John, Little Willie

byname of William Edgar John

(born Nov. 15, 1937, Cullendale [now Camden], Ark., U.S.—died May 26, 1968, Walla Walla, Wash.) rhythm-and-blues singer of the 1950s whose vocal style anticipated soul music.

John grew up in Detroit, Michigan, sang gospel music, and at age 16 began recording rhythm and blues for King Records. He introduced “Fever” (1956), which became a standard; “Talk to Me, Talk to Me” (1958) and “Sleep” (1960) were his other major hits. Just over five feet tall, with a resonant tenor voice and smooth delivery, he was best at blues ballads and a favourite performer on the rhythm-and-blues theatre circuit. He stabbed a man to death in a drunken brawl, was convicted of manslaughter in 1966, and died in Washington State Penitentiary. He was the brother of soul singer Mable John. Little Willie John was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.