I have this self-same beautiful ole gal, this very 1959 Hammond C3 / Leslie 22R that was upgraded to a 122 sitting in my music studio at this very moment. I'm here to tell you that I will be **ETERNALLY** grateful to the folks at the Hannibal (MO) Pentecostal Church (and the New Life Pentecostal Church, they built a new church, taking this organ with them). This might sound like a back-handed compliment, but I'm seriously absolutely **THRILLED** that those poor people let a Hammond (organ) tech talk them into ANYTHING he (the tech) wanted to do to that organ, because he turned their 1 speed Leslie into a 2 speed, BUT, because she spent most of her life as a 1 speed, this Leslie will **ALWAYS** have the sweetest ramp times of **ANY** Leslie that I have seriously heard in all of my 54 years, and I've played thousands of Hammonds, and I own two other Hammond/Leslie rigs plus a digital Nord Electro 61 5D.... AND, at some point, I **GUESS** this organ's original pre-amp needed some type of repair, and instead of doing the appropriate repair job, the tech talked them into just swapping out the amp for a solid-state "Trek-II" pre-amp, which is considered by many as a VERY GOOD upgrade, which makes this organ SCREAM like you hear in this video with absolutely NO distortion. I mean, I can floor the expression/volume pedal - wide open! - and this sweet ole gal will sing at the top of her precious lungs with NO distortion **AT ALL**. And THIS LESLIE! After playing her for a good month, I finally could resist no more and I had to take the back middle panel off the thing to see if SHE had been modified with an upgrade in the driver that produces the sound. NOPE! This Leslie is **COMPLETELY STOCK!** when it comes to the driver that produces the sound (the motors that makes the things that go 'twirly' were what was upgraded, which have nothing to do with the actual volume of the sound). I have two other Leslie 122s in the same room and I can tell you that I ain't NEVER heard another Leslie 122 scream like THIS. I have to keep the main volume pot set on an "8", because if I go any higher, she will start to smoke, and your ears will be tempted to BLEED! In summary, Thanks for EVERYTHING, Reverend Michael Niffen: My husband of 19 years STILL says that YOU knew that **I** knew that this ORGAN has a SOUL and that **I** absolutely worshipped the ground that Bishop Phil Willis walked on even BEFORE my birth, up to his death. **I** was the one that stood by his grave as they lowered his body into the ground, and I will love that man UNCONDITIONALLY for instilling the musical heritage that I have in MY life, the PIZZAZZ that I have for life - and SO MUCH MORE! THANK YOU!!!
@@pastortravisj.robertson2274 He was from Hannibal, MO - born 'n' raised - and that's where his remains are resting eternally, in the same cemetery as most of my mother's side of the family - and his family, too. I now own this very same 1959 Hammond C3 / 122. Not one just LIKE it. This VERY organ. Pastor Michael Niffen from the Hannibal Pentecostal Church sold it to me. I heard Phil play this organ since he was 12 - and I was 2 weeks old, May 26, 1968, until his family moved to Chicago and my family moved from Hannibal, MO to Quincy, IL. THEN, he was "From Chicago". Y'all ADOPTED him. Hannibal had him first. Hannibal got him last. After all, my sister and I stood there last as he was lowered into the ground. I couldn't leave his side until I knew he was gone for good and he wasn't coming back. The music - the pizazz - that he instilled in me - even the FRAGRANCE that he wore when he was young (that I wear to THIS DAY) - has kept me from killing people that know good and damned well that they deserve it and some big, bald guy in prison should have made me their permanent bitch in prison long ago. (I have lived in St. Louis since 1995). I rarely return to the area. Not much up there for me anymore. BUT, if I DO occasionally return for the occasional festival, I stop at the cemetery and have a little chat with Phil.
@@sotiredoverit4590 June 14, 2013 at 7:02 PM in the parking lot of a tanning salon. I stayed at the cemetery in Hannibal, MO, when they lowered him into the ground. I couldn't leave his side until I knew he was gone. I have 2 other Hammond organs in my collection, but I would have never touched a single note in my life had it not been for the fantastic musical heritage that this man instilled upon me. At the age of TWO WEEKS OLD, **PHIL** playing THIS particular Hammond C3 organ - this self same machine, was the first Hammond organ I ever heard in my life - on May 25. 1968, when he was 12. On January 1, 2019. **THIS** same organ was moved from its home in Hannibal, MO, a Pentecostal church that bought it in 1962, into the music studio in my home. Along with 32 other keyboard, I play this one daily. This ole gal really is as fantastic as my memory held true over the past 50 years! I feel so blessed to have it in my home!!
Seriously, I’m sure everybody has already commented on this, but I feel so inadequate how much better than me he’s killing this organ with white usher gloves on to boot….
My God Today👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾. Ive just learned of this gentleman. I see he has passed away. What an Anointed gift he was.
one of the best traditional gospel players on the net. I'm grateful he left behind so much. R.I.P. Bishop.
I have this self-same beautiful ole gal, this very 1959 Hammond C3 / Leslie 22R that was upgraded to a 122 sitting in my music studio at this very moment.
I'm here to tell you that I will be **ETERNALLY** grateful to the folks at the Hannibal (MO) Pentecostal Church (and the New Life Pentecostal Church, they built a new church, taking this organ with them).
This might sound like a back-handed compliment, but I'm seriously absolutely **THRILLED** that those poor people let a Hammond (organ) tech talk them into ANYTHING he (the tech) wanted to do to that organ, because he turned their 1 speed Leslie into a 2 speed, BUT, because she spent most of her life as a 1 speed, this Leslie will **ALWAYS** have the sweetest ramp times of **ANY** Leslie that I have seriously heard in all of my 54 years, and I've played thousands of Hammonds, and I own two other Hammond/Leslie rigs plus a digital Nord Electro 61 5D....
