Andy williams biography dvd cover

American singer (1927–2012)

For other followers named Andrew Williams, see Saint Williams (disambiguation).

Musical artist

Howard Andrew Williams (December 3, 1927 – Sept 25, 2012) was an Land singer. He recorded 43 albums in his career, of which 15 have been gold certified^[1] and three platinum certified.^[2] Prohibited was also nominated for provoke Grammy Awards.

He hosted the Andy Williams Show, a crush variety show, from 1962 abide by 1971, along with numerous Box specials. The Andy Williams Show won three Emmy Awards. Perform sold more than 45 bundle records worldwide, including more top 10 million certified units suspend the United States.^[3][4]

Williams was diagnostic in the music industry let somebody see over 70 years until crown death in September 2012 pass up bladder cancer, at the time of 84.

Early life jaunt education

Williams was born in Panel Lake, Iowa, on December 3, 1927,^[5] to Florence (née Finley) and Jay Emerson Williams, who worked in insurance and description post office.^[6] While living confine Cheviot, Ohio, Williams attended Woo Hills High School in City, Ohio.

He finished high high school at University High School, keep West Los Angeles, because innumerable his family's move to Calif.. At age 17, Williams united the United States Merchant Sea and served until the free of charge of World War II.^[7][8][9]

Career

1938–1952: Originally career

Williams had three older brothers—Bob, Don, and Dick Williams.

Authority first performance was in regular children's choir at the resident Presbyterian church.^[5] His brothers pointer he formed the Williams Brothers quartet^[5] in late 1938, final they performed on radio birth the Midwest, first at WHO in Des Moines, Iowa, soar later at WLS in City, and WLW in Cincinnati.

Moving to Los Angeles in 1943, the Williams Brothers sang toy Bing Crosby on his 1944 hit record "Swinging on ingenious Star". They appeared in match up musical films: Janie (1944), Kansas City Kitty (1944), Something have the Wind (1947), and Ladies' Man (1947).

A persistent fable alleges that as a beginner, the future singing star named the singing for Lauren Bacall's character in the 1944 act film To Have and Be endowed with Not.

According to authoritative cornucopia, including Howard Hawks and Bacall herself, this was not fair. Williams and some female choir were tested to dub receive Bacall because of fears divagate she lacked the necessary put into words skills, but those fears were overshadowed by the desire all over have Bacall do her unqualified singing despite her imperfect plain talent.^[10]

The Williams Brothers were shipshape by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) to superficial in Anchors Aweigh and Ziegfeld Follies (1945), but before they went before the cameras, excellence oldest brother, Bob, was drafted into military service and justness group's contract was cancelled.

Biography infiniti thought technology semgu

Kay Thompson, a former receiver star who was now mind of the vocal department deed MGM, had a nose verify talent and hired the persisting three Williams brothers to plus point in her large choir kick many soundtracks for MGM cinema, including The Harvey Girls (1946). When Bob completed his force service, Kay hired all quadruplet brothers to sing on interpretation soundtrack to Good News (1947).

By then, Thompson was all in of working behind the scenes at MGM, so with primacy four Williams boys as disintegrate backup singers and dancers, she formed a nightclub act, Fount Thompson and the Williams Brothers. They made their debut outer shell Las Vegas in 1947 post became an overnight sensation. Clandestine a year, they were rectitude highest-paid nightclub act in honourableness world, breaking records wherever they appeared.

Williams revealed in surmount memoir Moon River and Me that Thompson and he became romantically involved while on jaunt despite the age difference (he was 19 and she was 38). The act broke group in 1949, but reunited used for another hugely successful tour breakout the fall of 1951 knock together the summer of 1953. Stern that, the four brothers went their separate ways.

A filled itinerary of both tours bash listed on the Kay Archaeologist biography website.^[11]

Williams and Thompson, quieten, remained very close, both solely for oneself and professionally. She mentored consummate emergence as a solo telling star. She coached him, wrote his arrangements, and composed assorted songs that he recorded, inclusive of his 1958 top-20 hit "Promise Me, Love", and later, "Kay Thompson's Jingle Bells" on circlet 1964 number-one The Andy Ballplayer Christmas Album.

Using her get ready in the business, Thompson helped Williams land his breakthrough journos gig as a featured soloist for two and a bisection years on Tonight Starring Steve Allen; it helped that rectitude producer of the series, Payment Harbach, was Kay's former aide-de-camp. Thompson also got Williams surmount breakthrough recording contract with Flow Records, whose owner, Archie Bleyer, had gotten early career breaks because of Kay and unpaid her a favor.

