Don Williams
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| Don Williams | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Don Williams |
| Also known as | The Gentle Giant of Country Music |
| Born | May 27, 1939 Floydada, Texas, U.S. |
| Origin | Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Genre(s) | Country, Country rock, Pop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, Guitar, Piano, Bass Drums, Percussion |
| Years active | 1971-2006 |
| Label(s) | Columbia Records Dot Records ABC Records MCA Records Capitol Records RCA Records Giant Records Koch Records |
| Website | Don Williams.com |
Don Williams (born May 27, 1939 in Floydada, Texas), is a country singer and songwriter. He grew up in Portland, Texas and attended Gregory-Portland High School, from which he graduated in 1958. After seven years with the folk-pop group Pozo Seco Singers, he began his solo career in 1971, singing popular ballads and amassing 17 number one hits.
His straightforward vocals, soft tones, and an imposing build earned him the nickname "The Gentle Giant" of country music.
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[edit] Early career
He began playing guitar as a teenager, which he learned from his mother. While a teenager, he played with country, rock n' roll and folk bands. He formed his first band with Lofton Kline, called The Strangers Two, and in 1964 recruited Susan Taylor and formed the Pozo Seco Singers, a folk-pop group. The band signed a contract with Columbia Records, and had a series of Top 50 hits. The group disbanded in 1971, at which point Williams embarked on a solo career.
[edit] Solo career
Williams started out as a songwriter for Jack Music Inc. Eventually, he signed with JMI Records as a solo artist. His 1974 song, "We Should Be Together," reached number five, and he signed with ABC/Dot Records. 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 didn't make it to the Top Ten.
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 the "Final Farewell Concert" in Memphis, Tennessee at the Cannon Center for Performing Arts on November 21, 2006. Playing to a full-house, the final event was well received and quite emotional for fans in attendance. According to his staff, Williams is now retired and will no longer tour, although the possibility of new recordings does exist.
Don married Joy Bucher on April 10, 1960. They have two sons, Gary and Tim.
[edit] Recognition
In 1978 , Don Williams was the Country Music Association's "Male Vocalist of the Year" and his "Tulsa Time" was named Single of the Year. His songs have been recorded by artists such as Johnny Cash, Eric Clapton, Lefty Frizzell, Sonny James, Alison Krauss, Charley Pride, Kenny Rogers, Alan Jackson, Waylon Jennings and Pete Townshend. [1] His music is also popular internationally, including England, Africa and India.[2].
[edit] Discography
| YEAR | ALBUM | US COUNTRY | US | LABEL | RIAA Certification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | Volume 1 | 5 | JMI | ||
| 1974 | Volume 2 | 13 | JMI | ||
| 1974 | Volume 3 | 3 | ABC | ||
| 1975 | You're My Best Friend | 5 | ABC | ||
| 1975 | The Best of Don Williams vol.1 | 5 | ABC | ||
| 1976 | Harmony | 1 | ABC | ||
| 1977 | Visions | 4 | ABC | ||
| 1977 | Country Boy | 4 | ABC | ||
| 1978 | Expressions | 2 | 161 | ABC | |
| 1979 | The Best of Don Williams vol.2 | 7 | ABC | Gold | |
| 1979 | Portrait | 11 | MCA | ||
| 1980 | I Believe In You | 2 | 57 | MCA | Platinum |
| 1981 | Especially For You | 5 | 109 | MCA | |
| 1982 | Listen To The Radio | 166 | MCA | ||
| 1983 | Yellow Moon | 12 | 44 | MCA | |
| 1984 | The Best of Don Williams vol.3 | MCA | Gold | ||
