Editing Little Willie John

{{Short description|American R&B singer (1937–1968)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name                = Little Willie John
| image               = Little Willie John.jpg
| caption             = John circa 1955
| background          = solo_singer
| birth_name          = William Edward John
| birth_date          = {{Birth date|1937|11|15}}
| birth_place         = [[Cullendale, Arkansas]], U.S.
| death_date          = {{Death date and age|1968|5|26|1937|11|15}}
| death_place         = [[Walla Walla, Washington]], U.S.
| origin              = [[Detroit]], [[Michigan]], U.S.
| genre               = {{Hlist|[[Rhythm and blues|R&B]]|[[soul music|Soul]]}}
| occupation          = Singer, songwriter
| years_active        = 1955–1968
| label               = [[King Records (United States)|King Records]]
}}

'''William Edward''' "'''Little Willie'''" '''John''' (November 15, 1937 – May 26, 1968)<ref name="Larkin">{{cite book|title=[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music|The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]|editor=Colin Larkin|editor-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|publisher=[[Virgin Books]]|date=1997|edition=Concise|isbn=1-85227-745-9|page=677}}</ref><ref>[http://repertoire.bmi.com/writer.asp?page=1&blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&fromrow=1&torow=25&affiliation=BMI&cae=505346083&keyID=1040796&keyname=JOHN%20WILLIAM%20EDWARD&querytype=WriterID]{{dead link|date=December 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}.</ref> was an American [[Rhythm and blues|R&B]] singer who performed in the 1950s and early 1960s. He is best known for his successes on the record charts, with songs such as "[[All Around the World (Little Willie John song)|All Around the World]]" (1955), "[[Need Your Love So Bad]]" (1956), "[[Talk to Me (Joe Seneca song)|Talk to Me, Talk to Me]]" (1958), "[[Leave My Kitten Alone]]" (1960), "[[Sleep (1920s song)|Sleep]]" (1960), and his [[List of Billboard number-one R&B singles of the 1950s#1956|number-one R&B hit]] "[[Fever (Little Willie John song)|Fever]]" (1956).<ref name=fox>{{cite book |last= Fox |first= Ted |title= Showtime at the Apollo |publisher= Da Capo |year= 1983 |isbn= 9780030605338 |pages= [https://archive.org/details/showtimeatapollo00foxt/page/198 198&ndash;200] |url= https://archive.org/details/showtimeatapollo00foxt/page/198 }}</ref> An important figure in R&B music of the 1950s, he faded into obscurity in the 1960s and died while serving a prison sentence for [[manslaughter]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|date=June 13, 1968|title=Dead At 30, Little Willie John Buried In Native Detroit|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WDgDAAAAMBAJ&q=Little+Willie+John+jet&pg=PA60|journal=Jet|pages=60}}</ref> 

John was posthumously inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in 1996. In 2022, John was inducted into the [[Blues Hall of Fame]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://blues.org/hall/|title=BLUES HALL OF FAME - About/Inductions|website=Blues.org|access-date=March 20, 2022}}</ref>

==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" />

== Legacy and honors ==
John was posthumously inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in 1996, presented by Stevie Wonder.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/little-willie-john|title=Little Willie John|website=Rock & Roll Hall of Fame|access-date=October 9, 2019}}</ref>

[[James Brown]], who early in his career had opened shows for John, recorded a [[tribute album]], ''[[Thinking About Little Willie John and a Few Nice Things]]''.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Wolk|first=Douglas|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eCzUAwAAQBAJ&q=little+willie+john+james+brown+tour&pg=PA65|title=James Brown's Live at the Apollo|publisher=A&C Black|year=2004|isbn=978-0-8264-1572-1|pages=65|language=en}}</ref>

The guitarist and songwriter [[Robbie Robertson]], formerly of [[The Band]], mentioned John in the song "[[Somewhere Down the Crazy River]]", on his 1987 [[Robbie Robertson (album)|self-titled album]]. John was also mentioned in [[Tom Russell]]'s "Blue Wing" and [[Mark Lanegan]]'s "Like Little Willie John", from his 2004 album ''[[Bubblegum (Mark Lanegan album)|Bubblegum]]''. The Swedish singer songwriter [[Peter LeMarc]] recorded a song entitled "Little Willie John" in 1991.

