Born in Columbus, Ohio, Reverend Willie was first introduced to music at the age of six with some basic piano instruction. He was ready to pursue the discipline of classical instruction when the piano instructor came up pregnant (Willie insists that he didn't do it), and the instructor discontinued the lessons. At age seven he learned to play drums under the tutelage of his brother and played his first paid gig at age thirteen. He became a regular of the teenage "dip and dance" circuit around the Columbus swimming pools and school dances.

Willie moved to Millersport, Ohio at age sixteen and learned guitar. By seventeen he was playing the clubs in and around Licking County in a band called Mantis. After the bass player found Christianity and quit the band, Willie bought a bass (a 22 fret 1962 Fender Precision, very rare, and later stolen), and he found his home. Playing mostly heavy metal, he joined several traveling bands until he landed in a lounge band that did the Ramada circuit. The experience persuaded him to retire for fifteen years.

In 1995, the Reverend started a band with a long-time friend and discovered the blues with a passion. Five years later he joined The Dave Chisolm Band. Willie now uses a 64' Fender Precision and a 78' Fender Precision Fretless plugging them into a Mesa Impulse-600 combo. He doesn't use effects or stomp boxes cause he likes his tone low and warm. And, The Rev has been heard say that if he can't do it with his fingers he doesn't do it.