Willie King, a critically acclaimed singer and guitarist, shunned famed by playing mostly at a local clubs in Mississippi.

He was born in Prairie Point, Mississippi, near the Alabama border. Prior to recording, he worked as a share cropper, moonshine maker, and many other occupations. Later he became active with the civil rights movement, which inspired him to write socially conscious blues songs. In 1983 he founded the Rural Members Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the traditional rural skills King had grown up with, which he called 'survival skills,' and helping improve his local community. In 1997, the Rural Members Association started the annual Freedom Creek blues festival, which has since received international recognition. He began recording in 1999 and his 2000 recordings Freedom Creek and I Am The Blues, were the first of several acclaimed albums. King performed at national and international festivals but mostly played at local clubs near his home. He performed regularly at Bettie's Juke Joint in Mississippi. He described his music as "struggling blues" because of its focus on the "injustices in life in the rural South".

Willie King passed away on March 8, 2009, near his home in the rural community of Old Memphis, Alabama, not far fromhis birthplace.

To read more about this unique artist, vist the Willie King Memorial Home Page.