Little Willy Foster facts for kids

Willy Foster (born April 20, 1922 – died November 25, 1987) was an American Chicago blues musician. He was known as Little Willy Foster or Little Willie Foster. He was a talented harmonica player, singer, and songwriter.

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Willy Foster was born in Dublin, Mississippi. He grew up on a farm near Clarksdale. When he was five, his mother passed away. His father, who was also a musician, raised him.

Willy started working on the farm at a young age. He did not have much chance to go to school. His father taught him how to play the piano. Later, Willy taught himself to play both the guitar and the harmonica.

Moving to Chicago and Blues Career

By 1942, Willy Foster was working in Clarksdale. Around 1943, he moved to Chicago. There, he became part of the city's lively blues music scene. He played with other musicians like Floyd Jones, Lazy Bill Lucas, and his cousin Leroy Foster.

Willy became friends with Big Walter Horton, another famous harmonica player. Big Walter taught him a lot about playing the harmonica in the Chicago blues style. From the mid-1940s, Willy often performed on Maxwell Street and in Chicago clubs for more than ten years. He also played in a band with Homesick James, Moody Jones, and Floyd Jones.

Recording His Music

In January 1955, Willy Foster recorded two of his own songs for Parrot Records. These songs were "Falling Rain Blues" and "Four Day Jump." Lazy Bill Lucas, Floyd Jones, and Eddie Taylor played with him on these recordings.

In March 1957, Willy recorded two more songs in Chicago: "Crying the Blues" and "Little Girl." Music experts said that "Crying the Blues" showed off his emotional singing and his unique harmonica playing.

Later Life and Legacy

Later in his life, Willy Foster faced some difficult challenges. He was involved in an accident that affected his health. This made it hard for him to speak and play music as much as before. He slowly recovered, but he rarely performed in public after that.

Willy Foster passed away on November 25, 1987, at the age of 65. His four recorded songs are still available today on many music collections. These collections were released both before and after his death.

Understanding His Name

You might see Willy Foster's first name spelled in two ways: "Willy" or "Willie." This is because his two record singles used different spellings.

It's also important not to confuse him with another blues harmonica player named Willie James Foster (1921 or 1922 – 2001). They were different musicians.

Singles Discography

See also

• List of Chicago blues musicians