Английская Википедия: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 seventeen 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, Claude Russell Bridges, 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 in order to support himself and his family.[10][11]

It was with the group the Pozo-Seco Singers that 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-forty 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 ten hits he had between 1974 and 1991. Only four of his 46 singles did not make it to the top ten during that time.[15]

"I Believe in You", written by Roger Cook and Sam Hogin, was Williams' eleventh 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, Williams 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 Americana 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

Wins

Academy of Country Music Awards (ACM)

Country Music Association Awards (CMA)

1981 CMA Album of the Year "I Believe in You" Americana Music Honors & Awards

  • 2022: President's Award

Nominations

Academy of Country Music (ACM)

Country Music Association (CMA)

Discography

Albums

Шаблон:Main

Songs written

Шаблон:See also

References

Шаблон:Reflist

External links

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

Партнерские ресурсы
Криптовалюты
Магазины
Хостинг
Разное

  1. ↑ 1,0 1,1 1,2 Шаблон:Cite book
  2. ↑ 2,0 2,1 Шаблон:Cite web
  3. ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
  4. ↑ Manage Domain Name Шаблон:Webarchive
  5. ↑ Don Williams: Into Africa Шаблон:Webarchive and Africa
  6. ↑ 4 inducted into Country Music Hall of Fame Шаблон:Webarchive
  7. ↑ Texas Birth Index 1903-1997
  8. ↑ Texas, Marriage Index, 1824-2014
  9. ↑ Texas Death Certificates, 1903-1982
  10. ↑ Шаблон:Cite encyclopedia
  11. ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
  12. ↑ 12,0 12,1 Шаблон:Cite news
  13. ↑ "Facts about Don Williams" Шаблон: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. ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
  20. ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
  21. ↑ Don Williams: Country music's Gentle Giant". The Telegraph. Retrieved 8 September 2017
  22. ↑ Шаблон:Cite web
  23. ↑ Don Williams, Country's 'Gentle Giant,' Dead at 78. Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 8, 2017
  24. ↑ Шаблон:Cite news
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