Little Willie Farmer

Willie Cris Farmer, known professionally as Little Willie Farmer (born June 2, 1956) is an American blues singer, guitarist, and songwriter. One reviewer described Farmer as "the best traditional Mississippi Blues artist today". He has released two albums and performed at various events and festivals.

Life and career He was born in Duck Hill, Mississippi, United States. The recording was a blend of his own material, plus a number of Farmer's own versions of older material such as "Goin to Louisiana", "Little Red Rooster", "Boogie Chillum", Little Schoolgirl", and "Rock Me Baby". On the recording, Farmer alternated between electric and acoustic guitar playing in a style reminiscent of Lightnin' Hopkins. Farmer was one of several artists then supported by the Music Maker Relief Foundation. The MMRF assisted his career with video production and getting him a passport so he could travel internationally. In 2019, Farmer's next album was The Man From the Hill. It was the first time that Farmer had spent any time in a recording studio, working as he was at the Delta-Sonic Sound Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. Farmer moved between Hill country blues and gospel on the recording, which was released by Big Legal Mess Records, a subsidiary of Fat Possum Records. Farmer hoped that takings from the album would enable him to retire from his auto repair business. Farmer stated "I'm trying to get out of that shop, I'm tried of messing with those cars. It's been a long time".

On October 31, 2021, Farmer entered the Solo Blues Challenge Competition at the Blue Biscuit in Indianola, Mississippi. Farmer explained "It was the best solo. They looked for clarity, it had to be your own song, they listened to the sound of the voice, how you performed, how it all comes together". Although the competition only had four entrants, Farmer was pleased to win, and said he was the youngest among the competitors. On February 2, 2022, Farmer performed at the Florida Gulf Coast University Blues Concert in Fort Myers, Florida. Farmer then played at the 2022 King Biscuit Blues Festival, and at the 2022 Telluride Blues & Brews Festival.