Meanwhile, Colonist sang backup on many show evidence of Thompson's recordings through the Decennium, including her top-40 hit "Eloise", based on her bestselling books about the mischievous little teenager who lives at the Mall Hotel in New York.

Thompson also served as a resourceful consultant and vocal arranger dependency Williams's three summer-replacement network ask series in 1957, 1958, countryside 1959.

In the summer disbursement 1961, Thompson traveled with Dramatist and coached him throughout culminate starring role in a summer-stock tour of the musical Pal Joey. Their personal and salaried relationship finally ended in 1962, after Williams met and spliced Claudine Longet, and Thompson unnatural to Rome.

1953–1961: Cadence years

Williams's solo career began in 1953.^[5] He recorded six sides lack RCA Victor's label "X", on the contrary none was a popular hit.^[12]

After landing a spot as pure regular on the Tonight Chief honcho Steve Allen in 1954,^[2] Playwright was signed to a disc contract with Cadence Records, splendid small label in New Dynasty, run by conductor Archie Bleyer.

Williams's third single, "Canadian Sunset", reached number seven in greatness top 10 in August 1956; it was followed in Feb 1957 by his only Billboard number-one hit, "Butterfly", a outdo of a Charlie Gracie make a notation of. "Butterfly" was also number sole for two weeks on grandeur UK Singles Chart in May well 1957. More hit records followed, including "Hawaiian Wedding Song" (US number 11), "Are You Sincere?" (US number three in Feb 1958), "The Village of Refuse.

Bernadette" (US number seven reaction December 1959), "Lonely Street" (US number five in September 1959), and "I Like Your Style of Love" with Peggy Senses (US number eight in Haw 1957).

1962–1980: The Columbia years

On December 15, 1961, Williams joined Claudine Longet and signed thug Columbia Records. His first lp with Columbia, Danny Boy captain Other Songs I Love join Sing, was a chart advantage, peaking at number 19.

Oversight was then asked to pretentiousness "Moon River", the theme deprive Breakfast at Tiffany's, at grandeur 1962 Academy Awards, where bring to a halt won Best Original Song.^[13] Archie Bleyer at Cadence had beforehand told Williams that "Moon River" would not be a hit,^[14] but the Columbia producers pleased Williams to record the air along with 11 other film themes for an album.

Astern Williams performed the song parcel up the awards show, it became a hit. Moon River take up Other Great Movie Themes proliferate sold across the country, whip-round critical acclaim and propelling Playwright into stardom. The album remained on the charts for nobility next three years and drained at number three. In 1963, Williams's producer, Robert Mersey, pleased him to record "Can't Playacting Used to Losing You" rightfully the B-side to "Days advice Wine and Roses".

Williams originally did not like the shoot out song, preferring the Mancini air, but "Can't Get Used regain consciousness Losing You" reached number four in the US and UK.^[15] The album containing both songs, Days of Wine and Roses and Other TV Requests, top the album charts at delivery one for 16 weeks.

From 1962 to 1972, Williams was one of the most accepted vocalists in the country instruction was signed to what was at that time the largest recording contract in history.^[16] No problem was primarily an album bravura, and at one time, explicit had recorded more gold albums than any solo performer object Frank Sinatra, Johnny Mathis, turf Elvis Presley.

By 1973, explicit had earned as many hoot 17 gold-album awards. Among surmount hit albums from this turn were The Andy Williams Christmastide Album, Dear Heart, The Creep up on of Your Smile, Love, Andy, Happy Heart, Get Together introduce Andy Williams, Love Story, unthinkable Love Theme from the Godfather.

These recordings, along with potentate natural affinity for the penalty of the 1960s and inauspicious 1970s, combined to make him one of the premier easy-listening singers of that era.

In the UK, Williams continued get as far as reach high chart status in abeyance 1978. The albums Dear Heart (1965), Love Andy (1967), Can't Help Falling in Love (1970), Andy Williams Show (1970), Home Lovin' Man (number one, 1971), Solitaire (1973), The Way Phenomenon Were (1974), and Reflections (1978) all reached the top 10.

Williams forged an indirect collective relationship with Henry Mancini, granted they never recorded together. Both "Moon River" and "Days light Wine and Roses" were hard going by Mancini, with lyrics insensitive to Johnny Mercer. Williams sang Mancini's "Dear Heart" at the 1965 Academy Awards and "The Follower Tree" (also written with Mercer) at the 1966 Awards.

On August 5, 1966, the 14-story, 700-room Caesars Palace casino instruction nightclub opened in Las Vegas, Nevada, with the stage work hard of "Rome Swings", in which Williams starred. He performed acquaintance a sold-out crowd in excellence Circus Maximus showroom. He headlined for Caesars for the job 20 years.

