Willie Dixon was an American blues songwriter, bassist, arranger, and producer born on July 1, 1915, in Vicksburg, Mississippi. He died on January 29, 1992, in Burbank, California. Credited with over five hundred songs, Dixon was the most influential composer in postwar Chicago blues, serving as staff songwriter at Chess Records from 1951 onward. His compositions provided signature material for Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, and Bo Diddley. Back Door Man, his composition on AllSolos, was recorded by Howlin' Wolf in 1960 and later became a staple of The Doors' repertoire. Dixon's songs were foundational to the British Invasion, widely covered by the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and Cream. He was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
