Eddie Willis (born 1936, in Grenada, Mississippi) is an African-American musician. Willis played electric guitar and sitar for Motown Records' in-house Funk Brothers band during the 1960s and early 1970s. Grenada is a city located in Grenada County, Mississippi. ... Left: Rosa Hurricane, a heavy metal-style solid body guitar. ... Premla Shahane playing a sitar, 1927 The sitar is probably the best-known Indian instrument in the West. ... Motown Records, Inc. ... The Funk Brothers were the house band at Detroits Motown Records from 1959 to 1972, when the company moved to Los Angeles. ...

Willis is known for his signature style of muted guitar riffs which added a distinctive tone or "color" to the beat (often timed with the snare) of the hundreds of hit songs recorded at Hitsville U.S.A. for Motown artists, Hitsville U.S.A, as seen in The Temptations (1998). ... Motown Records, Inc. ...

Influences

• Chet Atkins
• Wes Montgomery
• Albert King

Chet Atkins Chester Burton Chet Atkins (June 20, 1924 – June 30, 2001) was an influential guitarist and record producer. ... John Leslie Wes Montgomery was an African-American jazz guitarist. ... Albert King performing at the Wattstax Concert, 1972. ...

Instruments Played

• Early '60s Gibson Firebird
• mid-'60s Gibson ES 335
• Coral Sitar

Notable Recording Sessions Performed On

(Note: Not a complete list) Please Mr. ... The Marvelettes in the early 1960s. ... Mary Esther Wells (May 13, 1943–July 26, 1992) was an American soul and R&B singer. ... The Way You Do the Things You Do is a 1964 hit single by The Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label. ... The Temptations (also abbreviated as The Tempts or The Temps) are an American Motown singing group whose repertoire has included doo-wop, soul, psychedelia, funk, disco, R&B, and adult contemporary. ... Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. ... Jr. ... You Keep Me Hangin On is a 1966 hit song recorded by The Supremes for the Motown label. ... The Supremes were a very successful Motown all-female singing group active from 1959 until 1977, performing at various times doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway showtunes, psychedelia, and disco. ... I Second That Emotion is a 1967 hit single by The Miracles for the Tamla (Motown) label. ... The Miracles (known from 1965 to 1972 as Smokey Robinson & the Miracles) are an American R&B/soul group from Detroit, Michigan, notable as the first successful group act for Berry Gordys Motown Records. ... I Was Made To Love Her is an album by Stevie Wonder, released in 1967 under Motown Records. ... ← Stevie Wonder is the stage name of Steveland Morris (born May 13, 1950 as Steveland Judkins[1]), an American singer, songwriter, record producer, musician, and social activist. ... For Once In My Life is song, written by Ron Miller and Orlando Murden. ... ← Stevie Wonder is the stage name of Steveland Morris (born May 13, 1950 as Steveland Judkins[1]), an American singer, songwriter, record producer, musician, and social activist. ... The Pips redirects here. ...

References

• Justman, Paul (Director). (2002) Standing in the Shadows of Motown [Motion picture]. New York: Artisan Entertainment.