*The music world has lost a foundational figure of 1970s funk with the passing of Louis “Douaam” Villery Jr., the acclaimed bassist, songwriter, and founder of the influential group The African Music Machine. Villery died on Saturday, September 13, 2025, in Carlisle, Arkansas. He was 84.
Born on Christmas Day, 1940, in Lake Charles, Louisiana, to Louis and Ella Cormier Villery, Louis Villery’s life was deeply intertwined with music. He often described his prodigious talent as a gift from God, a gift he honed into a remarkable career. While he would achieve recognition under the name Rasheed, his most enduring legacy is the creation of The African Music Machine, a Louisiana-based funk ensemble whose grooves have been sampled by hip-hop artists and revered by funk aficionados for decades.
Despite an impressive and extensive list of credits, including performances and collaborations with blues legends B.B. King and Bobby Blue Bland, Villery was remembered by his family as a man who “always remained humble and true to his Creole heritage.” His career was a testament to both his immense skill and his deep respect for the musical traditions that shaped him.
Villery’s personal life was centered around his large and loving family. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, John Edward Villery and Joseph Henry Villery; and the love of his life, his wife, Doris Virginia Binford-Villery.
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His legacy continues through his nine children—Mahlon Stewart, Sharon Villery-Lewis, Carla Villere-Jenkins, Rhonda Stewart, Pamelia Villery Hoof (Ronnie), Mahsa Villery, Sierra Stevenson-Moody, Jamal Harris, and Adrian King—as well as many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and friends.
A funeral service to celebrate the life of Louis Villery Jr. will be held on Saturday, September 27th, at 1:00 p.m. at the Boyd Funeral Home Chapel, located at 207 E 2nd Street in Lonoke, Arkansas. A repast will follow immediately after the service at the Lonoke Community Center’s Multipurpose Conference Room (1355 Front St SW, Lonoke, AR 72086).
Louis “Douaam” Villery Jr. may have left the stage, but the deep, resonant basslines and funky rhythms he gifted the world will ensure his music plays on.
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