William James "Willie" Dixon

(July 1, 1915 – January 29, 1992)

 

 

July 15, 2015 - Vicksburg, Mississippi

Our big centennial celebration and concert, held July 5, 2015 at the City Auditorium in Vicksburg, was a spectacular event honoring the legendary Willie Dixon.  More than 20 Blues stars gathered for this historic event. Special performances by Mississippi's International Blues Challenge Winners Eddie Cotton and Mr. Sipp The Mississippi Blues Child highlighted the show, with tributes by the Bernard Jenkins Band and top blues solo/duo acts, performing famous Willie Dixon compositions.

Thanks to all who were a part of this very special historic occasion.

As part of our ongoing mission, we continue to preserve, honor and celebrate the life and of works of Wille Dixon, "Poet Laureate of the Blues".

                                                                                       Shirley Waring

                                                                                       Vicksburg Blues Society

                                                                                       Vicksburg Heritage League

.........Looking Back at the Big Show........

 

 

The Vicksburg Blues Society

Willie Dixon Centennial Memorial and Concert

Celebration and Concert at the Vicksburg City Auditorium

featuring

Mississippi International Blues Challenge (IBC) Champions

 

EDDIE COTTON

 IBC Winner 2015

 

MR. SIPP

The Mississippi Blues Child

  IBC Winner 2014

 

with Special Guests

King Edward

Ben Wiley Payton and London Branch

 Castro Coleman and Bobby D. Benison

Bud "Dr. Who" Carson  and Mark Doyle

Artis Brown and James Bell - "Red Sugar Blues Duo"

Zechariah Lloyd

Kern Pratt and Denise Owen

 

 

Special Presentations and Awards by

The Artie "Blues Boy" White Youth Scholarship Foundation

and

The Willie Dixon Blues Heaven Foundation

 

Willie Dixon

"Poet Laureate of the Blues"

 

"Blues is the roots, the rest is the fruits" - Willie Dixon

William James "Willie" Dixon (July 1, 1915 – January 29, 1992) was an American blues musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and record producer. A Grammy Award winner who was an accomplished upright bassist,  guitarist and  vocalist, Dixon is perhaps best known as one of the most prolific songwriters of his time. Along with Muddy Waters, Dixon is recognized as one of the most influential persons in shaping the post-World War II sound of the Chicago blues. Dixon's songs have been recorded by countless musicians in many genres as well as by various ensembles in which he participated. A short list of his most famous compositions includes "Hoochie Coochie Man", "I Just Want to Make Love to You", "Little Red Rooster", "My Babe", "Spoonful", and "You Can't Judge a Book by the Cover". These tunes were written during the peak of Chess Records, 1950–1965, and performed by Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, and Bo Diddley; they influenced a worldwide generation of musicians. Dixon also was an important link between the blues and rock and roll, working with Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley in the late 1950s. His songs were covered by some of the biggest artists of more recent times, such as Bob Dylan, Cream, Jeff Beck, the Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and the Rolling Stones. In the 2008 musical biopic “Cadillac Records”, Willie Dixon, portrayed by Cedric the Entertainer, narrates the story of Chess Records.  The Mississippi Blues Trail honors Willie Dixon on a MBT marker in Vicksburg, MS, birthplace and hometown of Willie Dixon.

 

ABOUT  the International Blues Challenge

The world's largest Blues competition, the  2016 International Blues Challenge will be the 32nd year of Blues musicians from around the world competing for cash, prizes, and industry recognition. The Blues Foundation will present the 32nd International Blues Challenge January 26-30, 2016 in Memphis, TN. The world’s largest gathering of Blues acts represents an international search by The Blues Foundation and its Affiliated Organizations for the Blues Band and Solo/Duo Blues Act ready to take their act to the international stage.

In 2015, 257 acts entered, filling the clubs up and down Beale Street for the quarter-finals on Wednesday and Thursday, the semi-finals on Friday and the finals at the Orpheum Theater on Saturday. Even more fans and acts are expected in 2016.

 

Vicksburg Blues Society.....Advocates and Presenters....  Getting Ready for IBC 2016

Vicksburg Blues Society

Winners in the IBC 2015 - Eddie Cotton

Winners in the IBC 2014 - Mr. Sipp The Mississippi Blues Child

Finalists in the IBC 2013 - Mr. Sipp and Kin Folk

In 2015 the VBS Solo/Duo entry Zechariah Lloyd reached the Semi-Final Rounds

Placing Vicksburg in the International Spotlight

 

The VBS, affiliates of the Blues Foundation, enjoys a remarkable track record, and we're preparing to take our big winning streak and compete in the IBC 2016. The Vicksburg Challenge , our regional preliminary competition, will take place Sunday, August 30, 2015 , at the Ameristar Bottleneck Blues Bar .  Winners in this event will advance to represent the VBS in the IBC in Memphis. Find more details about the Vicksburg Blues Challenge on the Vicksburg Blues Challenge page.