WILLIE COBBS/ Complete Recordings

 

WILLIE COBBS/ Complete Recordings

 

 

                Willie Cobbs est essentiellement connu pour You don't love me un très gros succès qui est devenu un standard du blues. Mais il ne faut pas restreindre Cobbs à ce seul titre il a enregistré abondamment par la suite.

                Cobbs est né le 15 juillet 1932 à Smale, Arkansas de Harvey Cobb et Calentha Early, propriétaires d-une petite ferme. Comme beaucoup, les premières expériences musicales de Willie se font à l'Eglise locale (Mt Olive Baptist Church). Son père lui donne des leçons de piano mais c'est en écoutant Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller) sur son programme régulier de radio (sur KFFA) qu'il adopte l'harmonica. En 1948, Cobbs migre à Chicago et rencontre Little Walter qui lui donne quelques leçons et l'emmène avec lui à Maxwell Street pour jouer pour quelques pourboires. Ce qui lui permet de participer à quelques prestations dans des clubs de Chicago, notamment en accompagnement de Eddie Boyd. En 1952, Willie rejoint les Marines et participe aux opérations en Corée.

                A son retour à Chicago, le principal harmoniciste de la scène du blues est Jimmy Reed et Willie apprend quantité de ses chansons, forme son propre orchestre avec Eddie King. Cela lui permet d'enregistrer son premier disque sur le petit label Ruler qui ne se vend guère. Lassé des difficultés de la scène blues et aussi du climat de Chicago, Cobbs retourne s'installer à Hughes dans l'Arkansas. C'est à Memphis en 1960 que Billy Lee Riley et Stan Kesler décident de l'enregistrer après qu'il leur ait présenté sa nouvelle composition You don't love me. C'est Billy Lee Riley qui change considérablement le rythme du morceau en reprenant un riff de Bo Diddley et qui en fera un énorme succès, d'abord local puis national. You don't love me deviendra un standard du blues repris par des dizaines d'artistes autant dans le blues, le Rock que la Pop.

                Fort de ce "hit", Cobbs va enregistrer durant les années suivantes pour plusieurs labels mais sans jamais rééditer ce succès. Quelque peu désillusionné par l'industrie du disque, Willie Cobbs va gagner sa vie en travaillant dans le bâtiment puis en dirigeant plusieurs clubs, notamment le Blue Flame à Stuttgart, Ark. En même temps, Willie Cobbs forme ses propres labels, se produit lui-même et enregistre substantiellement. Eating dry onions sera un nouveau petit succès en 1970, repris par Malaco.

                En 1994, Willie Cobbs enregistre enfin son premier album sur le label de Jim O'Neal, Rooster blues. Un deuxième suit sur son propre label Wilco avec les frères Hodges et enfin un troisième (Jukin') sur Rounder. L'album Butler Boy Blues sorti en 2018, et contrairement à ce qui est écrit un peu partout, n'est composé que de titres déjà publiés par Cobbs à travers les années mais avec un re-recording souvent différent.

Willie Cobbs décède le 25 octobre 2021 à Little Rock, Ark.

                                                                              Gérard HERZHAFT

 

              

Photo © Gene Tomko 

  Willie Cobbs is best known for You don't love me, a huge hit that became a blues standard. But Cobbs should not be restricted to this single title, as he went on to record extensively.

                Cobbs was born on July 15, 1932 in Smale, Arkansas, to Harvey Cobb and Calentha Early, owners of a small farm. Like many, Willie's first musical experiences were at the local church (Mt Olive Baptist Church). His father gave him piano lessons, but it was while listening to Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller) on his regular radio program (on KFFA) that he adopted the harmonica. In 1948, Cobbs migrated to Chicago and met Little Walter, who gave him a few lessons and took him with him to Maxwell Street to play for tips. This enabled him to take part in a few performances in Chicago clubs, notably accompanying Eddie Boyd. In 1952, Willie joined the Marines and took part in operations in Korea.

                On his return to Chicago, the leading harmonica player on the blues scene was Jimmy Reed, and Willie learned many of his songs, forming his own band with Eddie King. This enabled him to record his first album on the small Ruler label, which didn't sell much. Tired of the difficulties of the blues scene and the Chicago weather altogether, Cobbs moved back to Hughes, Arkansas. It was in Memphis in 1960 that Billy Lee Riley and Stan Kesler decided to record him, after he presented them with a new song You don't love me. It was Billy Lee Riley who considerably changed the rhythm of the song, using an old Bo Diddley riff, and made it a huge hit, first locally and then nationally. You don't love me became a blues standard covered by dozens of blues, rock and pop artists.

                On the strength of this hit, Cobbs went on to record for several labels over the next few years, but never repeated the success. Somewhat disillusioned with the record industry, Willie Cobbs went on to earn his living by working in construction, then managing several clubs, notably the Blue Flame in Stuttgart, Ark. At the same time, Willie Cobbs formed his own labels, produced himself and recorded substantially. Eating dry onions was another minor hit in 1970, covered by Malaco.

                In 1994, Willie Cobbs finally recorded his first album on Jim O'Neal's Rooster blues label. A second followed on his own Wilco label with the Hodges brothers backing him, and finally a third (Jukin') on Rounder. The Butler Boy Blues album released in 2018, and contrary to what is written everywhere, is made up exclusively of tracks already released by Cobbs over the years, but often with a different mastering and some re-recording.

Willie Cobbs died on October 25, 2021 in Little Rock, Ark.

 

                                                                                              Gérard HERZHAFT