| 1984 | Cafe Carolina | 36 | MCA | ||
| 1986 | The best 4-Greatest Hits | 60 | MCA | ||
| 1986 | Sings Bob McDill | MCA | |||
| 1986 | Lovers And Best Friends | MCA | |||
| 1986 | New Moves | 29 | Capitol | ||
| 1987 | Traces | Capitol | |||
| 1989 | Prime Cuts | Capitol | |||
| 1989 | One Good Well / Just As Long As I Have You | 54 | RCA | ||
| 1990 | True Love | 56 | RCA | ||
| 1992 | Currents | RCA | |||
| 1994 | An Evening With Don Williams (Live Album) | Am. Harvest | |||
| 1995 | The Best | RCA | |||
| 1995 | Borrowed Tales | Am. Harvest | |||
| 1996 | Flatlands | Am. Harvest | |||
| 1998 | I Turn The Page | 69 | Giant | ||
| 2002 | Follow Me Back Home | Giant | |||
| 2004 | My Heart To You | Compendia |
[edit] Singles
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US Hot 100 | |||
| 1966 | "Time" | 47 | singles only | |
| 1967 | "I Can't Make It Without You" | 32 | ||
| "Look What You've Done" | 32 | |||
| "I Believed It All" | 96 | |||
| "Louisiana Man" | 97 | |||
| 1973 | "Shelter" | 14 | Don Williams Vol. 1 | |
| "Come Early Morning" | 12 | |||
| "Amanda" | 33 | |||
| 1974 | "Atta Way to Go" | 13 | Don Williams Vol. 2 | |
| "We Should Be Together" | 5 | |||
| "Down the Road I Go" | 62 | |||
| "I Wouldn't Want to Live If You Didn't Love Me" | 1 | Don Williams Vol. 3 | ||
| "The Ties That Bind" | 4 | |||
| 1975 | "You're My Best Friend" | 1 | You're My Best Friend | |
| "(Turn Out the Light) And Love Me Tonight" | 1 | |||
| "Till The Rivers All Run Dry" | 1 | Harmony | ||
| 1976 | "Say It Again" | 1 | ||
| "She Never Knew Me" | 2 | |||
| 1977 | "Some Broken Hearts Never Mend" | 1 | Visions | |
| "I'm Just a Country Boy" | 1 | Country Boy | ||
| 1978 | "I've Got a Winner In You" | 7 | ||
| "Rake and Ramblin' Man" | 3 | |||
| "Tulsa Time" | 1 | Expressions | ||
| 1979 | "Lay Down Beside Me" | 3 | ||
| "It Must Be Love" | 1 | |||
| "Love Me Over Again" | 1 | Portrait | ||
| 1980 | "Good Ole Boys Like Me" | 2 | ||
| "I Believe In You" | 1 | 24 | Falling Again | |
| 1981 | "Falling Again" | 6 | ||
| "Miracles" | 4 | Especially for You | ||
| "If I Needed You" (w/ Emmylou Harris) | 3 | |||
| "Lord I Hope This Day Is Good" | 1 | |||
| 1982 | "Listen to the Radio" | 3 | Listen to the Radio | |
| "Mistakes" | 3 | |||
| "If Hollywood Don't Need You (Honey I Still Do)" | 1 | |||
| 1983 | "Love Is on a Roll" | 1 | Yellow Moon | |
| "Nobody But You" | 2 | |||
| "Stay Young" | 1 | |||
| 1984 | "That's the Thing About Love" | 1 | Cafe Carolina | |
| "Maggie's Dream" | 11 | |||
| "Walkin' a Broken Heart" | 2 | |||
| 1985 | "It's Time for Love" | 20 | ||
| "We've Got a Good Fire Going" | 3 | New Moves | ||
| 1986 | "Heartbeat In the Darkness" | 1 | ||
| "Then It's Love" | 5 | |||
| 1987 | "Senorita" | 9 | ||
| "I'll Never Be In Love Again" | 4 | |||
| "I Wouldn't Be a Man" | 9 | Traces | ||
| 1988 | "Another Place, Another Time" | 5 | ||
| "Desperately" | 7 | |||
| "Old Coyote Town" | 5 | Prime Cuts | ||
| 1989 | "One Good Well" | 4 | One Good Well / Just As Long As I Have You | |
| "I've Been Loved by the Best" | 4 | |||
| 1990 | "Just As Long As I Have You" | 4 | ||
| "Maybe That's All It Takes" | 22 | |||
| "Back In My Younger Days" | 2 | True Love | ||
| 1991 | "True Love" | 4 | ||
| "Lord Have Mercy on a Country Boy" | 7 | |||
| 1992 | "It's Who You Love" | 73 | Currents | |
| "Too Much Love" | 72 | |||
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Official Site
- Don Williams: The Gentle Giant
- "AGR Television Records" Don Williams's international record label
- Fan Site
- "Don Williams Yahoo Group" Yahoo group for Don William's fans
- Don Williams at CMT
- Don Williams at the Internet Movie Database
