Mott Willis (b. June 5, 1896 in Crystal Springs, Copiah County, Mississippi, d. October 1982 in Crystal Springs, Mississippi) was a country blues artist from Copiah County, Mississippi, who grew up listening to the music of his family members and other musicians in the Mississippi Delta region. Mott Willis was active in the fertile Mississippi Delta blues scene during the 1920s and 1930s. He performed alongside legendary figures like Tommy Johnson, Willie Brown, and Charley Patton. Unfortunately, no commercial audio tracks survive from his early prime. Willus became known and "rediscovered" primarily through field recordings made by musicologist David Evans over several sessions between 1967 and 1978, which preserved his acoustic country blues style for future generations. His recordings showcase a variety of blues styles and are available on several compilation albums.
Discography: Big Road Blues (1970) VA; Way Back Yonder ... (Original Country Blues Volume 3, 1979) VA; Giants Of Country Blues Guitar 1967-81 (1988) VA; Giants Of Country Blues Vol. 3 (1992) VA; Bottleneck Blues (1995) VA; Mott Willis & Others: Blues At Home 13 (2013) VA.
