Willie Phoenix
A look at Willie's life in music in words and pictures
Included are news clippings about his early bands from the Marion Star, reviews of his live shows from various publications, and pictures from different parts of Willie's career.
Courtesy: Willie Phoenix
Willie was taught to play guitar by his father and bluesman, the Reverend Willie J. Creagh, who played with such legends as Muddy Waters, Little Walter, and Sonny Boy Williamson II.
"My mom (Perry Moore Creagh) would be cooking in the kitchen, and she would start singing a spiritual," Willie says. "She'd say: 'Come on, Willie! Help Mama sing this now.' "
"My dad taught me a great deal . . . not only about music . . . but life in general. I mean, yes, of course, he taught me the show tricks of the old blues masters like playing the axe behind your head . . . between your legs . . . . But he also took me to school on the subject of right and wrong.”
"Willie Creagh, Mel McGary, Jimmy Cummings, and William P. Belt are perhaps the most talked about controversial figures in Marion's local "Pop Music" field. The foursome make up the rock band Little Eric, recently signed by Laytra Records. The group's first album, a collection of tunes composed by the artists themselves, will go to market November 12. Eric, their managers, and a twenty-two man staff are securing televised appearances, live performances, and radio interviews."
- from the Harding Herald, November 11, 1971
Marion Band Wins 1973 National Battle of the Bands
Bopper won the National Battle of the Bands staged in Greenville, North Carolina. Lead guitarist and vocalist Willie Creagh was named the best individual musician. Members of the group are (L-R) Jim Cummings, bass, Melvin McGary, organist and pianist, Greg Glasgow, rhythm guitarist, Willie Creagh, and John A. Smith, drums. The manager is Dennis Culp. The group will go on a three-week tour of Canada in September.
- Greenville (NC) News, August 18, 1973
Becoming Willie Phoenix
It was a dark Marion movie house, where Willie changed his name.
He was watching Phantom of the Paradise, about Phoenix, a woman whose every appearance was heralded by music that enchanted him.
“From now on, I’m Willie Phoenix,” the young guitar player decided in 1974 as he watched the beauty’s quest for a recording contract. . . .
- Marion Star, October 9, 1988
The next two excerpts are from a Columbus Monthly article. Here, Willie talks about a Marion band that impressed him.
In high school, Phoenix saw a band called Lothario and the Deceivers (the guitarist, Jim “Kozmos” Cummings, would later play bass with Phoenix). “These guys were cool, man. They wore shiny vests and skinny black ties,” Phoenix says. “I remember going to a parking lot downtown behind one of the department stores, and there was a throng of people and the girls were screaming. I was looking at these guys going, ‘One of these days I’m gonna have a band like this.’”
- from Columbus Monthly by Joel Oliphint, January 2015
Soon after high school, Willie got a manager who encouraged him to spend some time gigging in Canada, which he did for a couple years in the early ’70s before moving to Columbus around 1974. Here, he started jamming with guys like Bill Sims, a Marion native, and former Dantes' guitarist Dave Workman. Every once in a while during those jam sessions he got up the courage to say, “Let’s play one of my songs!”
- from Columbus Monthly, January 20, 2015
On October 15, 2020, Columbus honored Willie Phoenix by renaming E. 16th Avenue Willie Phoenix Way.
Willie did get a street named after him. But 32 years earlier, a fan predicted that would happen. Check out the story from a Marion Star article from October 1988.
Willie on Stage
He sang like Wilson Pickett, wore his Telecaster upside down like Hendrix, and had Elvis Costello’s gift for cutting a pop gem. He didn’t play second to James Brown when putting on a show. He’s as good as we’ve ever seen. Who else is there? Prince? Springsteen?
– Joe Oestreich, Hitless Wonder
ComFest wouldn’t be ComFest without a performance by Columbus rock legend Willie Phoenix, who played his first Community Festival set way back in 1976. ... He’s constantly writing new songs, but even when Phoenix and his band the Soul Underground work in some covers (Van Morrison’s “Gloria” is a perennial crowd-pleaser) it still makes for a memorable set.
