An album titled I Am The Blues would sound like an overreach for any musician of the genre other than Willie Dixon. Apart from his own efforts, like the aforementioned sixth title under his own name plus his work with The Big Three Trio, there are multiple other projects in which he participated as bassist, principal songwriter, musical director, and producer on behalf of artists such as Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf on the Chess, Checker and Cobra Records labels. In a direct reflection of his imposing physical stature–as well as his advocacy for copyrights on blues music–Dixon was also tremendously influential as the author of familiar pieces including “Spoonful,” “Back Door Man” and “You Shook Me,” all of which (and more as included on the aforementioned album) supplied fodder for interpretations by more than that single generation of musicians and singers numbered among which were, respectively, Cream, the Doors and Led Zeppelin.
