Editing Little Willie John (section)

==Biography==
John was born in [[Cullendale, Arkansas|Cullendale]], [[Arkansas]], on November 15, 1937. He was one of ten children born to Lillie (née Robinson) and Mertis John.<ref name="bare">{{cite book| first1= Bob| last1= Eagle| first2= Eric S.| last2= LeBlanc| year= 2013| title= Blues: A Regional Experience| publisher= Praeger| location= Santa Barbara, California| page=300 | isbn= 978-0313344237}}</ref> Many sources erroneously give his middle name as Edgar.<ref name="Dead">{{Cite web|url=http://www.thedeadrockstarsclub.com/1960.html|title=The Dead Rock Stars Club - The 1960s|website=Thedeadrockstarsclub.com|access-date=October 9, 2019}}</ref> His family moved to [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]], when he was four, so that his father could find factory work. In the late 1940s, the eldest children, including Willie, formed a gospel singing group. Willie also performed in talent shows, which brought him to the notice of [[Johnny Otis]] and, later, the musician and producer [[Henry Glover]]. After seeing him sing with the [[Paul "Hucklebuck" Williams]] orchestra, Glover signed him to a [[recording contract]] with [[King Records (USA)|King Records]] in 1955. He was nicknamed "Little Willie" for his short stature.<ref name="arkansas">{{cite web|url=http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=322|title=Little Willie John|website=Encyclopediaofarkansas.net|access-date=October 9, 2019}}</ref>

John's first recording, a version of [[Titus Turner]]'s "[[All Around the World (Little Willie John song)|All Around the World]]", was a hit, reaching number 5 on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[R&B chart]]. He followed up with a string of R&B hits, including the original version of "[[Need Your Love So Bad]]", co-written with his elder brother Mertis John Jr. One of his biggest hits, "[[Fever (Little Willie John song)|Fever]]" (1956) (Pop number 24, R&B number 1), sold over one million copies and was awarded a [[music recording sales certification|gold disc]].<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs">{{cite book
| first= Joseph
| last= Murrells
| year= 1978
| title= The Book of Golden Discs
| edition= 2nd
| publisher= Barrie and Jenkins
| location= London
| page= [https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/83 83]
| isbn= 0-214-20512-6
| url= https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/83
}}</ref> A famous cover version was recorded by [[Peggy Lee]] in 1958. Another song, "[[Talk to Me (Joe Seneca song)|Talk to Me, Talk to Me]]", recorded in 1958, reached number 5 on the [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|R&B chart]] and number 20 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|Pop]] [[record chart|chart]]. It also sold over one million copies.<ref name="AMG"/><ref name="The Book of Golden Discs 2">{{cite book
| first= Joseph
| last= Murrells
| year= 1978
| title= The Book of Golden Discs
| edition= 2nd
| publisher= Barrie and Jenkins
| location= London
| page= [https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/103 103]
| isbn= 0-214-20512-6
| url= https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/103
}}</ref> A few years later it was a hit once again in a cover version by [[Sunny & the Sunglows]]. On December 23, 1959,<ref>Rhino 1993 "King Master Series," "Fever: The Best of Little Willie John"</ref> John also recorded "I'm Shakin'", by [[Rudy Toombs]],<ref name="imdb">{{cite web
|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0867514/bio
|title=Rudy Toombs Biography
|publisher=IMDb
|access-date=November 1, 2006
}}</ref> "Suffering with the Blues", "My Love Is," and "[[Sleep (1920s song)|Sleep]]" (1960, Pop number 13).<ref name="AMG">{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p24464/charts-awards|pure_url=yes}}|title= Little Willie John – Charts & Awards – Billboard Singles|publisher=AllMusic}}</ref> In all, John made the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' [[Billboard Hot 100|Hot 100]] a total of fourteen times. A cover version of "Need Your Love So Bad" by [[Fleetwood Mac]] was also a hit in Europe. Another of his songs to be covered was "[[Leave My Kitten Alone]]" (1959), recorded by [[The Beatles]] in 1964 and intended for their ''[[Beatles for Sale]]'' album. However, the track was not released until 1995.

