Don Williams (singer)
Don Williams (* 27. May 1939 in Floydada , Texas ; † 8. September 2017 in Mobile ) was an American country - singer and - songwriter . His most successful pieces include Amanda (1973), Some Broken Hearts Never Mend (1977), Tulsa Time (1978) and I Believe In You (1980).
Beginnings
Don Williams was born in 1939 as the youngest of three sons of Loveta Mae Lambert and James Andrew "Jim" Williams. He grew up in Portland and started playing guitar as a child. In 1958 he graduated from high school . With Lofton Kline and Susan Taylor he founded the band Pozo-Seco Singers in 1964 , which played a mixture of folk and pop music . A year later she had her first hit with Time . After a few more minor successes, the group disbanded in 1971.
Career
Williams first returned to Texas. Susan Taylor, meanwhile, attempted a solo career, and Williams went to Nashville to help her produce her first album. For a while he worked there for Jack Clement, the producer of Susan Taylor, as a songwriter. In 1973 he played with the label, an album by one: Don Williams Volume I . A recently released first single sold poorly, but already his second, The Shelter of Your Eyes , made it into the country charts. In 1975 he reached position 5 with We Should Be Together .
The tall Texan - the "Gentle Giant" - had made the breakthrough. With his warm, deep voice, he gained a following that went far beyond the country scene. Few sold more records than him in the 1970s. Don Williams filled the void left by Jim Reeves' early death . With songs like Amanda (1973), Some Broken Hearts Never Mend (1977), Tulsa Time (1978) or I Believe In You (1980), he conquered top positions in the charts worldwide. He was particularly successful in England, where he topped the album bestseller lists in 1978 and had a single hit in 1976 with I Recall a Gipsy Woman ( Tommy Cash was successful with this song in the USA ). In 1978 he won the CMA Country Vocalist of the Year Award .
In the same year he performed with Eric Clapton , who describes himself as a Don Williams fan, at a concert. Before the show, Williams played him Tulsa Time , written shortly before by Danny Flowers , and Clapton was so excited that they recorded the song together in the studio a little later. Tulsa Time reached the top of the US country charts and was eventually named single of the year . Clapton was also successful in 1980 with his own interpretation of the title. In 1982 the album Listen to the Radio was released with the single of the same name, which reached number 3 in the country charts when it was released and which has become an often-played radio anthem over the years. Williams' streak of success continued into the 1980s. Due to increased back problems and an operation that followed in 1987, he gradually withdrew to his ranch near Nashville. He had his last hit in 1992 with Lord Have Mercy on a Country Boy .
Don Williams was much more successful in the pop charts in England and Germany than in the USA. Although it had 17 number one hits on the Billboard country charts, only the track I Believe In You from 1980 made it to the US pop charts (highest position: 24). In 2004 a concert film by Don Williams was released for the first time. The DVD, entitled Into Africa, shows a concert recorded in Zimbabwe in 1997 , during which he presented 16 of his greatest hits. The fact that the country singer also has a wide fan base in Africa confirms the great joy of the audience about his first visit to their continent.
In 2010 he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame . In June 2012, And So It Goes was his first studio album in eight years. After a farewell tour in 2006, Williams was back on stage in 2010, before postponing all planned appointments in March 2016 after a hip operation and then canceled in order to finally withdraw into private life. He died in Mobile , Alabama , in September 2017 after a brief illness of emphysema .
