Willie Dixon (July 1 1915 - January 29 1992) was a well-known American blues bassist, singer, songwriter, and record producer.
Dixon was born in Vicksburg, Mississippi, and died in Burbank, California. Dixon was a producer for Chess and Checker Records in Chicago and is considered one of the key figures in the creation of Chicago blues. He worked with Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Otis Rush , Bo Diddley, Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson, Koko Taylor , Little Milton , Eddie Boyd , Jimmy Witherspoon, Lowell Fulson, Willie Mabon and others.
He wrote many famous blues songs, usually producing and playing bass when they were first recorded. Some of these, and some subsequent covers include:
“Back Door Man” - Howlin’ Wolf, Doors, Grateful Dead, Shadows of Knight, Bob Weir
“Built for Comfort” - Howlin’ Wolf, Canned Heat
“Dead Presidents” - Little Walter
“Evil” - Howlin’ Wolf, Canned Heat
“Hoochie Coochie Man” - Muddy Waters, Shadows of Knight, Nashville Teens, Allman Brothers
“I Ain’t Superstitious” - Howlin’ Wolf, Jeff Beck Group, Grateful Dead, Megadeth
“I Can’t Quit You Baby” - Little Milton, Otis Rush, Led Zeppelin
“I Just Want To Make Love To You” - Muddy Waters, Kinks, Yardbirds, Shadows of Knight, Grateful Dead
“I’m Ready” - Muddy Waters, Humble Pie
“Insane Asylum” - Koko Taylor, Kathy McDonald & Sly Stone
“Little Red Rooster” - Howlin’ Wolf, Sam Cooke, Rolling Stones, Grateful Dead, The Doors (Live)
“Mellow Down Easy” - Little Walter, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Black Crowes, Carey Bell
“My Babe” - Little Walter, Spencer Davis Group, John Hammond, Bo Diddley, Muddy Waters
“Pain in My Heart” - Rolling Stones, Otis Redding
“Pretty Thing” - Bo Diddley, Pretty Things, Canned Heat
“Seventh Son” - Willie Mabon, Mose Allison, Bill Haley, Sting
“Spoonful” - Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, Shadows of Knight, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Cream, Canned Heat, Grateful Dead
“Tollin’ Bells” - Lowell Fulson, Savoy Brown Blues Band
“Wang Dang Doodle” - Koko Taylor, Howlin’ Wolf, Grateful Dead
“You Can’t Judge a Book by Looking at Its Cover” - Bo Diddley, Shadows of Knight
“You Shook Me” - Muddy Waters, Jeff Beck Group, Led Zeppelin
“You Need Love” - Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” was appropriated without credit from Dixon’s “You Need Love” as was “You Shook Me". Dixon and his publisher received credit and royalties after a lawsuit was settled out of court.