Willie Buck & Bob Corritore - Oh Yeah!

Release date: June 20, 2025

VizzTone/SWMAF Records

By Robin Zimmerman

Willie Buck

Blues man Willie Buck might be pushing 88, but the former auto mechanic still has plenty of musical mojo left in the tank. In fact, with another stellar album on the horizon, it looks like Buck is shifting into high gear this year.

 Hot on the heels of his 2024 Delmark release, Willie Buck and the Delmark All-Stars, Live at Buddy Guy’s, Buck has teamed up with harmonica ace, Bob Corritore and a host of other highly regarded musicians on Oh Yeah, which pays homage to the traditional Chicago blues vocal style that the Mississippi-born Buck has been belting out for decades.

Oh Yeah represents the latest release coming out of Corritore’s “From the Vaults” collection, as he continues his mission to boost the profile of old-school musicians like Buck. It’s also a payback of sorts since Buck signed Corritore on to play in his band in the late seventies, which gave Corritore the opportunity to perform with many of his early Chicago blues heroes. The band often included Louis and Dave Myers, Big Moose Walker, Odie Payne and Byther Smith. Corritore moved to Arizona in the early eighties, but the two men remained close with Buck making frequent stops at Corritore’s Rhythm Room in Phoenix.

Like other “From the Vaults,” releases, Oh Yeah is a compilation of recordings that Corritore has captured from the studio sessions he schedules when these legendary artists come to town. In a recent phone interview, Corritore said that they did “three really powerful sessions” while Buck was in Phoenix and had more than enough to put together a record that he likens to “a downhome Muddy Waters record for the year 2025.”

But the buck doesn’t stop with Willie Buck, Corritore also brought on some of today’s top practitioners of traditional Chicago blues on Oh Yeah. The list of luminaries includes Bob Margolin, Jimi “Primetime” Smith, and Billy Flynn on guitar, Bob Stroger on bass, Anthony Geraci and Ben Levin on keys with Wes Starr on drums. One track, “Went Home this Morning” was recorded in 2010 and features Mojo Mark Cihlar and Jon Atkinson on guitar, Troy Sandow on bass and drummer Brian Fahey. Corritore noted that Buck’s “got game” so it was the right move to have a deep bench of talented blues artists back him up. 

And make no mistake, Oh Yeah is pure unfiltered Chicago blues with Buck’s powerful vocals front and center. Several of Buck’s compositions are also featured on Oh Yeah. Corritore said that Buck’s songs are “all these streams of consciousness sort of things, which I really enjoy because there’s some real honesty to everything that he sings about. They’re thematic and they’re storytelling and they all feature Willie’s wonderful Mississippi to Chicago voice.”

That voice takes us back to the golden age of Chicago blues starting with the opening track, “Oh Yeah” (written by Bo Diddley and recorded by Muddy Waters) conjuring up the flavor of those old South Side clubs that Buck used to hit up. The work of another wily veteran, 94-year-old, bassist Bob Stroger, is also key to achieving the goal of delivering straight-up Chicago blues on Oh Yeah. Corritore said that these two elder statesmen “got to honor the Muddy Waters sound together and it’s spectacular.”

This mood is also apparent on Oh Yeah’s song selection with Waters’ “She’s Alright” and “Baby Please Don’t Go” included on this masterful 10-track mix of music. Corritore said that one of the reasons they took on Waters’ covers was because “Willie Buck was always the guy who kept the Muddy Waters style alive in the South Side neighborhoods.” 

In another nod to Waters’ influence, his former guitar player, Bob Margolin is on board to add even more authenticity. Margolin showcases his skills and Muddy-approved stylings on the Waters’ covers as well as several other songs. But he’s not the only axe master on this album. You’ve also got the prolific Jimi “Primetime” Smith killing it on rhythms with Chicago favorite Billy Flynn coming on to contribute some mighty-fine slide guitar. Flynn also penned “Money Can’t Buy Everything” which is another stand-out on Oh Yeah. Corritore said that Flynn brought the song into the session and Buck delivered by “singing it with such distinction.”

Buck also holds the distinction of having some major “game” going on which is manifested in the songs he has penned on Oh Yeah.  Whether he’s cajoling a gal with a “Brand New Cell Phone” or expressing dismay at “the most goodest man” being rejected on “She Turned Me Down,” Buck lays it all on the line in his own unflappable fashion.

Buck certainly wraps things up with a swagger. On the final track, his “Let Me Find Out Your Name,” Buck does everything from calling himself “Johnny B. Goode” to letting the lady know that “I don’t want to buy you, I just want to share my wealth.” At the end, he proclaims that “I don’t think I can do it again” but he’s already done making his presence known.

Tying it all together is the omnipresent Corritore. Although he has over thirty releases to his credit, it’s obvious that he’s in his comfort zone playing traditional Chicago blues. He noted that he enjoyed being in “that bag” and added that “it’s going home when I play that stuff with Willie. I think people will like my harmonica offerings on this. So unforced, so flowing and so Chicago.”

Oh Yeah drops on June 20th and Corritore along with Arizona sidekick, Jimi “Primetime” Smith will be coming to the Chicago area to do a trifecta of CD release shows with Buck. They play at the Nordlof Center in Rockford on Friday, June 20th with Billy Flynn, Bob Stroger and Steve Bass. The action moves over to Rosa’s Lounge on Saturday, June 21st with Corritore, Flynn, Smith, Harlan Terson and Steve Bass. They close out their CD release weekend on Sunday, June 22nd at SPACE in Evanston with an all-star cast that includes Corritore, Flynn, Smith, and Bob Stroger with drummer Kenny Smith.

Corritore is looking forward to coming home for these shows and demonstrating Buck and the band’s “heavy dedication to the traditional blues sound.” He added that “Willie plays around Chicago a lot, but he doesn’t play in Chicago with this combination of people.”

So, whether you’re catching one of the CD release shows or playing Oh Yeah in your car on repeat, you’re in for a treat. Oh Yeah is straight-up, no frills Chicago blues that features an incredible band behind the man who has been consistently on the money since he came to Chicago in 1953. Hats off to Mr. Willie Buck and thanks to Bob Corritore and friends for making this CD happen.

About the Author: Blues enthusiast Robin Zimmerman, a.k.a. Rockin' Robin, writes a Blues Blog and is a regular contributor to Chicago Blues Guide

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website: www.bobcorritore.com