If for nothing else, the name of Willie Cobbs will always ring immortal for the prominence of his composition "You Don't Love Me," covered by everyone from Junior Wells to the Allman Brothers. But Cobbs' own discography is dotted with other triumphs, including a 1994 album for Rooster Blues, Down to Earth, that made it clear that Cobbs was alive, well, and committed to playing the blues.
Willie Cobbs was born July 15, 1932, In Monroe, Arkansas. Cobbs decided the prospect of rice farming didn't appeal to him enough to stick around his native Arkansas, so he migrated to Chicago in 1947. He hung out with Little Walter and Eddie Boyd while honing his harp chops on Maxwell Street. But Cobbs' recording career didn't fully blossom until 1960, when his waxing of "You Don't Love Me" for Billy Lee Riley's Memphis-based Mojo logo made him something of a regional star (one previous 45 for Joe Brown's Ruler imprint back in Chicago had stiffed instantly). "You Don't Love Me" eventually was leased to Vee-Jay � no doubt warming Cobbs' heart, since Vee-Jay boss Jimmy Bracken had once turned down Cobbs' audition, explaining that he sounded too much like Vee-Jay breadwinner Jimmy Reed.
Throughout the '60s,'70s, and '80s, Cobbs recorded a slew of obscure singles, often for his own labels (Riceland, Ricebelt, C & F), and operated nightclubs in Arkansas and Mississippi before cutting a long-overdue album for Rooster Blues (backed by labelmates Johnny Rawls and L.C. Luckett). He's also managed to slip in a little cinematic action into his schedule, appearing in the films Mississippi Masala and Memphis. Willie Cobbs died on October 25, 2021 at the age of 89.
-- Bill Dahl of All Music Guide.
|
1994 Down To Earth | |||
01. Eatin' Dry Onions 02. Goin' To Mississippi 03. Butler Boy Blues 04. She's Not The Same (feeling good) 05. Amnesia 06. My Baby Walked Away 07. If You Don't Know What Love Is |
08. You Don't Love Me/Hey Little Girl 09. Good Lovin' 10. New Slow Down Baby 11. Carnation Milk 12. Stackhouse Rock (instrumental) 13. Wanna Make Love To You | ||
1998 Pay Or Do 2 Months & 29 Days | |||
01. 11 Months And 29 Days 02. Crack Cocaine 03. Baby, Please Don't Stop 04. Butler Boy Blues 05. Feel So Bad 06. Key To The Highway 07. Jukin' |
08. Candidate 09. Testing, 1, 2, 3 10. Amnesia 11. You Don't Love Me 12. Condition 13. Who Is He (and what is he to you)? | ||
2000 Jukin' | |||
01. Jukin' 02. Black Night 03. Feeling Good 04. Mean Old World 05. Poison Ivy |
06. Reconsider Baby 07. Five Long Years 08. You're So Fine 09. Please Send Me Someone To Love 10. I Don't Know | ||
2019 Butler Boy Blues | |||
01. My Baby Walked Away 02. Good Lovin' 03. Butler Boy Blues 04. I Wanna Make Love To You 05. Mississippi 06. If You Don't Know What Love Is 07. Slow Down Baby 08. Carnation Milk |
09. She Is Not The One 10. Eatin' Dry Onions 11. Amnesia 12. Testing 13. Candidate 14. Junkin' 15. Months And 29 Days | ||