- Columbus Alive Comfest Preview
Willie Phoenix is one of Columbus' greatest musical assets for over 30 years, known for his legendary performances throughout the mid-western U.S.A. The former A&M Recording Artist is a prolific songwriter who writes moving, soulful, rock, pop and reggae-influenced songs with infectious hooks.
- from a review of Blues Hippy and the Soul Underground (2013)
The only question that I have after listening to the new release by Willie Phoenix and his band is, which Woodstock should they have played at? Answer? Both!!
Cringe review
Willie Phoenix is . . . a raging guitarist with a ton of attitude and stage presence. His act is also something that should not be missed.
- Graffiti Magazine
RECORD REVIEWS
When Willie signed with A&M Records, the media giant had the pull to get the album “Willie Phoenix” reviewed by national media. That album and all those that have followed garnered excellent reviews.
Willie Phoenix [A&M], 1982
Phoenix knocked me out on sheer pizazz fronting a raw, Beatley band called Romantic Noise at Max's three or four years ago; here he surfaces as a Springsteen convert and almost does it again, although after a dozen plays I wonder whether Romantic Noise's songs matched its pizazz. God knows Phoenix doesn't go for ersatz John Cougar epics--his tribute is all musical style, which since his voice outrings Springsteen's can be pretty impressive until the drama calls your attention to the words.
- from Robert Christgau's Consumer Guide
Willie Phoenix A&M
There is a clenched-fist urgency to everything on this album, a record so unpolished that it takes five or six listens to fully appreciate. Phoenix sings about tragic lives and painful romances and makes them autobiographical. Phrases such as “Let’s take the time and stay up for the week,” “How can I breathe when there is no air to breathe” and “Kiss Quick Goodnight,” ring with conviction. He drives home his point with liberal amounts of the uncontrolled energy of early punk with the long guitar passages of heavy metal. But the true jagged edge comes from the production of which there is little. Except for the keyboards, the band sounds live and is in competition for volume. Phoenix ends up doing a lot of screaming, both to be heard and to make his message clear, turning initial hearing of this album into trying sessions but it’s well worth the effort. There have been many good debuts this year, but this one is the best.
- Marc D. Allan, Boston Globe, September 2, 1982
Rob Brumfiel, lead guitar, Greg Glasgow, bass, Jerry Hanahan, drums, Willie Phoenix, vocals & rhythm guitar, Melvin McGary, keyboards
Willie Phoenix & The Shadowlords
Album: We Love Noise
This album is a songwriting masterpiece [but] . . . without major-label backing, he could not get the same sound as the debut. . . . Yet the album’s worth buying because Phoenix is so brilliant. This record, more power pop and less metallic than the debut, finds the band tough on “Rebel in the Making”, witty on “Boat,” and sensitive on “Wanna See Ya Change Me.” And though he says his friends “hate my Fender sound/ they say it’s way too loud,” Phoenix and his guitar are in a class with Bruce Springsteen. (Available through Shadow Records, Columbus, Ohio)
- Marc D. Allan, Boston Globe, August 23, 1984
Willie Phoenix and the Soul Underground
Album: Backstage Rain
Backstage Rain is one of his best. Ever. Keep in mind, Willie has been releasing records since the late 60’s, and has literally thousands of unreleased tracks in his vaults as well. . . . It’s Gonna Rain is the kind of blues people sell their soul for at the crossroads. This isn’t your corner bar band blues. It could be the best track by Buddy Guy or Black Sabbath. . . . Big Whiskey Woman is another blazing Hendrix-esque rocker that I find myself going back to over and over. It sounds like a lost gem from the Willie Phoenix Flower Machine project from thirty years ago.
- Colin Gawel, pencilstorm.com, 2019
Willie, Steven Day Carter, and Chuck Birchfield rocking out at Eastman Studio.
A few more photos . . .
For more information on Willie Phoenix check out Colin Gawel’s blog pencilstorm.com. Another excellent site on Facebook is Jim Johnson’s Shadowlords: The Willie Phoenix Fanpages. Ricki C’s blog 'Growing Old With Rock & Roll ‘, also found on pencilstorm, includes ‘The Ballad of Willie Phoenix’, which is a fantastic read.