A biography, ''Fever: Little Willie John, a Fast Life, Mysterious Death and the Birth of Soul'', by Susan Whitall with Kevin John (another of his sons), was published by [[Titan Books]] in 2011.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thelosangelesbeat.com/2012/08/fever-an-interview-with-kevin-john-son-of-little-willie-john/|title=Fever: an Interview with Kevin John (son of Little Willie John)|last=Pena|first=Shirley|date=August 8, 2012|website=The LA Beat|language=en-US}}</ref>

Little Willie John was posthumously inducted into the [[Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame]] in 2014 as a singer and in 2016 as a songwriter.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rbhalloffame.com/index.php/hall-of-fame/inductees|title=Inductees|website=National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191020080929/https://www.rbhalloffame.com/index.php/hall-of-fame/inductees|archive-date=October 20, 2019}}</ref>

In June 2016, Little Willie John was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.michiganrockandrolllegends.com/mrrl-hall-of-fame/263-little-willie-john|title=Michigan Rock and Roll Legends – LITTLE WILLIE JOHN|website=Michiganrockandrolllegends.com|access-date=October 9, 2019}}</ref>

In 2022, John was inducted into the [[Blues Hall of Fame]].<ref name="auto"/> His induction citation noted "... John was a sharply attired and exciting showstopper, recalled by fellow singers as mischievous, fun-loving, and generous".<ref name="auto"/>

