218:, "Wear Your Black Dress", was deemed to be Egan's stand-out offering. The song was inspired by a tale relating to Egan's wife. He noted "'Wear Your Black Dress' came about because I almost shot her, I was sitting at home with a .38 in my lap, waiting for her to come home". Two records on Vita Records, "She's Gone Away, But," and "Treat Me Right", were followed by his final solo effort, "Rock and Roll Fever," in 1958; where his only release on the tiny Dash Records label, at least saw his name spelt correctly. Conversely, poor distribution and scarce airplay, coupled with lack of managerial expertise kept him from flourishing outside of small local markets.
207:. He became proficient enough on the instrument that by 1949, at the age of 15, Egan signed to Elko Records and they issued his debut single, "It's A Shame", billed as Little Willie Egan. It generated little notice and Egan returned to performing in local clubs, before a short-lived pairing with the guitarist Lloyd Rowe, saw the release of "Don't Know Where She Went" (1955) on Mambo Records.
273:". Upon his return to his homeland, Egan recorded for the Lonesome Town label and played on the college circuit. He also performed in Los Angeles, duly sponsored by the Southern California Blues Society. The lack of appeal of an aging boogie-woogie bluesman in the 1980s and 1990s saw his eventual retirement loom.
155:
historians tend to concur that his lack of tangible success in the 1950s, was down to a combination of lack of national promotion, scarce airplay and poor management. A continual mis-spelling of his own name was a further distraction; even his best remembered track, "Wear Your Black Dress", appeared
210:
His recording career gained momentum as firstly Mambo
Records, and then Vita Records, issued a small string of singles over the next few months. These included "Come On", billed to Willie Egans and Orchestra, before a reworking of his debut side, "It's A Shame", appeared as "What A Shame", although
240:
A R&B promoter, Steve
Brigati, managed to find Egan subsisting on handouts in South Los Angeles and told him his album was a hit. A stunned Egan replied "What album? I haven't recorded anything in 25 years". Within weeks in September 1983, Egan was performing in the
225:. They released three underwhelming singles between 1958 and 1962, before parting company. Returning to a spluttering solo career, Egan's loss of equipment in a nightclub blaze, saw him give up performing and return to Los Angeles to work as a hospital
286:
175:, United States. His family's bayou home was separated from the main road by swamp, the travails of which claimed Egan's father's hand and his brother's foot to the perils of ever-present
211:
the accreditation by then showed Willie Eggins and
Orchestra. "Sometimes I Wonder" and 1956's "I Can't Understand It", were follow-up releases, although the latter's
884:
151:" styling to critical, but no real commercial, success. Egan wrote most of his own material, and enjoyed a resurgence of interest in Europe in the early 1980s.
924:
904:
934:
889:
929:
914:
179:
en route. Egan escaped the daily perils and abject poverty at the age of nine, when his family had him relocate to live with his grandmother in
909:
899:
894:
282:
and stated "From all them records, I didn't make no money. In them days you heard a lot about royalties, but none of us ever saw any".
919:
183:, His uncle's front porch piano proved irresistible, and Egan was helped when a neighbor taught Egan the rudiments of playing in a
233:
emerged almost two decades later. In 1982, a
British record label, Krazy Kat, compiled most of his solo singles on an album called
869:
879:
874:
864:
147:
pianist, singer, and songwriter. He recorded a string of singles in the mid- to late-1950s, using his "boogie-woogie-tinged
526:
262:
285:
On August 5, 2004, and following a long struggle against the effects of cancer, Willie Egan died at the age of 70 in
204:
221:
His next venture was to team up with Marvin
Phillips, to become the final 'Johnny' in the long-running duo act,
229:. For many in his circumstances that might have been the end of the story, but unexpected help from across the
793:
290:
76:
821:
693:
859:
854:
610:
270:
640:
176:
222:
798:
295:
278:
242:
215:
172:
157:
59:
794:"Robert 'Willie' Egan, 70; R&B; Recording Artist in the 1950s Became a Hospital Orderly"
301:
237:. Sales proved buoyant across Europe, although the distributors thought that Egan had died.
