Willie Hightower was an early fixture in Chicago jazz. The husband of pianist Lottie Hightower, he led a band in New Orleans on and off during 1908-20 including one called the American Stars. After moving to Chicago in 1921, Hightower played with a variety of obscure groups and then was featured with Carroll Dickerson's Orchestra and his wife's big band (Lottie E. Hightower's Night Hawks). He played in local shows during the 1930's and gigged with Andrew Hilaire in 1933 before retiring from music to work fulltime at the Musicians Union. Willie Hightower recorded two numbers ("Boar Hog Blues" and "Squeeze Me") during his only set as a leader in 1927.
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