Willie Weeks

Willie Weeks (born August 5, 1947) is an American bass guitarist. He has gained fame performing with famous musicians in a wide variety of genres. He has been one of the most in-demand session musicians throughout his career. Weeks has also gained fame touring with many of rock's heavyweights throughout his career. In 2006–2007 he was most visible as the chosen bassist for Eric Clapton's house band, during his world tour with the Crossroads Guitar Festival.

This article is about the American bass guitarist. For the British songwriter, see William Ernest Weeks.

Willie Weeks
Weeks alongside Eric Clapton in the 2007 Crossroads Guitar Festival
Background information
Born (1947-08-05) August 5, 1947
Salemburg, North Carolina
United States
GenresRock, blues, jazz, blues rock, country
Occupation(s)Musician, actor
InstrumentsBass guitar
Years active1963-current
LabelsReprise, Tamla, Polydor Records, Epic Records, EMI Records, Warner Bros. Records, Atlantic, Capitol, Columbia, EMI, CBS, Elektra

Career

Weeks was born in Salemburg, North Carolina and began playing the electric bass in the early 1960s. His earliest influences were the country, pop and R&B music he heard on the radio. Weeks counts bassists Ron Carter, James Jamerson, and Ray Brown as early influences.

Weeks has worked in the studio and/or toured with artists as varied as:

Gregg Allman, David Bowie, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Roy Buchanan, Jimmy Buffett, Kevin Chalfant, Eric Clapton, Hank Crawford, Robert Cray, Pino Daniele, Bo Diddley, The Doobie Brothers, Lou Fellingham, Aretha Franklin, Vince Gill, Buddy Guy, Isaac Hayes, George Harrison, Donny Hathaway, Etta James, Billy Joel, Rickie Lee Jones, Wynonna Judd, Chaka Khan, B.B. King, Lyle Lovett, Gail Davies, David Lee Roth, Michael McDonald, Don McLean, John Mayer, John Mellencamp, Bette Midler, Randy Newman, Pino Palladino, Leon Russell, Boz Scaggs, John Scofield, Carly Simon, Soulive, Rod Stewart, The Rolling Stones, James Taylor, Richard and Linda Thompson, Joe Walsh, Steve Winwood, Bobby Womack, Stevie Wonder, Ronnie Wood and Eikichi Yazawa.

Weeks' playing on Donny Hathaway's Live (1972), including a 3½ minute bass solo on "Voices Inside (Everything Is Everything)",[1] is regarded by many bass players as some of Weeks' best work. Weeks played a 1962 Fender P-Bass through an Ampeg SVT amplifier on the recording (though it had initially been reported that he played through an Ampeg B-15). Weeks also played bass at the Crossroads Guitar Festival on July 28, 2007 at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois.[2]

Willie Weeks played with Ask Rufus, the precursor band to Rufus with Chaka Khan. He appeared on their recording of Al Kooper's song,"Brand New Day." Weeks also played with the Fabulous Amazers and Bill Lordan (pre Robin Trower drummer) in the Minnesota group, Gypsy. He also played bass guitar for Michael's Mystics back in the 60's in Minnesota. Bill Lordan was the drummer of that band as well. That band recorded "Pain" by the Grassroots, a big hit locally for the Mystics.

Equipment

In addition to his red 1962 Fender Precision bass Weeks also uses a maple-neck 1958 Precision, and a 1964 Fender Jazz Bass, as well as a tobacco sunburst Kay four-string acoustic bass for Clapton's "unplugged repertoire". Weeks used a sunburst 1963 P-Bass during Clapton's 2008 European Summer tour. In 2014 he began using his "WW" Willie Weeks signature bass by Bee Basses.

On the 2009 Australasian and British tours, Weeks played Fender, Kay and Alleva Coppolo basses.

Weeks appeared in the films Blues Brothers 2000 (in a fictional supergroup along with other musicians he's worked with) and Lightning in a Bottle.

Discography

With Cravity

  • 2020 HOT BALLON AIRS

With Rod Stewart

With David Bowie

With Bette Midler

With John Mayer

With LeAnn Rimes

With Gypsy

With Dan Fogelberg

With Etta James

With Joan Baez

With Cher and Gregg Allman

With Rodney Crowell

With John Michael Montgomery

With Dan Hill

  • 1996 I'm Doing Fine

With Tanya Tucker

With Jimmy Buffett

With Boz Scaggs

With Tracy Lawrence

With Richie Havens

  • 1976 The End of the Beginning

With Kenny Rogers

With George Harrison

With Al Jarreau

With Mark Ronson

With Rosanne Cash

With Chaka Khan

With Ronnie Wood

With Cyndi Lauper

With Gloria Gaynor

With Stevie Wonder

With Peter Cetera

With Steve Winwood

With James Taylor

With Stephen Bishop

With Gloria Jones

With Vince Gill

With Michael McDonald

With Leon Russell

With Wynonna Judd

With Donny Hathaway

With Eric Clapton

With Maria Muldaur

With Amy Grant

With John Mellencamp

With J. J. Cale and Eric Clapton

With Herbie Mann

With Randy Newman

With Joe Walsh

With Aretha Franklin

With Rickie Lee Jones

With Carly Simon

References
  1. "Donny Hathaway Live". Chris.quietlife.net. Archived from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
  2. "Pictures and Photo Galleries". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
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