Pepé Willie - If You See Me: My Six-Decade Journey in Rock and Roll

IF YOU SEE ME

IF YOU SEE ME

MY SIX-DECADE JOURNEY IN ROCK AND ROLL

Pep Willie

with

Tony Kiene

Foreword by Clarence Collins

Title page: On a promotional tour with Prince in North Carolina, 1978

Text copyright 2020 by Pep Willie. Other materials copyright 2020 by the Minnesota Historical Society. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information, write to the Minnesota Historical Society Press, 345 Kellogg Blvd. W., St. Paul, MN 551021906.

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Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.481984.

International Standard Book Number

ISBN: 978-1-68134-176-7 (paper)

ISBN: 978-1-68134-181-1 (e-book)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Willie, Pep, 1948 author. | Kiene, Tony, author. | Collins, Clarence, writer of foreword.

Title: If you see me : my six-decade journey in rock and roll / Pep Willie with Tony Kiene ; foreword by Clarence Collins.

Description: Saint Paul : Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2020. | Includes index. | Summary: The story of Pep Willie, the Godfather of the Minneapolis Sound, who helped to groom and mentor the likes of Prince, Morris Day, Andr Cymone, and moreProvided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2020022204 | ISBN 9781681341767 (paperback) | ISBN 9781681341811 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: Willie, Pep, 1948 author. | Sound recording executives and producersMinnesotaMinneapolisBiography. | Rock musiciansMinnesotaMinneapolisBiography. | Prince. | LCGFT: Autobiographies.

Classification: LCC ML429.W553 A3 2020 | DDC 781.66092 [B]dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020022204

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To my mother, the late Agnes Collins Leake.

*

To my first musical inspiration, Uncle Clarence.

*

To the legendary Rock and Roll Hall of Famers
and my brothers for life,
Little Anthony and the Imperials.

*

To the late Teddy Randazzo.

*

To the greatest of all time, Prince.

*

To Kristie and Marcy.

*

And to my daughter, Danielle.

Let me tell you a story

From a long time ago.

Let me tell you, man,

I was there.

Livin in Brooklyn

Round the start of rock and roll.

There are things to remember

And stories to be told.

Let me tell you how I used to

Run up and down the stairs,

Playin gopher to all the stars,

Performing there.

Man, I can tell you about

Murray the K,

How he and Clay Cole

Could put on a show.

They had acts from all over.

Man, let me tell you.

The Shirelles, the Chantels,

The Chiffons and Ray Charles,

Little Anthony and the Imperials,

Johnny Mathis, the Coasters,

Chuck Jackson and Chubby Checker.

Man, I can tell you

I could go on forever.

The Paramount Theatre closed

Thats when it all broke loose

And things really got hot.

The shows moved to the Brooklyn Fox.

These groups did five, maybe

Six shows a day.

Back to back, Saturdays,

Sundays and Holidays.

The Temptations, the Vibrations,

The Marvelettes, were all there.

Ruby and the Romantics, the Four Tops,

Smokey Robinson and the Miracles,

Timi Yuro and Wayne Newton,

The Ronettes, Dionne Warwick,

And of course the Five Satins,

Dion and the Belmonts,

And a young Stevie Wonder.

Man let me tell you,

I could go on forever.

PEP WILLIE, 1987

CONTENTS

by Clarence Collins

by Kristie Lazenberry and Marcy Ingvoldstad

FOREWORD

MY SISTER AGNES gave birth to Pep Willie on July 22, 1948. Though Pep was my nephew, he was, in actuality, more like a younger brother.

We were both raised in Brooklyn. In my early teens, I founded a musical group that eventually became known as Little Anthony and the Imperials. My mid- to late-teen years were very exciting as our group became world famous, had several Top 10 hits, and toured the United States and overseas performing in a multitude of venues.

I first took Pep under my wing when he was a young teenager. Given the conditions in Brooklyn at the time, Pep was exposed to street crime and other undesirable things. However, he always had an abiding interest in music and in Little Anthony and the Imperials and our success.

Pep became our young assistant, so to speak. We would have him run errands and do our individual bidding. While working with us, he absorbed anything and everything he could regarding show business in general, and the music industry in particular. As it turned out, this early education contributed significantly to Peps own future successes.

Pep was always a kind, caring human being. He had a gentle, artistic side that bloomed when he was involved with Little Anthony and the Imperials and our music. He took that teaching, and his own significant talents, to Minneapolis, Minnesota, when he relocated there in 1974. Upon arriving in Minneapolis, he quickly established himself as a driving force in the music industry of that city, where he produced, composed, performed, arranged, and recorded music.

While pursuing his own career with his group, 94 East, Pep began to tutor Prince Rogers Nelson. He would squire Prince, only sixteen years old at the time, and his fellow musicians around Minneapolis to gigs and recording sessions. Pep became a trusted mentor to Prince and helped him greatly during the early years of his career.

In 1975, Pep brought Prince into the recording studio for the first time, making him lead guitarist of 94 East. While they planned Princes musical career, Pep opened up his home to Prince and was instrumental in preparing him for his first record deal with Warner Bros.

Pep went on to help Prince establish his first publishing company, act as Princes interim manager, promote Princes first concert, and accompany him on early promotional tours. Through the years, Prince continued to treat Pep as a mentor and would often call him for advice and assistance.

Princes untimely death in 2016 affected Pep deeply. Pep often wonders if there was something, anything, he could have done that may have changed the course of events so that Prince would still be alive today. Knowing Pep, I have no doubt that he did everything he possibly could do to help Prince at any phase of his life and career.

I feel like I am an older brother to Pep. I have mentored him in the music business just as he mentored Prince. I have observed firsthand his tremendous artistic talent as a writer, producer, arranger, recording artist, and performer. In my view, Pep Willie is one of the most talented people remaining today in the music business. I am thankful for our long association and for knowing Pep as I have all these years.