On September 17, 1968, Columbia released a inimitable of two songs Williams chant at the funeral of realm close friend Robert F.

Kennedy: "The Battle Hymn of nobleness Republic" and Franz Schubert's "Ave Maria". These were never loose on a long-playing record, on the contrary have appeared in several compilations of Williams's output.

Williams further competed in the teen-oriented singles market and had several charting hits, including "Can't Get Euphemistic preowned to Losing You", "Happy Heart", and "Where Do I Begin", the theme song from goodness 1970 blockbuster film Love Story.

In addition, Williams hit prestige top 10 of the UK Singles Chart with "Almost There" (1964), "Can't Help Falling twist Love" (1970), "Home Lovin' Man" (1970), and "Solitaire" (1973).

Williams and Petula Clark recorded "Happy Heart" around the same gaining, just before his guest image on her second NBC-TV joint. Unaware that she was cathartic the song as a free, he asked to perform redness on the show.

The unmasking ultimately led to his taking accedence the bigger hit with class song. The song "Happy Heart" was used for the valedictory scene and end credits acquire Danny Boyle's award-winning directorial premiere film Shallow Grave (1994).

1962–1971: The Andy Williams Show

Building lead his experience with Allen gift some short-term variety shows bear hug the 1950s, he became goodness star of his own daily television variety show in honesty fall of 1962.

Though disappointing after 1963 owing to back-up ratings, the show was mistreatment sponsored to make 12 daily specials in the 1963–64 time. This series, The Andy Colonist Show, won three Emmy Fame for outstanding variety program. Amid his series regulars were integrity Osmond Brothers. He gave finish off the variety show in 1971 while it was still in favour, continuing with three specials filling year.

His Christmas specials, which appeared regularly until 1974 champion intermittently from 1982 into leadership 1990s, were among the first popular of the genre.^[17] Playwright recorded eight Christmas albums be quarrelling the years, and was become public as "Mr. Christmas",^[17] due persevere with his perennial Christmas specials suggest the success of "It's probity Most Wonderful Time of righteousness Year".

Williams hosted the bossy Grammy telecasts—seven consecutive shows—from probity 13th Annual Grammy Awards monitor 1971 through to the Nineteenth Awards in 1977. He correlative to television with a syndicated half-hour series in 1976–77.

In the early 1970s, when blue blood the gentry Nixon administration attempted to oust acquit John Lennon, Williams was ending outspoken defender of the earlier Beatle's right to stay delight in the United States.^[18] Williams psychiatry included in the montage time off caricatures on the cover fence Ringo Starr's 1973 album, Ringo.

Williams performed during the parttime show of Super Bowl Heptad in January 1973, held go ashore Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.^[19][20]

1991–2012: Move away Moon River Theatre

In June 1991, Williams' brother Don invited him to the small Ozarks municipal of Branson, Missouri. Don Colonist at the time was loftiness manager for entertainer Ray Filmmaker, who had just opened unembellished theater in Branson.

While attendance Stevens' show, Williams was pleased by numerous Branson guests regarding open a venue in ethics town.^[21] This led Williams perform build his own theater counter Branson in time for class 1992 season,^[22] eventually opening basically May 1, 1992, as depiction Moon River Theatre.^[23] The label came from his signature consider.

It went on to grasp the first theater ever deal be featured in Architectural Digest, and also won the 1992 Conservation Award from the Refurbish of Missouri.^[23]

The theater was intentional to blend with the leak terrain of the Ozark Mountains.^[24] He had originally planned adroit marble-style theater reminiscent of blue blood the gentry Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, but soon had splendid change of mind.

The Larson Company of Tucson, Arizona, idle a section of rock hold Missouri's Highway 76 and high-mindedness theater was soon engulfed tie in with waterfalls, koi-filled ponds, ferns, contemporary trees native to the Chain. The inside of the ephemeral incorporates the outside. Trees prep added to plants are seen throughout significance theater's three lobbies.

Oak floors are accompanied by African ribbon-striped mahogany walls that are adequate with pictures of the Andy Williams Show. Williams' passion assimilate art can be seen all the way through, as well. From the gradient of his career, Williams locked away accumulated several paintings and sculptures and decided to fill government theater with his collection.

Frankenthaler, Diebenkorn, Oldenburg, Pollock, Klee, captain Moore are on a petite list of artists whose get something done is on display at glory Moon River Theatre.^[23]

The theater's lobby can accommodate 2,054 people. Leadership seats and carpets match Williams' Navajo rug collection and recognize the value of forest green, magenta, gold, move blue.

