
LUMP IN MY THROAT (TEARS IN MY EYES)
(Modern 20-837; September, 1951)
Working better as a mood piece than the cocktail blues pastiche it was intended as, Maxwell Davis’s arrangement and Littlefield’s investment in the sentiments do all they can but in the end it remains a record that is 90% atmosphere and 10% story, if that. (4)
LIFE OF TROUBLE
(Modern 854; February, 1952)
A dire atmospheric gem as Littlefield bemoans his fate in a stark setting provided by Maxwell Davis, making the slightly ominous lyrics stand out all the more… hardly a hit sound but a riveting performance that rewards a listener’s unwavering focus. (7)
TOO LATE FOR ME
(Modern 854; February, 1952)
Doing what he does best which is deliver a classy understated performance with a great arrangement on a song that harkens back to his initial appearance on the label without being merely an uninspired rip-off, leaving Modern Records on a high note. (7)
MONDAY MORNING BLUES
(Federal 12082; June, 1952)
Although his co-lead vocal here is largely superfluous alongside Lil’ Greenwood, or at least could’ve been done by almost anyone since he’s not asked to inject any of his personality into it, the sound of the record is quite nice if an unusual choice for his debut on the label. (6)
BLOOD IS REDDER THAN WINE
(Federal 12101; October, 1952)
A record that is 99% atmosphere thanks to a terrific arrangement by Maxwell Davis emphasizing the chilling casual violence of Littlefield’s threats to his girl and whose performance is as bleak as the Leiber & Stoller story, but works all the better because of it. (9)
STRIKING ON YOU BABY
(Federal 12101; October, 1952)
Slightly confusing title aside, this is a very clever metaphor about unbalanced relationships courtesy of Jerry Leiber who has a very convincing Little Willie threatening to strike over mistreatment from his girl while the band remain neutral observers in the labor battle. (7)
LAST LAUGH BLUES
(Federal 12108; November, 1952)
Another strange decision to give Littlefield a female duet partner, though at least here the song calls for it, but the performances fall short of the idea while the song itself and the arrangement behind it falls well short of the performances. (3)
K.C. LOVING
(Federal 12110; November, 1952)
The Leiber & Stoller classic has its full lyrics intact adding more depth to the story, while Maxwell Davis’s arrangement is flawless which almost makes Littlefield pale by comparison, but Willie’s mindset is so spot-on throughout that it even makes you forget his lisping of the city. (9)
PLEADING AT MIDNIGHT
(Federal 12110; November, 1952)
Though admittedly a more generic song and arrangement than its more celebrated top side, this still features a terrific vocal and driving rhythm with an effective storyline with a great eye for detail as every line earns its payoff on an underrated entry in his catalog. (8)