Chick Willis (1934-2013)

Robert “Chick” Willis died in an Atlanta suburb on December 7 after a long battle with throat cancer. He was 79 and a non-smoker. He was the cousin of '50s R&B singer Chuck Willis, and was best known for his off-color 1972 hit, “Stoop Down, Baby.”

Robert Willis was born in Cabaniss, GA, on September 24, 1934. Chuck Willis, had 14 hits on the R&B charts between 1952 and 1958, including “C. C. Rider,” which reached #1. After leaving the service, Chick became Chuck's chauffeur, then a singer with his entourage, where he also learned to play the guitar in a style he credited to Guitar Slim. His first record was “You're Mine” in 1956. After Chuck died suddenly of a bleeding ulcer in 1958, he joined Elmore James' band.

After a few unsuccessful single records, his breakthrough came in 1972, when he recorded “Stoop Down, Baby” for the tiny LeVal label of Kalamazoo, MI. The song sold well despite being unplayable on the radio. Over the years, he did a number of remakes and sequels, and recorded several other risque songs.

Over the years, he gradually became a well-respected bluesman. He recorded seven successful CDs for the Ichiban label in the '80s and '90s, and nine other CDs, the last one in 2010. He has been a popular live performer on the blues festival circuit for the past three decades. Here's a nice set on three songs from 2008, ending with one of his late cousin's greatest hits, "Don't Deceive Me."

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