Is it fair to say Willie Dixon was to bass as Robert Johnson was to guitar

Ilikejazzbass · #1 03-11-2010, 07:38 PM

I mean I think he is the ultimate underdog. He is underrated just like a typical bass player. If you took a list of the 100 greatest blues songs of all time I think willie dixon would have written 50 of em. What do you think?

purpletornado · #2 03-11-2010, 08:29 PM

I agree. When people discuss blues greats Willie never gets mentioned.

NKUSigEp · #3 03-11-2010, 08:47 PM

Mr. Dixon was a great bassist and songwriter!

I'd say he doesn't get much mention due to the amount of time that's passed since his hay day. Also, he didn't play electric bass and that's pretty much what has been popular since the 60's.

Ilikejazzbass · #4 03-11-2010, 09:17 PM

Well I'm glad some fellows agree with me. Hes one of the few blues legends that played bass and boy did he boogie.

MIJ-VI · #5 03-11-2010, 10:00 PM

Willie Dixon - Bassology

Ilikejazzbass · #6 03-11-2010, 10:06 PM

Thats actually the first video I ever saw of him. After that I realized that bass was just as cool as guitar, if not cooler.

purpletornado · #7 03-11-2010, 10:18 PM

There's local bar in town, used to be a blues bar before the owner sold the business. Behind the band riser there's this great mural of Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon. Unfortunately it's an Irish pub now but the original owner, who still owns the building, stipulated in the lease that the mural cannot be painted over, only covered.

Small pics but you get the idea.

Ilikejazzbass · #8 03-11-2010, 10:28 PM

That is awesome. The old owner definitely had some fine taste. Man blues bars man or woman. I wish I had one of them in my city. I'd be there everynight.

superbassman2000 · #9 03-12-2010, 03:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ilikejazzbass

I mean I think he is the ultimate underdog. He is underrated just like a typical bass player. If you took a list of the 100 greatest blues songs of all time I think willie dixon would have written 50 of em. What do you think?

i'd disagree--he wrote 90 of them

i know he plays upright, but i could have sworn i saw a picture of him with a red P-bass...i could be wrong though

cavemusic · #10 03-12-2010, 09:53 AM

I read a few books about Chess Records. Willie Dixon was a key bass player, songwriter, and producer there for a number of years. He worked with the greats such as Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Howlin' Wolf, etc., and wrote many of their big hits. There's absolutely no doubt he played a major part in the development of Chicago style blues. A huge number of the tunes associated with the top blues players were actually written by Dixon. For more info and a partial list of the tunes he wrote, check out the wiki: Willie Dixon.

Ilikejazzbass · #11 03-13-2010, 08:55 PM

I mean they both had such a huge impact on the blues, but all anyone ever talks about is robert johnson. I mean without willie dixon clapton and all those cats would have been nowhere. I think people need to turn off the mtv crap and learn and study bass guitar and talented musicians and I tell you what kids one day I'll be a rock n roll star and I'll force people to do just that cause I'm tall and good lookin and a hell of a bass player.

bigfatbass · #12 03-15-2010, 12:56 PM

Music Shoppe Pub!!!!! Norwich represent, yo! Greg (the old owner) is a great guy, too bad the town never quite caught up with his love of roots music. Many, many good times there for me.
Norwich, NY is also home of the Chenango Blues Fest, one of the best of it's kind in the country. Brings back some fond memories on stage and off! Is that killer little Italian place next door still there? Nina's or something like that?

Quote:

Originally Posted by purpletornado

There's local bar in town, used to be a blues bar before the owner sold the business.

Small pics but you get the idea.

guroove · #13 03-15-2010, 01:00 PM

I think it's an ok analogy, but I think that these guys need to be viewed in a different light as just "bass player" and "guitar player." Willie Dixon was one of the great blues men of all time, just like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and Robert Johnson. They can be mentioned together, but they were blues men, and comparisons like that are cute, but diminish both men's incredible contributions to the blues, and music on a universal level.

bigfatbass · #14 03-15-2010, 01:17 PM

And on topic, Willie wrote and played on more blues hits than Muddy, Wolf, Buddy, BB, and a dozen other artists combined. He was the KING.

All hail the mighty Willie Dixon! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8JCcgPkIUU