AND, at some point, I **GUESS** this organ's original pre-amp needed some type of repair, and instead of doing the appropriate repair job, the tech talked them into just swapping out the amp for a solid-state "Trek-II" pre-amp, which is considered by many as a VERY GOOD upgrade, which makes this organ SCREAM like you hear in this video with absolutely NO distortion. I mean, I can floor the expression/volume pedal - wide open! - and this sweet ole gal will sing at the top of her precious lungs with NO distortion **AT ALL**. And THIS LESLIE! After playing her for a good month, I finally could resist no more and I had to take the back middle panel off the thing to see if SHE had been modified with an upgrade in the driver that produces the sound.
NOPE! This Leslie is **COMPLETELY STOCK!** when it comes to the driver that produces the sound (the motors that makes the things that go 'twirly' were what was upgraded, which have nothing to do with the actual volume of the sound).
I have two other Leslie 122s in the same room and I can tell you that I ain't NEVER heard another Leslie 122 scream like THIS.
I have to keep the main volume pot set on an "8", because if I go any higher, she will start to smoke, and your ears will be tempted to BLEED!
In summary, Thanks for EVERYTHING, Reverend Michael Niffen: My husband of 19 years STILL says that YOU knew that **I** knew that this ORGAN has a SOUL and that **I** absolutely worshipped the ground that Bishop Phil Willis walked on even BEFORE my birth, up to his death. **I** was the one that stood by his grave as they lowered his body into the ground, and I will love that man UNCONDITIONALLY for instilling the musical heritage that I have in MY life, the PIZZAZZ that I have for life - and SO MUCH MORE!
THANK YOU!!!
Today is 11/11/20 and i just found his music and i love it
i sure do miss this Man. What a GIFT.
Phil's been hanging out in black churches I hear it in his style. Very nice. Saved to my playlist.
He was from Chicago so First church of Deliverance is all
In him
I watched a videos of him, he gives me a bi-racial vibe
@@pastortravisj.robertson2274 He was from Hannibal, MO - born 'n' raised - and that's where his remains are resting eternally, in the same cemetery as most of my mother's side of the family - and his family, too.
I now own this very same 1959 Hammond C3 / 122. Not one just LIKE it. This VERY organ. Pastor Michael Niffen from the Hannibal Pentecostal Church sold it to me. I heard Phil play this organ since he was 12 - and I was 2 weeks old, May 26, 1968, until his family moved to Chicago and my family moved from Hannibal, MO to Quincy, IL.
THEN, he was "From Chicago". Y'all ADOPTED him. Hannibal had him first. Hannibal got him last.
After all, my sister and I stood there last as he was lowered into the ground. I couldn't leave his side until I knew he was gone for good and he wasn't coming back.
The music - the pizazz - that he instilled in me - even the FRAGRANCE that he wore when he was young (that I wear to THIS DAY) - has kept me from killing people that know good and damned well that they deserve it and some big, bald guy in prison should have made me their permanent bitch in prison long ago.
(I have lived in St. Louis since 1995).
I rarely return to the area. Not much up there for me anymore. BUT, if I DO occasionally return for the occasional festival, I stop at the cemetery and have a little chat with Phil.
@@Michaelraymondonkeys I like you. You catch on quick. 😉
@@michaelkeller6613 awww I miss him
Dang. RIP Bishop Willis. I found him joking around but still playing heavy and praising heavy on IG. But Unc could REALLLY play.
One of my favorite organist!!! RIP Bishop Willis.
My kind of gospel music the old-fashioned way Bishop Willis been around a lot of black churches I hear it in his play ing the Oregon
RIP BISHOP PHIL WILLIS!!!
White Gloves or not, he could indeed play.
Terrence Dooley ,
When did Phil die. ?
@@sotiredoverit4590 June 14, 2013 at 7:02 PM in the parking lot of a tanning salon. I stayed at the cemetery in Hannibal, MO, when they lowered him into the ground. I couldn't leave his side until I knew he was gone.
I have 2 other Hammond organs in my collection, but I would have never touched a single note in my life had it not been for the fantastic musical heritage that this man instilled upon me.
At the age of TWO WEEKS OLD, **PHIL** playing THIS particular Hammond C3 organ - this self same machine, was the first Hammond organ I ever heard in my life - on May 25. 1968, when he was 12.
On January 1, 2019. **THIS** same organ was moved from its home in Hannibal, MO, a Pentecostal church that bought it in 1962, into the music studio in my home. Along with 32 other keyboard, I play this one daily. This ole gal really is as fantastic as my memory held true over the past 50 years! I feel so blessed to have it in my home!!
Absolutely beautiful touch!!!
The Vintage Hammond Organ lives on!!!
I'm weak! So beautiful!
I miss you uncle! 😢
Yes, SIR!!🙌🏾
a youtube legend
Awesome
Wow amazing
lovely
Man do I miss him 😢😢😢
I would not say master,, but he did have talent! I enjoyed him!
Seriously, I’m sure everybody has already commented on this, but I feel so inadequate how much better than me he’s killing this organ with white usher gloves on to boot….
I haf no idea!!! How did he pass??
Heart attack
Omg, just finding out who he is
PLAY SIR
Anyone knows when he pasted
About 8 yrs ago
And with gloves on my my.
Play Phil Willis