Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Willy John Ellison (born August 11, 1941) was born into poverty near Montgomery (Fayette County). After floodwaters destroyed their home when Willy was a toddler, the family relocated to southern West Virginia. His father, a mine worker and gospel enthusiast, frequently moved the family in search of steady employment, eventually settling in Landgraff in McDowell County.

Ellison’s earliest inspiration came from his father’s guitar playing. Willy received his first guitar at age 13, when he was working as a paperboy. His first performances were in church, though his mother initially disapproved, suggesting Willy was more interested in impressing girls than worshipping. His first paid performance followed at the miners’ union hall in nearby Keystone, and a junior high talent show win gave him the confidence to pursue music as a career.

The family later moved to Welch, again for mining work. Ellison resisted the idea of working underground, so he left school in the 10^th grade to support his family, taking a job as a bellhop at Carter’s Hotel. In 1959, he entered another talent contest. Despite being the clear winner, the results were denied him; a live microphone revealed a racial slur from the judges. The experience strengthened his resolve to escape both poverty and racism.

With only three dollars in his pocket and against his parents’ wishes, Ellison left for Rochester, New York, to pursue music. He first played with The Continentals before joining The Soul Brothers Six in 1967. A small Philadelphia label invited the group to record. Although the move meant leaving his girlfriend behind, she encouraged him to go. Thinking of her, Ellison wrote the now classic “Some Kind of Wonderful.”

In Philadelphia, the Soul Brothers Six had already recorded three songs for the label, but when asked if they had more material, Ellison introduced his new composition. It impressed the recording executive, and Atlantic Records soon signed them. The song quickly became a favorite on Black radio stations, propelling the band onto tours and even to the stage of New York’s famed Apollo Theater.

By 1969, management troubles had caused the group to dissolve. Ellison played with other acts, including the Knockouts and Candy and the Red Hots, and even tried to reform The Soul Brothers Six before launching a solo career.

Though he never replicated the success of his breakout hit, “Some Kind of Wonderful” has lived on. While it peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard R&B chart, the song gained mainstream popularity when Grand Funk Railroad’s 1974 cover reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. It has since been recorded by numerous artists, including Aaron Neville, Huey Lewis and the News, Buddy Guy, and Ringo Starr. In 1994, Broadcast Music, Inc. recognized it as the third most-played song in the world.

Ellison continues to perform internationally and has even launched a line of Some Kind of Wonderful gourmet seasonings. In 2015, he was inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.