Little Willie John was born on 15 November 1937 in Cullendale, Arkansas, USA. He was married to Darlynn. He died on 26 May 1968 in Walla Walla, Washington, USA.
He was convicted of manslaughter in Washington in 1966 and sent to the state prison at Walla Walla. He died there two years later under somewhat mysterious circumstances, although the official cause of death was listed as pneumonia.