The Big Doowopper March 28, 2009

Cornell Williams, aka The Big DooWopper, was born partially blind, but completely lost his sight at the age of 17 due to cataracts. He started piano lessons at the age of six before moving to Chicago with his parents. Chicago exposed him to the thriving blues scene and earned him his nickname DooWopper, singing with his parents and friends in a street corner doo wop group. In the early '70s, he played live sporadically, but by the early '80s, he was shopping around crude demos while playing on the sidewalks and train stations of Chicago. His demo finally reached the right hands in 1999, giving him the time to cut an impressive version of Prince's 'Purple Rain,' overdubbing his gospelized keyboards and five part doo wop harmony. Delmark issued his debut 'All in the Joy' in 2000. Since then he's released 'Feel the Spirit,' a tribute to gospel legend Mahalia Jackson.