Chuck Willis was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 31, 1928. He was an American blues, rhythm & blues, and rock singer/songwriter.

There were two distinct sides to Willis. In addition to being a convincing blues "shouter," he could muster up a vulnerable blues balladeer side. Also as a prolific songwriter, he penned some of the most distinctive R&B numbers of the 1950s.

Willis adopted the name Chuck (in lieu of Harold) as a stage handle, and received his early training singing at YMCA-sponsored "Teenage Canteens"1 in Atlanta and fronting the combos of local bandleaders.

A powerful DJ, Zenas "Daddy" Sears,2 took an interest in the young vocalist's career, hooking him up with Columbia Records where he signed a contract in 1951. After one single, Willis began recording on a Columbia subsidiary, OKeh Records.