The Artist
Jazz/Blues vocalist Willie E. Atkinson was born in the northern region of Johnston County, NC where he became a student of his kinfolk’s musical voice, a music that would become known as the Piedmont Blues. He recalls his Grandmother teaching him how to tell the story of a song without losing the beat “…Just hold your head high, sing it like you mean it and pat your feet.”
Over the years, he has taken her advice with him to center stage, cultivated his love of music by also writing, composing and promoting jazz and blues as an art form through his and wife Jacqueline’s business WEJA (Willie E. Jacqueline Atkinson) Enterprises Artistic Productions.
While residing in Northern California, Willie brought his smooth sound onto the stage of many festivals, clubs, art theaters and artistic venues. Some of which included the Third and Fourth Annual Cotati Jazz Festival, Cotati, Ca.; the Harvest Jazz Festival, Rutherford Square Theatre, Rutherford, Ca.; the celebrated Yoshi’s Japanese Restaurant and Lounge, Oakland, Ca; Erle’s Solano Club, Albany, Ca.; the Vacaville Performing Arts Theater, Vacaville, Ca. as well as the prestigious Opera House, Vacaville, Ca.
The Vacaville Performing Arts Theater provided the opportunity for Willie to perform as an opening act for the phenomenal saxophonist John Handy, the late great jazz/blues organist Jimmy Smith and the late jazz/blues pianist Gene Harris.
Willie returned to North Carolina in 1995. His appearance at the 3rd Annual New Bern Jazz & Blues Festival, October 28, 2006 in New Bern, NC featured the well received debut of his original composition “Loving You (Jacqueline’s Song).” Willie and the swinging Transitional Jazz Quartet ended their set receiving a standing ovation from the audience.
Over the years, he has taken her advice with him to center stage, cultivated his love of music by also writing, composing and promoting jazz and blues as an art form through his and wife Jacqueline’s business WEJA (Willie E. Jacqueline Atkinson) Enterprises Artistic Productions.
While residing in Northern California, Willie brought his smooth sound onto the stage of many festivals, clubs, art theaters and artistic venues. Some of which included the Third and Fourth Annual Cotati Jazz Festival, Cotati, Ca.; the Harvest Jazz Festival, Rutherford Square Theatre, Rutherford, Ca.; the celebrated Yoshi’s Japanese Restaurant and Lounge, Oakland, Ca; Erle’s Solano Club, Albany, Ca.; the Vacaville Performing Arts Theater, Vacaville, Ca. as well as the prestigious Opera House, Vacaville, Ca.
The Vacaville Performing Arts Theater provided the opportunity for Willie to perform as an opening act for the phenomenal saxophonist John Handy, the late great jazz/blues organist Jimmy Smith and the late jazz/blues pianist Gene Harris.
Willie returned to North Carolina in 1995. His appearance at the 3rd Annual New Bern Jazz & Blues Festival, October 28, 2006 in New Bern, NC featured the well received debut of his original composition “Loving You (Jacqueline’s Song).” Willie and the swinging Transitional Jazz Quartet ended their set receiving a standing ovation from the audience.
Photo by: John B. Steady, New Bern, NC