==Singles discography==
{|class=wikitable
|-
! Year
! Titles (A-side, B-side)<br /><small>Both sides are from same album except where indicated</small>
! Label & <br />Cat. No.
! [[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|U.S. R&B]]<ref>{{cite book |title=Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004 |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |author-link=Joel Whitburn |year=1996 |publisher=Record Research |location=Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin |isbn=0-89820-115-2 |page=[https://archive.org/details/joelwhitburnstopr00whit/page/n251 228] |url=https://archive.org/details/joelwhitburnstopr00whit |url-access=registration }}</ref>
! [[Billboard Hot 100|U.S. Pop]]<ref>{{cite book|first=Joel|last=Whitburn|year=2003|title=Top Pop Singles 1955–2002|publisher=Record Research|location=Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin|isbn=0-89820-155-1|page=[https://archive.org/details/joelwhitburnstop00whitbur/page/362 362]|url=https://archive.org/details/joelwhitburnstop00whitbur/page/362}}</ref>
! Album
|-
| 1955
| "[[All Around the World (Little Willie John song)|All Around the World]]"<br /><small>b/w "Don't Leave Me Dear" (from ''Mister Little Willie John'')</small>
| King 4818
| {{center|5}}
| {{center|-}}
| align="left" rowspan="2"|''[[Fever (Little Willie John album)|Fever]]''
|-
| rowspan="8" |1956
| "[[Need Your Love So Bad]]" 
| rowspan="2"|King 4841
| {{center|5}}
| {{center|-}}
|-
| "Home At Last"
| {{center| 6}}
| {{center|-}}
| align="left" rowspan="2"|''Mister Little Willie John''
|-
| "Are You Ever Coming Back"<br /><small>b/w "I'm Stickin' with You Baby" (from ''Fever'')</small>
| King 4893
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
|-
| "[[Fever (Little Willie John song)|Fever]]"
| rowspan="2"|King 4935
| {{center|1}}
| {{center|24}}
| align="left" rowspan="3"|''[[Fever (Little Willie John album)|Fever]]''
|-
| "Letter from My Darling"
| {{center|10}}
| {{center|-}}
|-
| "Do Something for Me"<br /><small>b/w "My Nerves"</small>
| King 4960
| {{center|15}}
| {{center|-}}
|-
|"I've Been Around" 
b/w "Suffrin' With The Blues"
|King 
4989
| -
|
|
|-
| "Will the Sun Shine Tomorrow"<br /><small>b/w "A Little Bit of Loving"</small>
| King 5003
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
| align="left"|''Mister Little Willie John''
|-
|rowspan="5"|1957
| "Love, Life and Money"<br /><small>b/w "You Got to Get Up Early in the Morning" (from ''Mister Little Willie John'')</small>
| King 5023
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
| align="left" rowspan="4"|''[[Fever (Little Willie John album)|Fever]]''
|-
| "I've Got to Go Cry"<br /><small>b/w "Look What You've Done to Me" (from ''Mister Little Willie John'')</small>
| King 5045
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
|-
| "Young Girl"<br /><small>b/w "If I Thought You Needed Me" (from ''Talk to Me'')</small>
| King 5066
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
|-
| "Dinner Date"<br /><small>b/w "Uh Uh Baby (No No Baby)" (from ''Talk to Me'')</small>
| King 5083
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
|-
| "Person to Person"<br /><small>b/w "Until You Do"</small>
| King 5091
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
| align="left" rowspan="2"|''[[Talk to Me (Little Willie John album)|Talk to Me]]''
|-
| rowspan="5"|1958
| "[[Talk to Me (Joe Seneca song)|Talk to Me, Talk to Me]]"<br /><small>b/w "Spasms" (from ''Mister Little Willie John'')</small>
| King 5108
| {{center|5}}
| {{center|20}}
|-
| "You're a Sweetheart"<br /><small>b/w "Let's Rock While the Rockin's Good"</small>
| King 5142
| {{center|14}}
| {{center|66}}
| align="left"|''Mister Little Willie John''
|-
| "Tell It Like It Is"<br /><small>b/w "Don't Be Ashamed to Call My Name"</small>
| King 5147
| {{center|12}}
| {{center|-}}
| align="left"|''[[Talk to Me (Little Willie John album)|Talk to Me]]''
|-
| "Why Don't You Haul Off and Love Me"<br /><small>b/w "All My Love Belongs to You"</small>
| King 5154
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
| align="left"|''Mister Little Willie John''
|-
| "No Regrets"<br /><small>b/w "I'll Carry Your Love Wherever I Go" (from ''Talk to Me'')</small>
| King 5170
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
| align="left" rowspan="4"|''[[In Action (Little Willie John album)|In Action]]''
|-
| rowspan="3"|1959
| "Made for Me"<br /><small>b/w "No More in Life" (from ''Talk to Me'')</small>
| King 5179
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
|-
| "[[Leave My Kitten Alone]]"<br /><small>b/w "Let Nobody Love You"</small>
| King 5219
| {{center|13}}
| {{center|60}}
|-
| ""[[Let Them Talk (Little Willie John song)|Let Them Talk]]"<br /><small>b/w "Right There"</small>
| King 5274
| {{center|11}}
| {{center|100}}
|-
| rowspan="4"|1960
| "Loving Care"<br /><small>b/w "My Love Is"</small>
| King 5318
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
| align="left" rowspan="5"|''Sure Things''
|-
| "[[A Cottage for Sale]]"<br /><small>b/w "I'm Shakin'"</small>
| King 5342
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|63}}
|-
| "Heartbreak (It's Hurtin' Me)"<br /><small>b/w "Do You Love Me" (from ''In Action'')</small>
| King 5356
| {{center|11}}
| {{center|38}}
|-
| "[[Sleep (1920s song)|Sleep]]"<br /><small>b/w "There's a Difference"</small>
| King 5394
| {{center|10}}
| {{center|13}}
|-
| rowspan="9"|1961
| "Walk Slow"<br /><small>b/w "You Hurt Me"</small>
| King 5428
| {{center|21}}
| {{center|48}}
|-
| "Leave My Kitten Alone"<br /><small>b/w "I'll Never Go Back on My Word"<br />A-side chart reentry</small>
| King 5452
