Willie Clarence Hall (born August 8, 1950) is an American drummer best known for his work with Isaac Hayes and as a member of the Blues Brothers band.
Biography
Hall began his career as a drummer in 1965, while still in high school. He played with the Bar-Kays and Isaac Hayes' band The Movement. In the seventies, as part of the Stax-Volt Recording Section Team from 1968 to 1977, Hall backed dozens of major Stax artists on recordings, including The Emotions, Little Milton, Carla and Rufus Thomas, Johnnie Taylor, The Staple Singers, Albert King and Isaac Hayes. Hall produced Hayes' last Stax album, and did percussion on Hayes' albums Hot Buttered Soul and The Isaac Hayes Movement, as well as his Theme from Shaft.
In 1977 Hall was invited to replace drummer Al Jackson, Jr. of Booker T. & the MGs after Jackson died in 1975. Hall recorded the album Universal Language with the group before it officially disbanded. Two years later Hall, along with guitarist Steve "The Colonel" Cropper and bass player Donald "Duck" Dunn became a member of The Blues Brothers, which led to his appearance in the hit movie The Blues Brothers and its sequel Blues Brothers 2000. He also appeared as himself in the 2008 movie Soul Men.
Hall has toured the world and recorded with a variety of artists, including The Blues Brothers, Steve Cropper, Cab Calloway, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, KC and the Sunshine Band, Bonnie Raitt, Earl Scruggs, Charlie Daniels Band, Todd Rundgren and Roger McGuinn, among others. He was also a member of The Bo-Keys, a band of highly respected Memphis musicians, including Isaac Hayes' wah-wah guitarist, Charles "Skip" Pitts.
Hall is the father of rapper Gangsta Pat.
Collaborations
With Booker T. & the M.G.'s
Universal Language (Asylum Records, 1977)
With Shirley Brown
Shirley Brown (Arista Records, 1977) Intimate Storm (Soundtown Records, 1984)
With Jerry Butler
The Love We Have, The Love We Had (Mercury Records, 1973)
With Cate Brothers
In One Eye and Out the Order (Asylum Records, 1976)
With Linda Clifford
I'm Yours (RSO Records, 1980)
With Steve Cropper
Playin' My Thang (MCA Records, 1981)
With Yvonne Elliman
Rising Sun (RSO Records, 1975)
With The Emotions
Sunshine (Stax Records, 1977)
With Al Green
Soul Survivor (A&M Records, 1987)
With Levon Helm
Levon Helm (ABC Records, 1978)
With Albert King
Blues for Elvis – King Does the King's Things (Stax Records, 1970) The Blues Don't Change (Stax Records, 1974)
With David Porter
Victim of the Joke? An Opera (Enterprise Records, 1971) Sweat & Love (Enterprise Records, 1973)
With Keith Sykes
The Way That I Feel (Midland Records, 1977)
With Mavis Staples
Mavis Staples (Volt Records, 1969) Only for the Lonely (Volt Records, 1970)
With The Manhattan Transfer
Pastiche (Atlantic Records, 1978)
With Rufus Thomas
Do the Funky Chicken (Stax Records, 1970) Crown Prince of Dance (Stax Records, 1973)
With Tony Joe White
Eyes (20th Century Records, 1976)