Mar 7, 2021
Willie George Hale, one of Arkansas’s great behind-the-scenes musicians, was born 75 years ago in Forrest City. Hale became an important and widely respected R&B guitarist, both in studio sessions and as a solo artist, and his tunes later became sampling fodder for the likes of Jay-Z and Erykah Badu.
Hale’s 1970s-era albums — released under his childhood nickname “Little Beaver” — are steeped in mellow funk, groove-filled R&B, and bluesy disco. And this year, Hale’s classic “Party Down” album was reissued on vinyl LP — the first time it’s been available in the U.S. on its original format since its initial release nearly a half-century ago.
