Rock and roll star Wee Willie Harris has died at age 90.
The musician – real name Charles William Harris – who inspired John Lennon and Paul McCartney – passed away on Thursday, his wife confirmed.
Known for his energetic live performances and brightly coloured pink hair, he was given the nickname Wee Willie Harris due to his small stature of only 5ft 2.
He rose to fame doing live TV performances in the 1950s, where he came to be known as ‘Britain’s wild man of rock ‘n’ roll’.
His wife of 47 years, Shelia, told The Sun: ‘He was a lovely man. A lovely husband. But it was music all the way with him’, after which music icon Dusty Springfield paid tribute and gave a nod to ‘the best vocals’.
Passing: Rock and roll star Wee Willie Harris has died at age 90
Devastating: The musician – real name Charles William Harris – who inspired John Lennon and Paul McCartney, passed away on Thursday, his wife confirmed
In her touching statement, his wife went on: ‘He was just such a brilliant man. He inspired so many – including Paul McCartney. He was an absolute sensation. He will be so, so missed by so many.
‘He could still sing right up until the end and was always a perfect gentleman.’
Willie, who hailed from Bermondsey, South London, was mentioned in Paul McCartney’s biography, where he recalls queuing up outside the Liverpool Empire for his autograph.
Legendary singer Dusty led tributes on Friday. She wrote: ‘Sorry to hear of the death of Wee Will Harris on April 27. Back in 1966 Wee Willie recorded this song and had the best backing vocals ever, Dusty and Madeline…
‘e came to Dusty Day in 2013 and entertained us with his stories and songs.’
Wild: Known for his energetic live performances and brightly coloured pink hair, he was given the nickname Wee Willie Harris due to his small stature of only 5ft 2
Big fan: Willie, who hailed from Bermondsey, South London, was mentioned in Paul McCartney’s biography, where he recalls queuing up outside the Liverpool Empire for his autograph
Tributes: Legendary singer Dusty Springfield led tributes to her pal on Friday
His former bandmate Tony Thorpe added: ‘Willie was a brother, father, teacher, therapist and friend to me and I miss him dreadfully. God bless you, guv, as I’m sure he is doing.’
Willie started his career as a pudding mixer at Peek Freans’ London bakery, though turned into a professional musician after realising he could ‘make more money’ singing.
He then began performing at The 2i’s Coffee Bar in Soho, London, where he was the resident piano player, performing with Tommy Steele, Adam Faith, Screaming Lord Sutch and others.
In November 1957, he was selected by TV producer Jack Good, to appear in the BBC show Six-Five Special.
His appearances on the show led to concerns being expressed in the media about the BBC’s role in ‘promoting teenage decadence’.
His debut single, ‘Rockin’ At the 2 I’s’, was released on the Decca label in December 1957, and was followed by several others, although none reached the UK Singles Chart.
Ambitious: Willie started his career as a pudding mixer at Peek Freans’ London bakery, though turned into a professional musician after realising he could ‘make more money’ singing
Rise to fame: In November 1957, he was selected by TV producer Jack Good, to appear in the BBC show Six-Five Special
He then became a popular performer on TV shows and in live performances, and was known for his unrelenting energy, multicoloured dyed hair (often green, orange or pink), and clothes.
A critic wrote at the time: ‘He gyrates like an exploding Catherine wheel, emitting growls, squeals and what sounds like severe hiccupping’.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon reportedly queued for his autograph when he played in Liverpool in 1958.
In May 1960, he joined a tour of the UK featuring Conway Twitty, Freddy Cannon and Johnny Preston.
He continued to record in the 1960s, for HMV, Polydor and Parlophone, and continued to perform in the UK and elsewhere on cruise ships.
In the mid 1970s, he lived in Prestwich, near Manchester and resurfaced in the late 1970s as a nostalgia act, after Ian Dury mentioned him in the song ‘Reasons to be Cheerful, Part 3’.
Harris later recorded an album dedicated to Dury, Twenty Reasons To Be Cheerful (2000), and his early recordings were released on CD in 1999.
Controversial: His appearances on the show led to concerns being expressed in the media about the BBC’s role in ‘promoting teenage decadence’
Well-known: Paul McCartney and John Lennon reportedly queued for his autograph when he played in Liverpool in 1958
Energetic: A critic wrote at the time: ‘He gyrates like an exploding Catherine wheel, emitting growls, squeals and what sounds like severe hiccupping’
In 1991, he briefly featured in the video for Hale & Pace’s ‘The Stonk’ contribution to Comic Relief and, in 2003, he released the album Rag Moppin’, backed by the Alabama Slammers.
In 2005, Harris appeared as a ‘mystery guest’ on the comedy music quiz programme Never Mind the Buzzcocks.
Six years later, he was interviewed by Melvyn Bragg as part of the series Reel History of Britain, talking about rock and roll in Britain.
Rollercoaster Records published I Go Ape! – The Wee Willie Harris Story by Rob Finnis, a 88 page illustrated biography accompanied by a 30-track CD, featuring the best of Harris’s rock and roll recordings, in 2018.