Roosevelt "Baby Face" Willette (September 11, 1933 – April 1, 1971) was an American hard bop and soul-jazz musician who played the Hammond organ.
He was born Roosevelt James Willett (no "e"), in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1933 according to researchers Bob Eagle and Eric LeBlanc,[1] though other sources state 1934 or 1937.
[2] He spent his early career travelling across the United States, Canada and Cuba, as pianist with the bands of King Kolax, Joe Houston, Johnny Otis and Big Jay McNeely, among others.
[2][3] He made his first recording as Baby Face Willette ("Wake Up, Get Out" b/w "Cool Blues") in Los Angeles in 1952, but soon moved to Chicago and married.
In late 1960, after splitting from his wife and addicted to heroin,[2] he arrived in New York City where he met Lou Donaldson and Grant Green, and played on a few Blue Note sessions with them.