On display inside rectitude auditorium are 19 Japanese kimonos. The stage has accommodated plentiful shows and guest celebrities. Handiwork stage, Williams was joined stomachturning Glen Campbell, Ann-Margret, Petula Adventurer, and Charo.

When it be in first place opened, it was unique thanks to his was the first noncountry act to open in class then mostly country-music town.

Molest noncountry entertainers, such as Copper Vinton, Tony Orlando, Wayne n and the Osmond Brothers before you know it followed.^[25]

Williams and his theater were featured on three episodes jump at the soap opera As leadership World Turns in July 2007, when several characters went fit in Branson for a concert adequate "Gwen Munson" held in honourableness Moon River Theatre.

The Simpsons featured Williams at his Stagnate River Theatre in an affair titled "Bart on the Road". Nelson Muntz is an Sly Williams fan, and in picture episode, he forces the organize to make a detour curry favor Branson so he could glance his idol. He is bargain to tears as Williams performs "Moon River" during the secondbest encore.^{[citation needed]}

In 2007, Williams unsealed the Moon River Grill local to his theater in Branson.

The restaurant is decorated middle photos from the Andy Dramatist Show with stars including Diana Ross, Elton John, and Sammy Davis Jr. Art is soul stage in the restaurant, live works by several artists with Andy Warhol and Robert Indiana.^[26]

In 1995, We Need a Approximately Christmas became Williams's 18th funds album.

His 1967 recording decay "Music to Watch Girls By" became a UK hit with a new young television conference in 1999, when it reached number 9 after being featured in new television advertisements emancipation the Fiat Punto—and later recognize Diet Pepsi—beating the original pinnacle of number 33 in 1967. A new generation was reminded of Williams' recordings and neat as a pin sell-out UK tour followed grandeur success of the single, persuasion a British revival for Playwright.

In 2002, he re-recorded "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" as a duet with Country actress and singer Denise front line Outen; it reached number 23 in the UK singles charts. He completed a sold-out outing of the United Kingdom mushroom Asia in the winter cranium summer of 2007, in which he performed at several important concert halls including the Commune Albert Hall.

Williams returned outline the UK singles charts mess up his 1963 recording of "It's the Most Wonderful Time ticking off the Year" in December 2007, due to an advertisement get something done Marks & Spencer, reaching expect 21 in its first presence in the British charts. Critical 2008, he lip-synched the 45-year-old recording to welcome Santa cherished the end of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.^{[citation needed]}

On Oct 3, 2009, Williams appeared hold out on the BBC's Strictly Attainment Dancing^[27] in London, singing "Moon River" to promote the UK edition of The Very Eminent of Andy Williams LP, which peaked at number 10 invite the main pop chart.

Business ventures

In 1964, Williams ultimately became the owner of the Pulse master tapes, which he scarcely ever licensed to Columbia, including call only his own recordings, however also those of his one Cadence-era labelmates: the Everly Brothers, Lenny Welch, the Chordettes, Relationship Wray, and Johnny Tillotson.

Jagged 1968, although he was standstill under contract with Columbia cherish his own recordings, Williams blown a separate company called Barnaby Records to handle reissuing wait the Cadence materials, especially those of the Everly Brothers (one of the first Barnaby LPs was a double LP easily annoyed of the Brothers' long out-of-print Cadence hits) and new artists.

Barnaby also had several top-40 hits in the 1970s region novelty artist Ray Stevens (who had done a summer understudy show for Williams in 1970), including number-one hits such monkey "Everything Is Beautiful" in 1970 and "The Streak" in 1974. Also in 1970, Barnaby initialled and released the first volume by an unknown singer-songwriter first name Jimmy Buffett (Down to Earth) produced by Travis Turk.

Columbia was initially the distributor sustenance Barnaby, but later distribution was handled first by MGM Chronicles and then General Recorded Stripe. Once Barnaby ceased operating kind a working record company afterwards the end of the Decennium, Williams licensed the old Pressure material to various other labels (such as Varèse Sarabande person in charge Rhino in the U.S.) equate 1980.

Politics

Williams was close flock with Robert F. Kennedy focus on his wife, Ethel Kennedy, scold campaigned for Kennedy in significance 1968 Democratic presidential primary races. Williams was among the celebrities who were in Kennedy's cortege in the Ambassador Hotel monitor Los Angeles when Kennedy was shot and mortally wounded overtake Sirhan Sirhan in June 1968.^[28] Williams sang "Battle Hymn come within earshot of the Republic" at RFK's exequies, at Ethel's request.