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|60}}
| align="left"|''In Action''
|-
| "The Very Thought of You"<br /><small>b/w "I'm Sorry"</small>
| King 5458
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|61}}
| align="left"|''Sure Things''
|-
| "Flamingo" / 
| rowspan="2"|King 5503
| {{center|17}}
| {{center|-}}
| align="left" rowspan="4"|''The Sweet, the Hot, the Teen-Age Beat''
|-
| "(I've Got) Spring Fever"
| {{center|25}}
| {{center|71}}
|-
| "Take My Love (I Want to Give It All to You)" / 
| rowspan="2"|King 5516
| {{center|5}}
| {{center|87}}
|-
| "Now You Know"
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|93}}
|-
| "Need Your Love So Bad"<br /><small>b/w "Drive Me Home" (from ''Talk to Me'')</small>
| King 5539
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
| align="left"|''[[Fever (Little Willie John album)|Fever]]''
|-
| "There Is Someone in This World for Me"<br /><small>b/w "Autumn Leaves" (from ''The Sweet, the Hot, the Teen-Age Beat'')</small>
| King 5577
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
| align="left"|''[[Talk to Me (Little Willie John album)|Talk to Me]]''
|-
| rowspan="7"|1962
| "Fever" (with added strings)<br /><small>b/w "Bo-Da-Ley Didd-Ley" (non-album track)</small>
| King 5591
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
| align="left"|''Fever''
|-
| "The Masquerade Is Over"<br /><small>b/w "Katanga" (non-album track)</small>
| King 5602
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
| align="left" rowspan="2"|''Little Willie John at a Recording Session''
|-
| "Until Again My Love"<br /><small>b/w "Mister Glenn"</small>
| King 5628
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
|-
| "Every Beat of My Heart"<br /><small>b/w "I Wish I Could Cry" (from ''Little Willie John at a Recording Session'')</small>
| King 5641
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
| align="left"|''The Sweet, the Hot, the Teen-Age Beat''
|-
| "She Thinks I Still Care"<br /><small>b/w "Come Back to Me"</small>
| King 5667
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
| align="left"|Non-album tracks
|-
| "Big Blue Diamonds"<br /><small>b/w "Doll Face"</small>
| King 5681
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
| align="left" rowspan="4"|''Little Willie John at a Recording Session''
|-
| "Without a Friend"<br /><small>b/w "Half a Love"</small>
| King 5694
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
|-
| rowspan="5"|1963
| "Heaven All Around Me"<br /><small>b/w "Don't Play with Love"</small>
| King 5717
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
|-
| "My Baby's in Love with Another Guy"<br /><small>b/w "Come On Sugar" (non-album track)</small>
| King 5744
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
|-
| "Let Them Talk"<br /><small>b/w "Talk to Me" (from ''Talk to Me'')</small>
| King 5799
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
| align="left"|''[[In Action (Little Willie John album)|In Action]]''
|-
| "So Lovely"<br /><small>b/w "Inside Information" (non-album track)</small>
| King 5818
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
| align="left"|''The Sweet, the Hot, the Teen-Age Beat''
|-
| "Person to Person"<br /><small>b/w "I'm Shakin'" (from ''Sure Things'')</small>
| King 5823
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
| align="left"|''Talk to Me''
|-
| rowspan="4"|1964
| "My Love Will Never Change"<br /><small>b/w "Bill Bailey" (from ''Little Willie John at a Recording Session'')</small>
| King 5850
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
| align="left"|Non-album track
|-
| "It Only Hurts a Little While"<br /><small>b/w "Rock Love" (from ''The Sweet, the Hot, the Teen-Age Beat'')</small>
| King 5870
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
| align="left"|''In Action''
|-
| "All Around the World"<br /><small>b/w "All My Love Belongs to You" (from ''Mister Little Willie John'')</small>
| King 5886
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
| align="left" rowspan="2"|''Fever''
|-
| "Do Something for Me"<br /><small>b/w "Don't You Know I'm in Love" (non-album track)</small>
| King 5949
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
|-
| 1965
|"[[Talk to Me (Joe Seneca song)|Talk to Me, Talk to Me]]"<br /><small>b/w "Take My Love (I Want to Give It All to You)" (from ''The Sweet, the Hot, the Teen-Age Beat'')</small>
| King 6003
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
| align="left"|''[[Talk to Me (Little Willie John album)|Talk to Me]]''
|-
| 1968
| "Fever"<br /><small>b/w "Let Them Talk" (from ''In Action'')</small>
| King 6170
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
| align="left" rowspan="2"|''[[Fever (Little Willie John album)|Fever]]''
|-
| 1970
| "All Around the World"<br /><small>b/w "Need Your Love So Bad"</small>
| King 6302
| {{center|-}}
| {{center|-}}
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.allmusic.com/artist/little-willie-john-mn0000269972/biography Little Willie John] on [[AllMusic]]
* {{Discogs artist}}
* {{Find a Grave|13353478}}

{{Hank Ballard & the Midnighters}}
{{1996 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:John, Little Willie}}
[[Category:1937 births]]
[[Category:1968 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American male singers]]
[[Category:People from Ouachita County, Arkansas]]
[[Category:American soul singers]]
[[Category:American rock singers]]
[[Category:The Midnighters members]]
[[Category:King Records artists]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:Singers from Detroit]]
[[Category:20th-century American male singers]]
[[Category:Singers from Arkansas]]