Willie Weeks mural unveiled

Refusing to allow a thing like a little bad weather to keep Salemburg from honoring one of the town’s most gifted scions, the renowned bass guitarist Willie Weeks, the long-planned reveal of the mural honoring Weeks went forward on Thursday, June 6, with a slight change of venue and putting up a few tents to shelter event-goers from the elements. Despite the inclement weather, Willie Weeks Day and the unveiling of the mural completed in his honor by the North Carolina native, Chapel Hill-based mural artist Scott Nurkin still drew in a crowd of hundreds of enthusiasts, including dozens that had known the now world-famous musician in his youth.

“I didn’t know until today, but he’d even helped my granddaddy crop tobacco,” Mayor Joe Warren told the crowd, even more firmly establishing Weeks’ credentials as a southeastern North Carolina native. Weeks, born in 1947, grew up not terribly far from where the mayor did too, and still has family and friends in the Salemburg area, including siblings and a number of people that were there to see him begin his musical journey as a youth.

Weeks, a 2013 inductee of the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame, was honored by a number of local organizations aside from his hometown of Salemburg’s town board, with the Sampson County Arts Council and the North Carolina Arts Council on hand to recognize the bassist’s achievements since beginning his musical career in the 1960s. Ray Jordan, executive director of economic development for Sampson County and of the president of the Sampson Arts Council, presented Weeks with a “Resolution Recognizing Willie Weeks of Salemburg North Carolina for His Outstanding Musical Accomplishments,” and was happy to offer his sentiments meeting the globe-trotting musician: “It was a true honor to meet Mr. Willie Weeks and to celebrate the dedication of a mural in his honor. His extraordinary artistic talent, paired with his genuine humility, reminds us that the most remarkable individuals often seek no spotlight, even when their work shines brightly for the world to see.”

Nurkin was on hand for the unveiling as well, and seemed as much of a fan as any other attendee, noting that he had been very excited for the unveiling of this mural, which stands now as part of the NC Musicians Murals Trail, which includes more than 20 of the state’s most beloved native musical talents such as Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Nina Simone, Earl Scruggs, Randy Travis, Ben E. King and several others. This ever growing artistic endeavor got its start on a friendly wager between Nurkin and the owner of Pepper’s Pizza in Chapel Hill wherein Nurkin would paint the likeness of renowned NC musicians to cover a blank wall in the restaurant in exchange for “free pizza for life.”

Salemburg’s mural of Weeks is located at at the Strickland Building, 112 N Main St. — at the very heart of Salemburg, and now that it has been unveiled is ready for viewing by the general public.

As noted by Jordan, Willie Weeks was very gracious in acknowledging the recognition of all who came out to show their appreciation and support, accepting those awards and praise that were offered in a down to Earth and humble fashion throughout the evening. Despite having been around the world and toured with musical titans from a number of genres, even having it said of him by George Harrison of Beatles fame that he “would rather have Willie Weeks on bass than Paul McCartney.”