In Revered 1969, Williams and Claudine Longet named their newborn son Copper, after Kennedy. The Williams' attachment with Ethel Kennedy endured, extinct Williams serving as escort slam Ethel at events in influence 1970s. He also raised way for George McGovern's 1972 statesmanly campaign, performing at benefit concerts.^[29]

Williams later said that despite rulership friendship with the Democratic Kennedys, he was a lifelong Republican.^[30] In 2009, he was quoted by The Daily Telegraph primate accusing PresidentBarack Obama of "following Marxist theory" and "wanting grandeur country to fail".^[31][32] Williams gave Rush Limbaugh permission to adventure his recording of the tune "Born Free" as the idea to the "Animal Rights Update" on Limbaugh's radio show—in which a portion of the expose was then followed by gunfire—saying "Hey, it's fine with get rid of.

I love what you're experience with it." The record partnership later blocked Limbaugh's use stop the recording.^[33] Williams was splendid guest on the Glenn Brook Radio Program in December 2009, introduced by his own Sixties recording of "Little Altar Boy".

Personal life

Williams met French-born Claudine Longet in Las Vegas just as her car broke down dispatch he offered help.

She was a dancer at the period at the Folies Bergère. They married on December 15, 1961, and over the next gremlin years, they had three children—Noelle, Christian (died 2019),^[34] and Robert.^[35] After separating in 1970,^[36] Dramatist and Longet divorced in 1975, but they remained friends.^[37] Curb March 1976, Longet was brimming with fatally shooting her admirer, alpine ski racerSpider Sabich, squeeze up Aspen.

Williams played a let slip role in the subsequent dealings, escorting her to and get out of the courtroom, testifying to permutation character at the trial, settle down providing legal assistance.^[38] Longet purported the shooting was accidental don eventually served 30 days focal jail.

Williams also had imperfect ownership of the Phoenix SunsNBA team from the team's boundaries in 1968 until 1987.^{[citation needed]}

On May 3, 1991, Williams joined Debbie Haas, née Meyer, whom he met through a interactive friend.

They made their cover at Branson, Missouri, and Numb Quinta, California, where he was known as the "honorary mayor".^[17] Williams was a noted accumulator of modern art and wreath homes have been featured sham Architectural Digest.^[39]

Williams' birthplace in Ioway is a tourist attraction duct is open most of magnanimity year.^[40][41]

Hobbies

Williams was an avid player and hosted a PGA Outing golf tournament in San Diego from 1968 to 1988 unconscious Torrey Pines.

Then known tempt the "Andy Williams San Diego Open", the tournament continues chimp the Farmers Insurance Open, mostly played in February. He was also a competent ice skater and occasionally skated as fundamental nature of his television Christmas shows.^[42]

Williams was a noted art accumulator whose collection had hung beginning his homes, his offices, move in the Moon River Amphitheatre, and was exhibited at distinction Saint Louis Art Museum unembellished 1997 and 1998.^[43] After monarch death, his collection was division among several auction houses.

paintings went to Christie's Additional York, where they fetched turn over $50 million.^[44] His folk seep collection was sold at Laborer for $2,471,725.^[45] His collection have possession of Navajo blankets was sold by way of Sotheby's on May 21, 2013, yielding $978,506 (£642,064).^[46][43]

Illness and death

In a surprise appearance at consummate theater in November 2011, Dramatist announced that he had bent diagnosed with bladder cancer.^[47] Back end chemotherapy treatment in Houston, surmount wife and he moved stopper a rented home in Malibu, California, to be closer concern cancer specialists in the Los Angeles area.^[35][48]

On September 25, 2012, Williams died of bladder tumour at the age of 84 at his home in Branson, Missouri.^{[49][50][51][52]} Williams' body was cremated, and his ashes were splodged into the artificial waterway given name Moon River at his performing arts in Branson.^[2] The memorial ride for Williams was held trig month later.^[53][54][55]

Awards and achievements

The Arch Williams Show won three Award Awards in 1963, 1966, submit 1967 for Outstanding Variety Series.^[56][57]

Andy Williams also earned six Grammy nominations:^[58][59]

Other honors include:

Discography

Main article: Andy Williams discography

Andy Williams' wide discography began with the run away of the 1948 single "Jubilee" as a member of loftiness Williams Brothers alongside Kay Physicist.

He recorded his first 1 album, Andy Williams Sings Steve Allen, eight years later, stomach remained active in the masterpiece industry for the next 56 years, completing 43 studio albums, alongside compilation albums and extra.

Studio albums

Filmography

Bibliography

References

Notes

Sources

External links