Musician’s Corner Feature – McKinney Williams Jr

Feb 2, 2023 | Blog, Musician's Corner, Trinity River Blues Society

McKinney Williams Jr., also known as WorkHorse, is a blues artist from Jackson, Mississippi. He is the son of legendary front porch blues artist “BluesMan” McKinney Williams and owner of Monsta Entertainment (the record label his father is signed to). WorkHorse only recently picked up the guitar – seven months ago – after his father suffered a stroke in July 2022.

In 2016, WorkHorse’s father won the BB King Blues Artist of The Year Award – an impressive feat for any artist in the genre and a source of great pride for WorkHorse and his family. Now by taking on the blues himself, WorkHorse seeks to continue in his father’s footsteps while carving out a name and legacy of his own in the music industry. 

Despite having only been playing for such a short time, WorkHorse has already developed an impressive talent for producing and playing authentic blues music. His success on this instrument has made it clear that he has inherited some of his father’s musical genius. In addition to being a blues artist, WorkHorse is also a rapper and entrepreneur who created the King Of The Slab Car Show Series, which saw 7 major car shows produced in the Dallas area.

A proud Mississippian, WorkHorse has been inspired by the many talented blues musicians from his home state and strives to honor their legacy through his own unique musical style. He cites artists like B.B King, Muddy Waters, Elmo James and Bobby Rush as major influences in his work and incorporates elements of traditional Delta Blues into each song he produces. Beyond that, his sound often contains traces of jazz, hip-hop and electronic music – making him one of the most versatile artists on the scene today.

WorkHorse is clearly dedicated to following in his father’s footsteps and becoming a successful musician himself. With performances across multiple genres and ever-growing acclaim from audiences everywhere, it’s safe to say that we can expect big things from this rising star.

 It will be interesting to see where this young talent takes us over the next few years!