148:
140:
87:
246:
230:
200:
196:
848:
250:
184:
144:
91:
735:
760:
266:
254:
192:
188:
180:
212:
257:
were on the same bill. During the time of his stay in
England, Egan recorded
668:
570:
152:
187:
manner, by penciling numbers onto the piano's keys. Egan was influenced by
826:
615:
265:), which got a generous reception. The album contained Egan's version of
226:
761:"Died On This Date (August 5, 2004) Willie Egan / Early R&B Great"
139:(October 1, 1933 – August 5, 2004) was an American
123:
113:
105:
97:
83:
66:
45:
35:
25:
18:
408:"I Can't Understand It" / "Wear Your Black Dress"
41:Willie Egans, Willie Eggins, Robert "Willie" Egan
571:"Willie Egan - Rockin On The West Coast (Uk)"
293:. His existence warranted an obituary in the
8:
611:"Willie Egan Biography, Songs, & Albums"
352:"Don't Know Where She Went" / "Potato Stomp"
730:
728:
726:
724:
722:
720:
718:
716:
714:
635:
633:
468:
317:
15:
422:"She's Gone Away, But" / "Willie's Blues"
436:"Treat Me Right" / "You Must Be Foolin'"
394:"Sometimes I Wonder" / "Sad Sad Feeling"
562:
885:American rhythm and blues keyboardists
788:
786:
784:
782:
694:"Willie Egan - Rock & Roll Fever"
663:
661:
605:
603:
601:
599:
597:
595:
593:
591:
276:In 1983, Egan was interviewed by the
245:in London, backed by the saxophonist
7:
925:Ace Records (United Kingdom) artists
822:"Willie Egan Albums and Discography"
450:"Rock and Roll Fever" / "Chittlin's"
905:20th-century American male singers
338:"It's A Shame" / "Willie's Boogie"
14:
935:20th-century American songwriters
890:American rhythm and blues singers
669:"Willie Egans : Discography"
930:Deaths from cancer in California
287:Daniel Freeman Memorial Hospital
915:20th-century American pianists
1:
910:20th-century American singers
900:People from Minden, Louisiana
506:Willie Egan & His Friends
641:"Willie Egans And Orchestra"
386:Willie Eggins and Orchestra
428:Willie Egans and Orchestra
414:Willie Egans and Orchestra
400:Willie Egans and Orchestra
372:Willie Egans and Orchestra
101:Pianist, singer, songwriter
951:
895:Songwriters from Louisiana
380:"What A Shame" / "Wow Wow"
920:American male songwriters
205:Little Willie Littlefield
870:American blues pianists
522:Going Back to Louisiana
259:Going Back to Louisiana
880:Boogie-woogie pianists
875:American male pianists
865:American blues singers
490:Rock & Roll Fever
366:"Come On" / "Oh Baby"
291:Inglewood, California
235:Rock & Roll Fever
77:Inglewood, California
271:Chicken Shack Boogie
344:Little Willie Egan
223:Marvin & Johnny
802:. August 11, 2004
799:Los Angeles Times
765:Themusicsover.com
552:
551:
494:Krazy Kat Records
460:
459:
358:Lloyd and Willie
296:Los Angeles Times
279:Los Angeles Times
243:Electric Ballroom
173:Minden, Louisiana
171:was born near to
131:
130:
60:Minden, Louisiana
942:
839:
838:
836:
834:
818:
812:
811:
809:
807:
790:
777:
776:
774:
772:
767:. August 5, 2010
757:
751:
750:
748:
746:
740:Tims.blackcat.nl
732:
709:
708:
706:
704:
690:
684:
683:
681:
679:
665:
656:
655:
653:
651:
637:
628:
627:
625:
623:
607:
586:
585:
583:
581:
575:Recordgalaxy.com
567:
469:
318:
302:The Boston Globe
141:rhythm and blues
119:1949–early 1990s
116:
88:Rhythm and blues
73:
55:
53:
38:
28:
16:
950:
949:
945:
944:
943:
941:
940:
939:
845:
844:
843:
842:
832:
830:
820:
819:
815:
805:
803:
792:
791:
780:
770:
768:
759:
758:
754:
744:
742:
734:
733:
712:
702:
700:
692:
691:
687:
677:
675:
667:
666:
659:
649:
647:
639:
638:
631:
621:
619:
609:
608:
589:
579:
577:
569:
568:
564:
559:
467:
316:
311:
247:Big Jay McNeely
169:Robert Lee Egan
166:
164:Life and career
134:
114:
79:, United States
75:
71:
62:, United States
57:
56:October 1, 1933
51:
49:
36:
31:Robert Lee Egan
26:
21:
12:
11:
5:
948:
946:
938:
937:
932:
927:
922:
917:
912:
907:
902:
897:
892:
887:
882:
877:
872:
867:
862:
857:
847:
846:
841:
840:
813:
778:
752:
710:
685:
657:
629:
587:
561:
560:
558:
555:
550:
549:
546:
543:
540:Willie's Blues
537:
533:
532:
529:
524:
519:
515:
514:
511:
