William James Dixon (July 1, 1915 – January 29, 1992) was an American blues musician, singer, songwriter, arranger, and record producer. He was skilled at playing the upright bass and guitar, and he sang with a unique voice. However, he is most famous for being one of the most productive songwriters of his time. Alongside Muddy Waters, Dixon is considered the most important person in shaping the Chicago blues sound after World War II.

Dixon’s songs were recorded by many musicians across different music styles, as well as by groups he was part of. Some of his most well-known songs include "Hoochie Coochie Man," "I Just Want to Make Love to You," "Little Red Rooster," "My Babe," "Spoonful," and "You Can’t Judge a Book by the Cover." These songs were written during the busiest years of Chess Records, from 1950 to 1965, and were performed by artists such as Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter, and Bo Diddley. These songs influenced many musicians around the world.

Dixon played a key role in connecting blues music to rock and roll, working with Little Walter, Chuck Berry, and Bo Diddley in the late 1950s. In the 1960s, his songs were used by many rock musicians. He won a Grammy Award and was honored with induction into the Blues Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Biography

Dixon was born on July 1, 1915, in Vicksburg, Mississippi. He was one of 14 children. His mother, Daisy, often used rhymes in her speech, and her son learned to do the same. At age 4, Dixon sang his first song at Springfield Baptist Church. When he was 7, he became a fan of a band that included pianist Little Brother Montgomery. Dixon first learned about blues while working on prison farms in Mississippi as a teenager. Later, he learned to sing harmony from a local carpenter named Theo Phelps, who led a gospel group called the Union Jubilee Singers. Dixon sang bass for the group and performed on the Vicksburg radio station WQBC. He also began turning his poems into songs and sold some to local music groups.

In 1936, Dixon moved to Chicago. He was very tall, standing 6 feet 6 inches and weighing over 250 pounds. He took up boxing and won the Illinois State Golden Gloves Heavyweight Championship (Novice Division) in 1937. Around 1939, he became a professional boxer and briefly worked as Joe Louis’s sparring partner. However, he left boxing after a disagreement with his manager over money.

Dixon met Leonard Caston at a boxing gym, and they sometimes sang together. Caston encouraged Dixon to take music seriously. Caston built Dixon his first bass guitar using a tin can and one string. Dixon’s experience singing bass helped him learn the instrument quickly. He also learned to play the guitar.

In 1939, Dixon helped start a group called the Five Breezes with Caston, Joe Bell, Gene Gilmore, and Willie Hawthorne. The group combined blues, jazz, and vocal harmonies, similar to the Ink Spots. His progress on the upright bass stopped during World War II when he refused to join the military as a conscientious objector. He was imprisoned for 10 months because he refused to fight for a country with racist laws. After the war, he formed a group named the Four Jumps of Jive and later reunited with Caston to create the Big Three Trio, which recorded for Columbia Records.

Dixon signed with Chess Records as a recording artist but performed less over time, focusing on administrative work for the label. By 1951, he became a full-time employee at Chess, where he worked as a producer, talent scout, session musician, and staff songwriter. He also produced music for Checker Records, a related label. His work with Chess lasted from 1948 to the early 1960s. During this time, he created many songs and influenced many musicians. From late 1956 to early 1959, he worked for Cobra Records, producing early songs for artists like Otis Rush, Magic Sam, and Buddy Guy. In 1956, he wrote “Fishin’ in My Pond,” which was recorded by Lee Jackson and released in 1957. Later, he recorded for Bluesville Records. From the late 1960s to the mid-1970s, he ran his own record labels, Yambo Records and its subsidiaries, Supreme and Spoonful. He released his 1971 album, Peace?, and singles by other artists.

Dixon is considered one of the most important figures in creating Chicago blues. He worked with many famous musicians, including Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Otis Rush, Bo Diddley, Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Koko Taylor, Little Milton, Eddie Boyd, Jimmy Witherspoon, Lowell Fulson, Willie Mabon, Memphis Slim, Washboard Sam, Jimmy Rogers, and Sam Lay.

In December 1964, the Rolling Stones reached number one on the UK Singles Chart with their cover of Dixon’s song “Little Red Rooster.” The same year, the group also covered “I Just Want To Make Love To You” on their debut album, The Rolling Stones.

In his later years, Dixon worked hard to support the blues and started the Blues Heaven Foundation to help protect the legacy of blues musicians. He said, “The blues are the roots and the other musics are the fruits. It’s better keeping the roots alive, because it means better fruits from now on. The blues are the roots of all American music. As long as American music survives, so will the blues.”

In 1977, Dixon and Muddy Waters sued Arc Music, Chess’s publishing company, over low royalty payments. Later, Dixon started his own publishing company, Hoochie Coochie Music.

In 1987, Dixon reached an agreement with Led Zeppelin after suing them for using his music in “Bring It On Home” and lyrics from his song “You Need Love” in “Whole Lotta Love.”

Dixon’s health worsened in the 1970s and 1980s due to diabetes, and he eventually had one of his legs amputated.

Dixon was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980. In 1989, he won a Grammy Award for his album Hidden Charms.

Dixon died of heart failure on January 29, 1992, in Burbank, California. His body was carried by a horse-drawn hearse through his hometown. He was buried in Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois.

After his death, his wife, Marie Dixon, took over the Blues Heaven Foundation and moved its headquarters to Chess Records. Dixon was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994. In 2013, both Dixon and his grandson, Alex Dixon, were inducted into the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame.

In 2007, a marker was placed on the Mississippi Blues Trail in Vicksburg to honor Dixon.

The actor Cedric the Entertainer portrayed Dixon in the 2008 film Cadillac Records, which is based on the history of Chess Records.

In 2020, Rolling Stone ranked Dixon as the 12th greatest bass player and listed him as one of the most influential blues musicians in history. He also appeared on Rolling Stone’s list of “The 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time” at number 51.

Songs

Dixon wrote or helped write more than 500 songs. Some of these songs are widely known blues songs, including "Help Me," "Hoochie Coochie Man," "I Can't Quit You Baby," "I Ain't Superstitious," "I'm Ready," "Little Red Rooster," "My Babe," and "Spoonful." Other songs by Dixon that became popular include "Evil" by Howlin' Wolf, "I Just Want to Make Love to You" by Muddy Waters, "Pretty Thing" by Bo Diddley, "The Seventh Son" by Willie Mabon, "Wang Dang Doodle" by Koko Taylor, and "You Can't Judge a Book by the Cover" by Bo Diddley. In the 1960s, Dixon's songs were used by many rock musicians.