Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
Right Where I Belong CD - Fourteen songs all from the pen of the Butanes'
guitarist/front man, Curtis Obeda, who also produced and arranged the set and the whole created lovingly to reflect what real soul is all about. - Dave Cole
Willie Walker is a true southern soul singer who returns with a set of new songs in a classic style which recalls the old days in Memphis and Muscle Shoals - Quinton Claunch
Believe me folks,this is the real thing.This ain't no Neo-Soul project with drum machines and computer bass-lines;this has horns that punch, a Hammond that hums,warbles and flutters,sweet as honey background singers,guitar lines that cross back and forth from
rhythm chops to fills that'll make Steve Cropper wonder if he wrote
'em. - Mike Elias
I've had the pleasure of listening over the past few days to what I consider to be the finest new release (new recording) I've heard in many a year. All new songs by a true cult artist supported by a hot band who could have just emerged from being locked away since the heydays of classic soul music in the 60's. - Dave Porter
Willie is truly a world class soul singer...
- Lolly Obeda
The most spectacular part of it all was his voice...
- Chris Riemenschneider
Walker has a classic, soul-tenderized voice that rises above any occasion...
- Chris Riemenschneider
Discography
Willie Walker & Butanes Right Where I Belong One On One CDONO761955
This is his latest CD recorded in Minneapolis during Winter of 2003/4 due for release in late May 2004
Willie Walker Self Titled Haute 1108
Willie's first CD collects material he recorded in the late 80's with keyboardist Bruce Pedalty, in the 90's with Canoise as well as in the new millenium with a throng of his friends -including the Butanes's
own Jim Greenwell and Curt Obeda. These 15 tracks are Willie's first released recordings since he cut for the Goldwax label in the 60's.
Willie also cut 9 songs that have been released in various formats around the world:
Goldwax 329 Ticket To Ride * There Goes My Used To Be
Checker 1198 You Name It, I've Had It * You're Runnin' Too Fast
Checker 1211 Lucky Loser * Warm To Cool To Cold
LP Southern Soul Stocks Volume 1 - Kip Anderson & Willie Walker Greenline GCH 8113
You Name It, I've Had It * You're Runnin' Too Fast * Warm To Cool To Cold *Lucky Loser * I'll Let Nothing Separate Us
CD Various Artists - Goldwax Collection 2
Vivid Sound VGCD-006
I Don't Wanna Take A Chance * I Ain't Gonna Cheat No More
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
During July 2002, I sat intrigued watching a discussion develop over on the Southern Soul Internet community about what might have happened to the Goldwax/Checker artist Willie Walker? One evening while I worked at my PC a mail arrived from a group member to say that he had discovered a web site dedicated to a band called the Butanes and we could find information about Willie and his work with the band.
Within a short space of time I was in touch with Curt Obeda, the leader of the Butanes and we quickly built up a rapport, which has brought about this new album. I helped fill in the details of Willies recordings for Curt and he filled in the gaps of what had happened to Willie since he last recorded for Checker in the late 60s. Curt arranged an interview for me with Willie, which later appeared in the in Issue 29 of the UK soul music magazine In The Basement in February 2003.
I remained in touch with Curt and Willie after the interview and helped them with the distribution of a CD Willie had recorded of cover songs. I was impressed that Willie still had his ultra soulful voice and hoped that one day he would return to the studio to record an album of original songs. I discussed this possibility with Curt and he eventually sent me a series of demo songs, which cried out for Willies vocals. We met up in Memphis in April 2003 while I was there to for the opening celebrations for the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. Curt was passing through the city en-route back to Minnesota following the funeral of his good friend Earl King, the New Orleans guitarist and singer, who he had known and worked for over 13 years. This meeting cemented our friendship and we decided to work together on a new album.
Originally, the idea was for Keeping Soul Alive to find a label to record the album. We shopped the demos around but without an acceptable offer we decided to set up our own label called One On One Records. Over the last year, Curt and I have worked together from the rough demos through Willies scratch vocals to the recordings in Minneapolis which began as the first snow fell in the winter of 2003 to produce an album which would compliment Willies soul drenched vocals.
The concept of this album was to prove that you could still record a classic southern soul styled album with real instruments, which had a live feel and that the musicians would provide a backdrop for the singer to perform. What you will find in this album is a synthesis of a singer whose contemporaries were James Carr, Spencer Wiggins and OV Wright, an American band of 30 to 60 somethings who can play in a real soul style and a UK based company who wanted to keep soul music alive.
Colin Dilnot Executive Producer One On One Records New Brighton April 2004
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