Willie Tee
A New Orleans musical polymath whose funky rhythms and productions became the backbone of the city's R&B and carnival sound.
1944–2007 (age 63)·Musical artist·Birthday: February 6·The Silent Generation
Biography
Willie Tee, born Wilson Turbinton, was the kind of New Orleans musician who operated as the city's rhythmic secret weapon. From his early 1960s hit "Teasin' You" with his band The Souls, he demonstrated a knack for blending gritty soul vocals with the intricate, percussive piano patterns that would define the New Orleans funk sound. He wasn't just a frontman; as a producer and arranger at his own studio, he helped shape the records of legends like The Neville Brothers and Dr. John. His own group, The Gaturs, created deep-cut funk instrumentals prized by collectors. In the 1970s, he co-founded the Wild Magnolias, fusing Mardi Gras Indian chants and costumes with full-band funk, a groundbreaking move that brought a traditionally street-level culture to global stages. Though Hurricane Katrina devastated his home and archives, Tee's spirit was unbroken, and he continued performing until his death, leaving behind a legacy etched into the very groove of his hometown.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Willie was born in 1944, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Willie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1944
#1 Movie
Going My Way
Best Picture
Going My Way
Willie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1944Born
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1949Started school
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1957Became a teenager
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1960Could drive
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1962Could vote
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1965Turned 21
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1974Turned 30
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1984Turned 40
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 50
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 60
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Died at 63
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
Key Achievements
- Recorded the classic New Orleans soul hit "Teasin' You" in 1965 with his band The Souls.
- Co-founded and was the musical director for the Wild Magnolias, pioneering the fusion of Mardi Gras Indian music with funk.
- Produced and arranged for major New Orleans artists, including sessions for The Neville Brothers and Dr. John.
- His instrumental work with the band The Gaturs, like "Gator Bait," became highly sought-after by funk collectors and samplers.
Did You Know?
He was the older brother of jazz saxophonist Earl Turbinton.
He performed at the inaugural New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 1970.
After Hurricane Katrina, he relocated to Houston but frequently returned to New Orleans to perform.
His song "Smoke My Peace Pipe (Smoke It Right)" with the Wild Magnolias was featured in the video game "Grand Theft Auto IV."
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