John G Willis 1962 - 2026
Sadly, my good friend bassist/singer/songwriter John Willis passed away on July 7th after a short bout with cancer. Some of you may have known him or seen or heard him if you traveled through the Phoenix area, as he was one of the busiest and best-liked musicians in town. He also managed the SWR bass amplifier division of Fender music from 2005 to 2010.
John attended Berklee and spent several years on the road before returning to Arizona, mainly working with the Herndon Brothers Band and the Mac Daddios. He also released several excellent CDs of original stuff where he sings and plays bass (visit https://johngwillis.com). I met John in 2012 when he joined our group, Big Haboob and the Tiki Torch Orchestra (see pic below). I liked him immediately, as a both a bassist and a class act. He was the nicest person I ever met, and he once described himself to me as a “go-along, get-along kind of guy.”
Thank you, John G, for the years of friendship, great taco lunches, and your humor and bass knowledge. We will miss you.
Sadly, my good friend bassist/singer/songwriter John Willis passed away on July 7th after a short bout with cancer. Some of you may have known him or seen or heard him if you traveled through the Phoenix area, as he was one of the busiest and best-liked musicians in town. He also managed the SWR bass amplifier division of Fender music from 2005 to 2010.
John attended Berklee and spent several years on the road before returning to Arizona, mainly working with the Herndon Brothers Band and the Mac Daddios. He also released several excellent CDs of original stuff where he sings and plays bass (visit https://johngwillis.com). I met John in 2012 when he joined our group, Big Haboob and the Tiki Torch Orchestra (see pic below). I liked him immediately, as a both a bassist and a class act. He was the nicest person I ever met, and he once described himself to me as a “go-along, get-along kind of guy.”
Thank you, John G, for the years of friendship, great taco lunches, and your humor and bass knowledge. We will miss you.
