Better Late Than Never: Willis Gets His Due
By Kevin Robinson in Arts & Entertainment on Jul 16, 2009 4:00PM
American Landmark Properties of Skokie is finally taking steps to recognize an iconic, if lesser-known Chicago personality. That's because today American Landmark Properties has made official the name change of the Sears Tower to the Willis Tower. And Chicagoist couldn't agree more - nearly six years since the death of Chicago busker, musician and artist Wesley Wiliis, he's finally getting his due in the form of a landmark office tower bearing his name.
If you're not familiar with Willis's oeuvre, don't feel bad. His fun and rollicking mix of rock 'n' roll and outsider art isn't the sort of thing that occupies the popular consciousness, at least not until today. Born Wesley Shabazz Willis on May 31, 1963, he grew up in foster homes here in Chicago and, in spite of the outsider status conferred upon him by mental illness and a creative streak that didn't fit into other social norms, he became a cult figure in the Chicago art and alternative music scene, releasing more than 50 albums, many with over 20 songs each. His musical style, which featured a simple musical structure which emphasized his humorous and clever lyrics left an indelible imprint on the popular culture of our city. Besides being a recording artist, Willis, who coped with his paranoid schizophrenia through his art, left not only a burgeoning catalog of music, but also a veritable cornucopia of drawings, offering all of us a glimpse of the city through his eyes. Although Willis passed away on August 21, 2003, his work and his perspective live on in his recordings and drawings, and now, thanks to American Landmark Properties, his name will forever be immortalized on the skyline of the city he called home. Thanks, Willis.