Born in Grenada, Mississippi, Willis was known for his signature style of muted guitar riffs which added a distinctive tone or "color" to the beat, often timed with the snare, of the hundreds of hit songs recorded at Hitsville U.S.A. for Motown artists.

Among the recordings Willis performed on are "Please Mr. Postman" by The Marvelettes, "The Way You Do the Things You Do" by The Temptations, "You Keep Me Hanging On" by The Supremes, and "I Was Made to Love Her" by Stevie Wonder.

Influences for Willis included Chet Atkins, Wes Montgomery, and Albert King.

He accepted an offer from Phil Collins to perform on his album of Motown and 1960s soul classics, Going Back.

Willis died on August 20, 2018, in Gore Springs, Mississippi from complications of polio at the age of 82.