508:
503:
499:
498:
495:
492:
487:
483:
482:
479:
476:
473:
466:
463:
458:
457:
454:
451:
448:
444:
443:
440:
437:
434:
430:
429:
426:
423:
420:
416:
415:
412:
409:
406:
402:
401:
398:
395:
392:
388:
387:
384:
381:
378:
374:
373:
370:
367:
364:
360:
359:
356:
353:
350:
346:
345:
342:
339:
336:
332:
331:
328:
325:
322:
315:
312:
310:
307:
231:Atlantic Ocean
201:Nellie Lutcher
197:Camille Howard
165:
162:
156:on a single's
133:Musical artist
132:
129:
128:
125:
121:
120:
117:
111:
110:
107:
103:
102:
99:
95:
94:
85:
81:
80:
74:(aged 70)
70:August 5, 2004
68:
64:
63:
47:
43:
42:
39:
33:
32:
29:
23:
22:
19:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
947:
936:
933:
931:
928:
926:
923:
921:
918:
916:
913:
911:
908:
906:
903:
901:
898:
896:
893:
891:
888:
886:
883:
881:
878:
876:
873:
871:
868:
866:
863:
861:
858:
856:
853:
852:
850:
829:
828:
823:
817:
814:
801:
800:
795:
789:
787:
785:
783:
779:
766:
762:
756:
753:
741:
737:
736:"WILLIE EGAN"
731:
729:
727:
725:
723:
721:
719:
717:
715:
711:
699:
695:
689:
686:
674:
670:
664:
662:
658:
646:
642:
636:
634:
630:
618:
617:
612:
606:
604:
602:
600:
598:
596:
594:
592:
588:
576:
572:
566:
563:
556:
554:
547:
544:
541:
538:
535:
534:
530:
528:
525:
523:
520:
517:
516:
512:
509:
507:
504:
501:
500:
496:
493:
491:
488:
485:
484:
480:
477:
474:
471:
470:
464:
462:
455:
452:
449:
446:
445:
442:Willie Egans
441:
438:
435:
432:
431:
427:
424:
421:
418:
417:
413:
410:
407:
404:
403:
399:
397:Mambo Records
396:
393:
390:
389:
385:
383:Mambo Records
382:
379:
376:
375:
371:
369:Mambo Records
368:
365:
362:
361:
357:
355:Mambo Records
354:
351:
348:
347:
343:
340:
337:
334:
333:
329:
326:
323:
320:
319:
313:
308:
306:
304:
303:
298:
297:
292:
288:
283:
281:
280:
274:
272:
268:
264:
260:
256:
252:
251:Chuck Higgins
248:
244:
238:
236:
232:
228:
224:
219:
217:
214:
208:
206:
202:
198:
194:
190:
186:
185:boogie-woogie
182:
178:
174:
170:
163:
161:
159:
154:
150:
146:
145:boogie-woogie
142:
138:
126:
122:
118:
112:
109:Piano, vocals
108:
106:Instrument(s)
104:
100:
98:Occupation(s)
96:
93:
92:boogie-woogie
89:
86:
82:
78:
69:
65:
61:
48:
44:
40:
37:Also known as
34:
30:
24:
17:
833:September 7,
831:. Retrieved
825:
816:
806:September 7,
804:. Retrieved
797:
771:September 7,
769:. Retrieved
764:
755:
745:September 7,
743:. Retrieved
739:
703:September 7,
701:. Retrieved
697:
688:
678:September 7,
676:. Retrieved
672:
650:September 7,
648:. Retrieved
644:
622:September 7,
620:. Retrieved
614:
580:September 7,
578:. Retrieved
574:
565:
553:
548:Willie Egan
545:Broken Audio
542:(remastered)
539:
531:Willie Egan
521:
513:Willie Egan
510:Vita Records
505:
497:Willie Egan
489:
478:Record label
461:
456:Willie Egan
453:Dash Records
439:Vita Records
425:Vita Records
411:Vita Records
341:Elko Records
327:Record label
300:
294:
284:
277:
275:
267:Amos Milburn
258:
255:Young Jessie
239:
234:
220:
209:
193:Hadda Brooks
189:Amos Milburn
168:
167:
136:
135:
115:Years active
72:(2004-08-05)
860:2004 deaths
855:1933 births
698:Discogs.com
645:Discogs.com
527:Ace Records
309:Discography
263:Ace Records
181:Los Angeles
137:Willie Egan
20:Willie Egan
849:Categories
557:References
481:Billed as
330:Billed as
213:jump blues
177:alligators
52:1933-10-01
27:Birth name
673:45cat.com
827:AllMusic
616:AllMusic
314:Singles
261:(1984,
227:orderly
149:R&B
127:Various
465:Albums
299:, and
216:B-side
203:, and
158:B-side
124:Labels
84:Genres
475:Title
324:Title
58:Near
835:2022
808:2022
773:2022
747:2022
705:2022
680:2022
652:2022
624:2022
582:2022
536:2012
518:1984
502:1982
486:1982
472:Year
447:1958
433:1957
419:1956
405:1956
391:1955
377:1955
363:1955
349:1955
335:1949
321:Year
269:'s "
253:and
143:and
67:Died
46:Born
289:in
153:Pop
851::
824:.
796:.
781:^
763:.
738:.
713:^
696:.
671:.
660:^
643:.
632:^
613:.
590:^
573:.
305:.
249:.
199:,
195:,
191:,
160:.
90:,
837:.
810:.
775:.
749:.
707:.
682:.
654:.
626:.
584:.
54:)
50:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.