The long-awaited release of an album by the late American blues legend Chick Willis is taking place at Velvet Music Rooms this Tuesday 10 January.
Willis was born in Cabaniss, Georgia in 1934 and is renowned throughout the blues world as The Stoop Down Man, thanks to his salacious 1972 hit single ‘Stoop Down Baby Let Your Daddy See’.
The new album, entitled ‘Things I Used to Do’, was recorded at the end of Willis’s 1997 UK and European tour, after six weeks on the road with his British band featuring Tony Ashton, who himself had the huge hit single ‘Resurrection Shuffle’.
Willis died on 7 December 2013, aged 79.
The album launch by Big Bear Records takes place from 7pm in the latest Henry’s Blueshouse session at Velvet Music Rooms on Birmingham’s golden mile of Broad Street.
The Nitecrawlers, who include Chick Willis’ material in their repertoire, will then be playing two sets and admission will be free.
Jim Simpson of Big Bear Records said: “We’re thrilled to be launching this new CD album which will be available world-wide, as will the online release, available on all digital platforms.
“Henry’s Blueshouse is the perfect place to host the launch as it is now firmly established as Birmingham’s Home of The Blues, open every Tuesday at Velvet Music Rooms.”
Dani Hadley, co-owner of Velvet Music Rooms, said: “We now have a regular, loyal and growing blues audience here at Velvet and we feel so honoured to be hosting the launch of this new album that pays tribute to Chick Willis, who was such a great talent.”
