Willie Love born November 4, 1906

Willie Love Jr. (November 4, 1906 – August 19, 1953) was an American Delta blues pianist who was a familiar figure on the Memphis, West Memphis, and Mississippi Delta blues scenes.

Love was born in Duncan, Mississippi. Little is known of his youth only that he worked on his father's farm, was interested in music and at an early age and learned how to play the piano. He began his musical journey performing in juke joints and clubs  in Clarksdale, Tunica and Belzoni throughout the Mississippi Delta, where his adeptness at both standard blues and boogie-woogie piano styles quickly earned him local renown. In 1935/36 he worked with Barber Parkers Silver Kings band, which often played in the dance halls of the Delta. In 1938 he left Parker and together with Pinetop Perkins played in clubs in Indianola also performing occasionally with Dr. Ross. 

                        

From 1940 he stopped playing as a soloist, staying until 1952, except for a short intermission in Greenville. It was here that he would become friendly with the harmonica player Sony Boy Williamson (Alex "Rice" Miller) and from 1942 he was a regular visitor to Helena, a little town where, as one of the King Biscuit Boys, he played in the King Biscuit Time programme on KFFA Radio. Up until 1946 he was also a member of The Three Aces (the other two were Barber Parker and G.P. Jackson), a very popular act at dance parties and juke joints. In 1946 Willie played with guitarist Elmore James and his friend Sonny Boy on Greenville's WVGM radio. 

Alex "Rice" Miller

In 1948/49 Willie did a lot of work with Sonny Boy, Willie Nix and Joe Willie Wilkins as the Four Aces, at the same time playing clubs, including the Harlem Club and the 49 Club, with guitarist Little Bill and bassist Willie Dotson. In late 1949 Willie had his own Broadway Furniture Store Show on KWEM Radio in West Memphis. By 1950 he moved back with his wife to Greenville and played in the Silver Dollar Café. When Williamson recorded for Trumpet Records in March 1951, Love played the piano on the recordings. Trumpet's owner, Lillian McMurray, had Love return the following month and again in July 1951, when he recorded his best-known song, "Everybody's Fishing", which he wrote. Love played piano and sang, with guitar accompaniment by Elmore James and Joe Willie Wilkins.  A studio session in December 1951 had Love backed by Little Milton (guitar), T.J. Green (fiddle), and Junior Blackman (drums). In his teenage years, Eddie Shaw played tenor saxophone with both Milton and Love.

Baby Boy Warren

In the best traditions of the blues, Willie Love was a very heavy drinker and this began to cause trouble as he also had domestic problems because he was always away from home. In 1952 his wife left him and Willie went to Detroit to play in the Harlem Inn with guitarist Baby Boy Warren. In January 1953 he returned to Jackson in very bad health and in April 1953, he recorded "Worried Blues" "Lonesome World Blues" and "Shout Brother Shout" which was to be his final session. All of Love's recordings under his own name appeared on the compilation album Greenville Smokin', issued in 2000.

After suffering the effects of years of heavy drinking, Love died of bronchopneumonia on August 19, 1953, in the Jackson Baptist Hospital, Mississippi, at the age of 46, cutting short a promising career. Though always surrounded by friends, Willie was quickly forgotten once dead, yet his legacy lies in his contributions to the Delta blues tradition, both as a collaborator and as a solo artist. His recordings showcase his expressive piano work and soulful vocals, cementing his place among the greats of Mississippi blues. 

In 2017 the Killer Blues Headstone Project placed the headstone for Willie Love at Elmwood Cemetery in Jackson.

(Edited from Martin Van Olderen LP liner notes, Jazzapedia & Wikipedia) (Please note there seems to be only one known photograph of Willie Love so I have used others of musicians he worked with at the time)