John performed for the famed [[Cavalcade of Jazz]] concert produced by [[Leon Hefflin, Sr.|Leon Hefflin Sr.]] held at the [[Shrine Auditorium]] in Los Angeles on August 3, 1958. The other headliners were [[Ernie Freeman]] and his Band, [[Ray Charles]], [[Sam Cooke]], The Clark Kids and [[Bo Rhambo]]. [[Sammy Davis Jr.]] was there to crown the winner of the Miss Cavalcade of Jazz beauty contest. The event featured the top four prominent disc jockeys of Los Angeles.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/dreamboogietrium00gura|title=Dream boogie : the triumph of Sam Cooke|last=Guralnick, Peter.|date=2005|publisher=Little, Brown|isbn=0316377945|edition=1st|location=New York|oclc=57393650}}</ref>

John was involved in the [[Civil rights movement|civil rights]] fight against segregation. He performed a benefit concert for the [[NAACP]] in 1964, telling [[Jet (magazine)|''Jet'']] magazine: "As entertainers, we can no longer sit and wait for the Sammy Davis' and [[Harry Belafonte]]'s to raise all of the money."<ref>{{Cite journal|date=July 13, 1961|title=Little Willie John Singing For Integration|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nLMDAAAAMBAJ&q=Little+Willie+John+arested+jet&pg=PA61|journal=Jet|volume= 20| issue =  12|pages=61}}</ref>

John was also known for his short temper and propensity to abuse alcohol. He was arrested multiple times for charges that include narcotics, swindling, and [[Larceny|grand larceny]].<ref>{{Cite journal|date=December 4, 1958|title=Singer Little Willie John Nabbed For Swindle|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f0EDAAAAMBAJ&q=Little+Willie+John+arested+jet&pg=PA57|journal=Jet|volume= 15| issue =  5|pages=57}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|date=January 22, 1959|title=Little Willie John Charged In D. C. Grand Larceny|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2kEDAAAAMBAJ&q=Little+Willie+John+arested+jet&pg=PA50|journal=Jet|volume= 15| issue =  12|pages=50}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|date=June 22, 1961|title=Nab Little Willie John On Narcotics Charge|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LrQDAAAAMBAJ&q=Little+Willie+John+arested+jet&pg=PA62|journal=Jet|volume= 20| issue =  9|pages=62}}</ref> John was dropped by his record company, [[King Records (United States)|King Records]], in 1963.<ref name="arkansas" /> In 1965, he was convicted of [[manslaughter]] for the 1964 stabbing of Kendall Roundtree in [[Seattle]].<ref>{{Cite journal|date=November 5, 1964|title=Little Willie John Stabs 240-Lb, Man To Death|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=08ADAAAAMBAJ&q=Little+Willie+John+jet&pg=PA58|journal=Jet|pages=58}}</ref> He was sent to [[Washington State Penitentiary]] in [[Walla Walla, Washington|Walla Walla]].<ref name=":0" /> John appealed the conviction and was released on probation while the case was reconsidered, during which time he recorded what was intended to be his comeback album.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Whitall|first=Susan|url=https://archive.org/details/feverlittlewilli00whit|url-access=registration|quote=appeal.|title=Fever: Little Willie John: A Fast Life, Mysterious Death, and the Birth of Soul|publisher=Titan Books (US, CA)|year=2011|isbn=978-0-85768-796-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/feverlittlewilli00whit/page/162 162]-170|language=en}}</ref> Due to contractual disputes and the decline of his appeal, it was not released until 2008 (as ''Nineteen Sixty Six'').<ref>Clarke, John (2008) "[https://web.archive.org/web/20110616120522/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/cd_reviews/article5174203.ece Little Willie John – ''Nineteen Sixty Six'']". ''[[The Times]]'', November 22, 2008.</ref>

John died at Washington State Penitentiary on May 26, 1968. Despite counterclaims,<ref>"Little Willie John Dies in Prison". ''Rolling Stone'', no. 13, July 6, 1968.</ref> the cause of death stated on his death certificate was a heart attack.<ref name="Dead" /> His interment was in Detroit Memorial Park East, in [[Warren, Michigan]].

John was survived by his wife Darlynn (née Bonner), whom he married on May 25, 1957; two children, William Kevin John (b. February 3, 1958) and Darryl Keith John (b. January 25, 1960); his mother; five brothers; three sisters.<ref name=":0" /> One of his sisters was [[Mable John]], who recorded for [[Motown Records|Motown]] and [[Stax Records|Stax]] and was member of [[The Raelettes]], the vocal quartette backing [[Ray Charles]]. His son Keith John is a [[backing vocalist]] for [[Stevie Wonder]].<ref name="imdb" />