Willy DeVille

Willy DeVille (August 25th, 1950 - August 6th, 2009) was an American singer-songwriter. He first rose to prominence as a member of his band Mink DeVille, a house band at the legendary CBGB, playing alongside bands such as Blondie and the Ramones. By 1980 Willy DeVille had sculpted the band to such an extent that no original members remained - he had been signed to Atlantic Records and he was creating some of the best music of his career. Although not seeing the same level of commercial success as some of his contemparies, Willy DeVille's music was a critical success. He continued to stretch his musical boundaries, taking in varied musical forms such as blues, mariachi, rhythm 'n' blues, roots, and straight rock and roll. Willy DeVille was touring up until his death from Pancreatic Cancer in 2009.