Willie "Big Eyes" Smith

Born in Helena, Arkansas, Smith learned to play harp at age 17 after moving to Chicago, Illinois. He became a musician during the 1950s. In 1955, Smith joined Bo Diddley with "Diddy Wah Diddy" for the Checker label as a harmonicaist.^[4][5] He starting playing with Muddy Waters after becoming a drummer.^[4] He was a part of Muddy Waters Sings Big Bill Broonzy.^[4][6]

In 1961, Smith became a regular member of Muddy Waters' band. He remained a permanent member until 1980 apart from a break during the 1960s.^[4] All of Muddy's Grammy Award winning albums (Hard Again, I'm Ready, They Call Me Muddy Waters, Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live, The London Muddy Waters Session, and The Muddy Waters Woodstock Album were released between 1971 and 1979 during Smith's tenure with the band.^[7])

The Legendary Blues Band was co-founded by Smith during 1980.^[8] Smith had recorded with Eric Clapton in the 1964 Otis Spann recording of "Pretty Girls Everywhere".^[9]

Smith's 2008 album Born in Arkansas utilized bassman Bob Stroger, pianist Barrelhouse Chuck, guitarist Billy Flynn, guitarist Little Frank Krakowski (who has worked with Smith for years) and his son and drummer, Kenny "Beedy Eyes" Smith. In June 2010, Smith released Joined at the Hip with Pinetop Perkins. Joining these two in the studio were Stroger, and his son Kenny Smith on drums. John Primer, who was another Muddy Waters band alumnus, joined on lead guitar along with Frank Krakowski.

On February 13, 2011, Smith won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album for Joined at the Hip, an album he recorded with Pinetop Perkins. He remained active in his final year of life, encouraging Liz Mandeville to start her own record label (Blue Kitty Music) and he was featured on two tracks of her album, Clarksdale that was released in 2012.^[10][11]

Smith died in Chicago following a stroke on September 16, 2011.^[2]