AMG Review of I Remember Chuck Willis

Michael G. Nastos
All Music Guide

Chuck Willis was one of the great early R&B singers and bandleaders that helped form the roots of rock & roll. It is pity that he passed on in 1955, and could not witness the fruits of his labor. A prolific songwriter, Willis wrote 12 of the 14 tracks on this solid collection, though his claim to have written "C.C. Rider" is specious at best. As a vocalist whose singing parallels Fats Domino's, his wailing, shouting, belting, and crooning have always set a high standard for the soul brothers that followed. Among some of his all-time great tunes included are "What Am I Here For?," "Just One Kiss," "Keep-A-Drivin'," "Sugar Sugar," and "My Baby," but really, everything here is definitive. Contemporary vocalists owe a big debt to Willis, and at the very least, someone should revisit this awesome music.