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'''William Daniel McFalls''', better known as '''Blues Boy Willie''' (born November 28, 1946), is an [[African-American]] electric blues [[singer]] and harmonica player from his native Memphis in Hall County in west [[Texas]].  McFalls is attempting to revive the popularity which the blues enjoyed in his native Memphis during the  1930s, 1940s, and 1950s.<ref>[http://www.texascountryreporter.com/show.htm Texascountyreporter.com / Episode from week of January 26, 2008]</ref>​

'''William Daniel McFalls''', better known as '''Blues Boy Willie''' (born November 28, 1946), is an [[African-American]] electric blues [[singer]] and harmonica player from his native Memphis in Hall County in west [[Texas]].  McFalls is attempting to revive the popularity which the blues enjoyed in his native Memphis during the  1930s, 1940s, and 1950s.<ref>[http://www.texascountryreporter.com/show.htm Texascountyreporter.com / Episode from week of January 26, 2008]</ref>​

 

Though from a rural area, McFalls is known for his unique [[urban]] sound and his keen sense of humor as he attempts to make blues, sometimes defined as the "[[secular]] folk music of American blacks"<ref>[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9015780/ Blues - Britannica Online Encyclopedia<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> pertinent to modern society. Reared in a musical family, his father was in Ma Rainey's touring minstrel show. Among McFalls' recordings are "Leroy" and "Where Is Leroy?".<ref>[http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/product.asp?r=1&EAN=807240101227 Steve Leggett, Allmusic]</ref>​

Though from a rural area, McFalls is known for his unique [[urban]] sound and his keen sense of humor as he attempts to make blues, sometimes defined as the "[[secular]] folk music of American blacks"<ref>[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9015780/ Blues - Britannica Online Encyclopedia<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> pertinent to modern society. Reared in a musical family, his father was in Ma Rainey's touring minstrel show. Among McFalls' recordings are "Leroy" and "Where Is Leroy?".<ref>[http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/product.asp?r=1&EAN=807240101227 Steve Leggett, Allmusic]</ref>​

 

==Life and career==​

==Life and career==​

McFalls graduated from Memphis High School and then studied music at nearby two-year Clarendon College, then Clarendon  Junior College in Clarendon in Donley County, where he learned to play the upright bass and toured the college circuit as a [[guitar]]ist. Later he moved to [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], at which he spent a decade promoting his music and touring the West Coast with a blues trio.<ref name="New Page 1">{{Wayback |date=20091027083436 |url=http://geocities.com/bluesboywillie1946/ }}</ref>​

McFalls graduated from Memphis High School and then studied music at nearby two-year Clarendon College, then Clarendon  Junior College in Clarendon in Donley County, where he learned to play the upright bass and toured the college circuit as a [[guitar]]ist. Later he moved to [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], at which he spent a decade promoting his music and touring the West Coast with a blues trio.<ref name="New Page 1">{{Wayback |date=20091027083436 |url=http://geocities.com/bluesboywillie1946/ }}</ref>​

 

In 1988, McFalls joined Ichiban Records at the invitation of a boyhood friend, the record producer Gary B.B. Coleman. In 1990, his album, ''Be-Who?'', remained on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' chart for twenty-one weeks. His albums have been recorded with a small studio band. In novelty numbers, McFalls engages in bantering, including one comical exchange about the legitimacy of his children with his then wife, "Miss Lee".<ref>[http://www.answers.com/topic/blues-boy-willie?cat=entertainment Answers.com]</ref>​

In 1988, McFalls joined Ichiban Records at the invitation of a boyhood friend, the record producer Gary B.B. Coleman. In 1990, his album, ''Be-Who?'', remained on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' chart for twenty-one weeks. His albums have been recorded with a small studio band. In novelty numbers, McFalls engages in bantering, including one comical exchange about the legitimacy of his children with his then wife, "Miss Lee".<ref>[http://www.answers.com/topic/blues-boy-willie?cat=entertainment Answers.com]</ref>​

 

Through Gary Coleman, McFalls met Johnny Rawls, and the pair started the "Blues Review" touring company which performed in the American South. Rufus Thomas, Tyrone Davis, and Johnnie Taylor joined the group. Rawls then asked McFalls to be an artist on his new label, Deep South Sound.<ref name="New Page 1"/>​

Through Gary Coleman, McFalls met Johnny Rawls, and the pair started the "Blues Review" touring company which performed in the American South. Rufus Thomas, Tyrone Davis, and Johnnie Taylor joined the group. Rawls then asked McFalls to be an artist on his new label, Deep South Sound.<ref name="New Page 1"/>​

 

Steve Leggett of Allmusic stated that McFalls "makes things work by the sheer force of his engaging personality."<ref>[http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/product.asp?r=1&EAN=807240101227 Barnes & Noble.com - Music: American Roots: Blues, Blues Boy Willie, CD<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>​

Steve Leggett of Allmusic stated that McFalls "makes things work by the sheer force of his engaging personality."<ref>[http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/product.asp?r=1&EAN=807240101227 Barnes & Noble.com - Music: American Roots: Blues, Blues Boy Willie, CD<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>​

 

Early in 2008, McFalls was featured on a segment of Bob Phillips' syndicated [[television]] anthology series, ''Texas Country Reporter.'' In the interview, McFalls explained to Phillips how important the legacy of Memphis, Texas, had been to his singing career and his peace of mind as a person.<ref>[http://www.texascountryreporter.com/show.htm TCR 2008 Episode Guide<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>​

Early in 2008, McFalls was featured on a segment of Bob Phillips' syndicated [[television]] anthology series, ''Texas Country Reporter.'' In the interview, McFalls explained to Phillips how important the legacy of Memphis, Texas, had been to his singing career and his peace of mind as a person.<ref>[http://www.texascountryreporter.com/show.htm TCR 2008 Episode Guide<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>​

 

==Discography==​

==Discography==​

{| class="wikitable sortable"​

{| class="wikitable sortable"​

! Year || Title || Record label​

! Year || Title || Record label​

|-​

|-​

| 1989 || ''Strange Things Happening'' ||align="center"|[[Ichiban Records|Ichiban]]​

| 1989 || ''Strange Things Happening'' ||align="center"|Ichiban Records]]​

|-​

|-​

| 1990 || ''Be Who?'' || align="center"|Ichiban​

| 1990 || ''Be Who?'' || align="center"|Ichiban​

​

​

==References==​

==References==​

{{Reflist}}​

{{reflist}}​

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Blues Boy Willie}}​

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blues Boy Willie}}​

[[Category:Singers]]​

[[Category:Singers]]​

[[Category:Musicians]]​

[[Category:Musicians]]​