Willie Phoenix is a musical force of nature. Whether crafting haunting blues, straightforward rock, garage band energy, or psychedelic fusion, he consistently delivers performances that leave audiences awestruck with their raw, undeniable edge.

Born in Camden, Alabama—”wrapped in a burning southern flag,” as he describes it—Willie’s blues foundation runs deep. His formative years were shaped by the sounds emanating from his family’s Magnavox record player: Muddy Waters, Lightning Hopkins, Howling Wolf, John Lee Hooker, alongside country legends Hank Williams, Buck Owens, and Jerry Reed. These recordings resonated with the midnight trains passing his Marion, Ohio childhood home, where he grew up and first embraced British invasion blues and rock.

Willie’s musical lineage flows directly from his father, bluesman Willie James Creagh Sr., who performed alongside legends like Muddy Waters and Sonny Boy Williamson II (Willie’s godfather). “I had a certain knack for writing songs,” Willie reflects. “I started playing guitar, grabbed a few of my mates, formed a band and made a lot of wonderful noise.”

His impressive career has taken him from Toronto to Hollywood, sharing stages with icons including Muddy Waters, BB King, The Ramones, and The Talking Heads. As a prolific songwriter, Willie has released numerous albums, most recently Save the Angels (2024) through 1978 Records.

Though modest by nature, Willie’s impact on the music scene speaks volumes. In October 2020, the City of Columbus renamed the intersection of 16th and High Street “Willie Phoenix Way” to honor “the legendary rock god.” In October 2022, he was inducted into the Columbus Blues Alliance Hall of Fame.

When not touring, Willie can be found recording at Eastman Studios or performing late-night sessions with his band at underground venues like Eldorado’s in Columbus’ Graceland district.

As Willie once said, “Rock n’ roll has saved me from the blues of silence.” Long live rock n’ roll!