Click here for full image (73k) On October 24, 1997, at about 3:00AM, Willie James passed on from an athsma attack. According to Irma, his wife and bass player, his last words were "I feel like I'm dying." Willie James was an important and well liked Chicago Blues musician who had strong roots on Maxwell Street. He was proud of those roots and called his band the Maxwell Street Blues Band. We will miss him.
I remember him telling me in 1994 about Maxwell Street, "This is the last place that ties the old world to the new." He had respect for the Blues tradition.
Those wishing to offer condolences can call Irma Menzie on her beeper number: 773-385-0778. Irma, from Paynes, Mississippi and a music student at Chicago State University, will be keeping the Maxwell Street Blues Band together. Irma said that Willie left her with strength and courage to carry on, "He was strong and he told me to be strong too. He said you can do it."
Webpage provided by Preserve Maxwell Street. Send comments and remembrances to <mar@interaccess.com>.
Click here for full image (73k)
This picture taken by Deb Ellis (dear friend and mother of one of his children) in August 97 when Willie and crew were playing on 72nd and Halsted in front of a Hardware Store for a "Back To School" event. He is with two of his sons, Kiah on the left and Elijah on the right.
"I still go down to Maxwell Street, now the new Market, nearly every Sunday so I can play in the street. I do this because lot of people don't go to bars; a lot of children can't go into bars or handicapped people or older people. I want to make people happy. The feedback they give me is my reward. It's a community thing. That's part of my mission in life." - quote from Willie James's letter to UIC Chancellor Broski asking him to save old Maxwell Street.
Willie James playing in the New Maxwell Street Market (26k)
Willie James on old Maxwell Street with friends Josh and Jim.
Jaime Guzman's, Willie's harmonica player, letter to UIC Chancellor Broski.
A remembrance from Carolyn Jude Alexander
More remembrances to be added latter…
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