Don Williams

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Donald Ray Williams (May 27, 1939[1] – September 8, 2017)[2] was an American country music singer, songwriter, and 2010 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He began his solo career in 1971, singing popular ballads and amassing 17 number- one country hits. His straightforward yet smooth bass-baritone voice, soft tones, and imposing build earned him the nickname "The Gentle Giant". In 1975, Williams starred in a movie with Burt Reynolds and Jerry Reed called W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings.[3]

Williams has had a strong influence over a variety of performers of different genres. His songs have been recorded by singers such as Johnny Cash, Eric Clapton, Ray Scott, Juice Newton, Leon Russell, Lefty Frizzell, Josh Turner, Sonny James, Alison Krauss, Billy Dean, Charley Pride, Kenny Rogers, Lambchop, Alan Jackson, Tomeu Penya, Telly Savalas, Waylon Jennings, Pete Townshend, and Tortoise with Bonnie "Prince" Billy.[4] His music is also popular internationally, including in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Ukraine, India, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Namibia and Zimbabwe.[5] In 2010, the Country Music Association inducted Don Williams into the Country Music Hall of Fame.[6]

Early years

Williams was born the youngest of three sons, on May 27, 1939, in Floydada, Texas, United States.[1] His parents were Loveta Mae (née Lambert; 1914 – 2007) and James Andrew "Jim" Williams (1898 – 1982).[7] He grew up in Portland, Texas, and graduated from Gregory-Portland High School in 1958. After Williams' parents divorced, Loveta Williams remarried, first to Chester Lang and then to Robert Bevers.[8]

On July 20, 1963, Williams' eldest brother Kenneth died from electrocution when he accidentally touched a live wire. He was 29 years old.[9]

Prior to forming the folk-pop group Pozo-Seco Singers, Williams served with the United States Army Security Agency for two years. After an honorable discharge, he worked various odd jobs to support his family and himself.[10][11]

With the Pozo-Seco Singers, Williams, alongside Susan Taylor and Lofton Cline, recorded several records for Columbia Records.[12] He remained with the group until 1969; it disbanded the following year.

Solo career

After the Pozo-Seco Singers disbanded, Williams briefly worked outside the music industry.[12] Soon, however, Williams resumed his career in music. In December 1971, Williams signed on as a songwriter for Jack Clement with Jack Music Inc. In 1972, Williams inked a contract with JMI Records as a solo country artist. His 1974 song "We Should Be Together" reached number five, and he signed with ABC/Dot Records.[13] At the height of the country and western boom in the UK in 1976, he had top-40 pop chart hits with "You're My Best Friend" and "I Recall a Gypsy Woman".[14]

His first single with ABC/Dot, "I Wouldn't Want to Live If You Didn't Love Me," became a number-one hit, and was the first of a string of top-10 hits he had between 1974 and 1991. Only four of his 46 singles did not make it to the top 10 during that time.[15]

"I Believe in You", written by Roger Cook and Sam Hogin, was Williams' 11th number one on the country chart.[16] It was his only top-40 chart entry in the U.S., where it peaked at number 24. It was also a hit in Australia, New Zealand, and Europe.[17]

Williams had some minor roles in Burt Reynolds movies. In 1975, he appeared as a member of the Dixie Dancekings band in the movie W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings, alongside Reynolds.[1] Williams also appeared as himself in the Universal Pictures movie Smokey and the Bandit II, in which he also played a number of songs.[18]

Early in 2006, Williams announced his "Farewell Tour of the World" and played numerous dates both in the U.S. and abroad, wrapping the tour up with a sold-out Final Farewell Concert in Memphis, Tennessee, at the Cannon Center for Performing Arts on November 21, 2006. In 2010, Williams came out of retirement and was once again touring.[19]

In March 2012, Williams announced the release of a new record, And So It Goes (UK release April 30, 2012; U.S./Worldwide release June 19, 2012), his first new record since 2004. The record was his first with the independent American label Sugar Hill Records.[20] The record includes guest appearances by Alison Krauss, Keith Urban, and Vince Gill. To accompany the release, he embarked on a UK tour. A much-loved country artist among British fans, he had his final UK tour in 2014.[21]

In March 2016, Williams announced he was retiring from touring and cancelled all his scheduled shows. "It's time to hang my hat up and enjoy some quiet time at home. I'm so thankful for my fans, my friends, and my family for their everlasting love and support," he said in a statement.[22]

Personal life and death

Williams married Joy Janene Bucher in April 1960. They had two children.

On September 8, 2017, Williams died in Mobile, Alabama, of emphysema.[2][23][24]

Awards and nominations

Academy of Country Music Awards

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Year Nominee / work Award Result
1979 Don Williams Top Male Vocalist of the Year Nominated
"Tulsa Time" Single Record of the Year Won
1980 Don Williams Top Male Vocalist of the Year Nominated
1981 Nominated
I Believe in You Album of the Year Nominated
"I Believe in You" Single Record of the Year Nominated
Song of the Year Nominated
1982 Don Williams and Emmylou Harris Top Vocal Duo of the Year Nominated
1983 Listen to the Radio Album of the Year Nominated
2007 Don Williams Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award Awarded

Country Music Association Awards

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Year Nominee / work Award Result
1976 Don Williams Male Vocalist of the Year Nominated
1977 Nominated
1978 Won
Country Boy Album of the Year Nominated
1979 Don Williams Male Vocalist of the Year Nominated
1980 Nominated
"Good Ole Boys Like Me" Single of the Year Nominated
1981 "I Believe in You" Nominated
Don Williams Male Vocalist of the Year Nominated
I Believe in You Album of the Year Won
1982 Don Williams and Emmylou Harris Vocal Duo of the Year Nominated
1983 Nominated
1984 Nominated

Discography

Albums

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Songs written

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References

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  1. ↑ a b c Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
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  4. ↑ Manage Domain Name Template:Webarchive
  5. ↑ Don Williams: Into Africa Template:Webarchive and Africa
  6. ↑ 4 inducted into Country Music Hall of Fame Template:Webarchive
  7. ↑ Texas Birth Index 1903-1997
  8. ↑ Texas, Marriage Index, 1824-2014
  9. ↑ Texas Death Certificates, 1903-1982
  10. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  11. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  12. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  13. ↑ "Facts about Don Williams" Template:Webarchive.Don Williams.com. Retrieved September 20, 2017
  14. ↑ "UK Charts history: Don Williams". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 8, 2017
  15. ↑ "Country music’s ‘Gentle Giant’ Don Williams dies at 78". Theirishtimes.com. Retrieved September 20, 2017
  16. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 386.
  17. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits: Eighth Edition. Record Research. p. 680
  18. ↑ Music Hall Of Fame Great Don Williams Passes. MusicCrow.com. Retrieved September 20, 2017
  19. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  20. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  21. ↑ Don Williams: Country music's Gentle Giant". The Telegraph. Retrieved 8 September 2017
  22. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  23. ↑ Don Williams, Country's 'Gentle Giant,' Dead at 78. Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 8, 2017
  24. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".

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External links

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Template:Don Williams Template:Grand Ole Opry members Template:CMA Album of the Year Template:CMA Male Vocalist of the Year Template:2010s Country Music Hall of Fame Template:Authority control

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