Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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WILLIAMS, Don

(b 27 May 1939, Floydada TX; d 8 September 2017) Country singer, dubbed the Gentle Giant of Country Music for his laid-back style. He was a keen music fan as a teenager, liked rock'n'roll and R&B but tended towards country in his own playing; following military service he formed the Pozo Seco Singers with Susan Taylor and Lofton Kline, also from Texas; sang lead on six folkish Hot 100 entries on Columbia '66-7; he wanted the group to tend more to country, but it split '71. He moved to Nashville, landed contract as songwriter with Jack's Music (Jack Clement), made demos, then his own records, making the country chart with 'The Shelter Of Your Eyes' '72 on JMI: first album Don Williams Volume One '73 was acclaimed as a new direction; in fact it was an uncluttered production allowing his deep vocals and lyrics to shine.

More hits followed; by the time JMI closed and he went to ABC-Dot, taking his JMI recordings with him, his records were regularly in the top ten and his songs being recorded by Johnny Russell, Tim and Tompall Glaser, Lefty Frizzell, Jeanne Pruett, Dickey Lee, Kenny Rogers. His visit to the UK Wembley Festival '76 was among the most memorable; he took five places at once in the UK country album chart (including the first four) for four weeks; 'I Recall A Gypsy Woman' crossing into pop (not even a single in USA) and album Visions going gold on day of release. In USA he was Male Vocalist of the Year '78 and carried on with hits, switching to parent MCA label '79, to Capitol mid-'80s.

His 16th no. 1 was 'Heartbeat In The Darkness' '86; he moved to RCA '89, recorded with African musicians the Bhundu Boys on Currents '92 but then dropped off major labels. He appeared regularly at Branson and continued regular touring in UK; recorded for independent American Harvest with Borrowed Tales '95 and Flatlands '96 (both on Carlton UK). 'I Believe In You' in pop Hot 100 '80; appeared in films W.W. And The Dixie Dancekings and Smokey And The Bandit II. His backing group the Scratch Band, led by Danny Flowers, also made records of their own. His albums included Volume One and Volume Two '73-4 (combined on a single CD by Demon '97); You're My Best Friend '75, Harmony '76, Visions '77, Expressions '78, Portrait '79, Especially For You '81, Listen To The Radio '82, Yellow Moon '83, Cafe Carolina '84, Sings Bob McDill '86 all on ABC/Dot/MCA; Love Stories '85 on K- Tel; New Moves '86, Traces '87 on Capitol; One Good Well '89 on RCA; An Evening With Don Williams '94 on Colours, and this isn't a complete list.