Willmer “Little Ax” Broadnax was a popular American gospel singer, member of one of the most popular gospel quartets in gospel history, and a trans man. Born in Houston Texas in 1916, Willmer was assigned female at birth. His family, however, embraced his gender identity and when Wilmer was 13 they confirmed him as male on the US census.

Little Ax, so named because of his height, was a powerful, crystal clear tenor, and that carried him and his talented younger brother William “Big Ax” Broadnax to a quartet called the Southern Gospel singers. In 1939 they moved to LA, where Willmer formed Little Ax and the Golden Echoes. Little Ax and The Golden Echoes became one of the most popular acts of the 40’s, but that wasn’t enough for Willmer. He went on to sing lead for the wildly successful Spirit of Memphis Quartet, earning up to $200 per week, the equivalent of $2,003 today. Little Ax was later part of the groups the Fairfield Four, Five Blind Boys of Mississippi. Eventually, the rise of Rock and Roll (with its gospel influences) spelled the end of Little Ax’s popularity, and he retired to Philadelphia with Big Ax.

Willmer’s life came to an end in 1992, the victim of a knife attack by his girlfriend, Lavinia Richardson. His voice, however, lives on in his music and in the documentary “Little Ax”, available for free on Youtube.