Little Willie John.

I was dusting off the crates the other night to find a few albums by Little Willie John. My Dad first turned me onto this guy when I was in elementary school. I remember when I wore out the cassette tape he made for me, and stole the one he copied for my sister.

Covered famously by the likes of Peggy Lee, The Beatles, and Fleetwood Mac, John was a pint-sized superbeast for sure. He had a knack for recording incredible ballads that tested his high-strung register, while at the same time covering country music standards that would warm up a room. One of my favorites from the latter is his version of "Big Blue Diamonds."

Writer Peter Guralnick (his collections on rock, R&B, and country are some of the best music journalism I've ever read) has covered Little Willie John in a few of his books, and the tales of his short temper and alcohol problems are well documented. Three years after getting dropped from his record label, John was convicted of Manslaughter following a fatal knifing incident at a show in Seattle. He died in Washington State Penitentiary in 1968. He was 30 years old.

Here are a few of my favorites.