Willie Dixon

As the preeminent blues songwriter of his era, Willie Dixon composed more than 500 songs, many of which found international acclaim when performed by groups including the Rolling Stones, Cream, Jeff Beck, and Led Zeppelin. As a studio mastermind at Chess Records in the ‘50s and ‘60s, he shaped the sound of the Chicago blues with songs like “Hoochie Coochie Man” and “Spoonful,” producing, arranging, and playing bass on sessions for Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Koko Taylor and others. Born in Vicksburg, Miss., Dixon’s life story is captured in the 1989 autobiography, I Am The Blues.