Discography
Albums
| year | title |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 DE
|
 AT
|
 UK
|
 US
|
Country
|
|||
| 1973 | Don Williams Volume One | - | - | - | - |
Country5 (23 weeks) Country |
|
| 1974 | Don Williams Volume 2 | - | - | - | - |
Country13 (17 weeks) Country |
|
| Don Williams Volume 3 | - | - | - | - |
Country3 (27 weeks) Country |
||
| 1975 | You're my best friend | - | - |
UK58  (1 week)UK |
- |
Country5 (25 weeks) Country |
|
| 1976 | Harmony | - | - |
UK- |
- |
Country1 (27 weeks) Country |
|
| 1977 | Visions | - | - |
UK13  (20 weeks)UK |
- |
Country4 (26 weeks) Country |
|
| Country boy | - | - |
UK27 (5 weeks)UK |
- |
Country9 (57 weeks) Country |
||
| 1978 | Images | - | - |
UK2  (28 weeks)UK |
- | - |
UK album
|
| Expressions | - | - |
UK28 (8 weeks) UK |
US161 (7 weeks) US |
Country2 (61 weeks) Country |
||
| 1979 | New Horizons | - | - |
UK29 (12 weeks) UK |
- | - |
UK album
|
| portrait | - | - |
UK58 (4 weeks)UK |
- |
Country11 (53 weeks) Country |
||
| 1980 | I believe in you | - | - |
UK36 (5 weeks) UK |
US57 (31 weeks)US |
Country2 (86 weeks) Country |
|
| 1981 | Especially for you | - | - |
UK33 (7 weeks) UK |
US109 (11 weeks) US |
Country5 (46 weeks) Country |
|
| Some Broken Hearts ... |
DE5 (9 weeks) DE |
AT7 (4 weeks) AT |
- | - | - |
Album compiled for the German market
|
|
| 1982 | Listen to the radio | - | - |
UK69 (3 weeks) UK |
US166 (8 weeks) US |
Country6 (29 weeks) Country |
|
| 1983 | Yellow moon | - | - |
UK52 (1 week) UK |
- |
Country12 (29 weeks) Country |
|
| Love stories | - | - |
UK22nd (13 weeks)UK |
- | - |
UK album
|
|
| 1984 | Cafe Carolina | - | - |
UK65 (4 weeks) UK |
- |
Country13 (46 weeks) Country |
|
| 1986 | New moves | - | - | - | - |
Country29 (33 weeks) Country |
|
| 1989 | One good well | - | - | - | - |
Country54 (21 weeks) Country |
|
| 1990 | True love | - | - | - | - |
Country56 (18 weeks) Country |
|
| 1998 | I turn the page | - | - | - | - |
Country69 (2 weeks) Country |
|
| 2012 | And So It Goes | - | - | - |
US100 (1 week) US |
Country20 (25 weeks) Country |
|
| 2014 | Reflections | - | - | - |
US124 (1 week) US |
Country19 (3 weeks) Country |
|
more publishments
- 1987: Traces
- 1992: Currents
- 1995: Borrowed Tales
- 1996: Flatlands
- 2004: My Heart to You
Live albums
- 1994: An Evening with Don Williams: Best Of Live
- 2001: Live Greatest Hits, Volume 2
- 2016: Don Williams In Ireland
Compilations
| year | title |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
DE
|
AT
|
UK
|
US
|
Country
|
|||
| 1975 | Greatest Hits, Volume One | - | - |
UK29 (15 weeks)UK |
- |
Country5 (20 weeks) Country |
|
| 1979 | The Best of Don Williams, Volume II | - | - | - |
US- |
Country7 (149 weeks) Country |
|
| 1984 | The Best of Don Williams, Volume III | - | - | - |
US- |
Country18 (... weeks) Country |
|
| 1985 | Greatest Hits Volume IV | - | - | - | - |
Country60 (5 weeks) Country |
|
| 1987 | 20 greatest hits | - | - | - |
US87 (1 week) US |
Country14 (1 week) Country |
|
| 2000 | 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection | - | - | - | - |
Country74 (1 week) Country |
|
| 2004 | The Definitive Collection | - | - | - | - |
Country48 (17 weeks) Country |
|
| 2006 | The Definitive Don Williams - His Greatest Hits | - | - |
UK26th (8 weeks)UK |
- | - |
UK album
|
| 2010 | Icon: Don Williams | - | - | - | - |
Country43 (75 weeks) Country |
|
more publishments
- 1980: The Very Best Of Don Williams (UK:gold)
- 1986: Lovers and Best Friends
- 1990: Greatest Country Hits
- 1995: The Best of Don Williams (UK:gold)
- 1997: The Very Best of (UK:gold)
- 2000: gold
- 2001: 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection, Vol. 2
With The Pozo Seco Singers
| year | title |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
DE
|
AT
|
UK
|
US
|
Country
|
|||
| 1966 | Time | - | - | - |
US127 (6 weeks) US |
- | |
| 1967 | I can make it with you | - | - | - |
US81 (10 weeks) US |
- | |
gray hatching : no chart data available for this year
more publishments
- 1968: Shades of Time
- 1970: Spend Some Time With Me
Singles
| year | Title album |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
DE
|
AT
|
UK
|
US
|
Country
|
|||
| 1973 | Shelter of Your Eyes Don Williams Volume One |
- | - | - | - |
Country14 (16 weeks) Country |
|
| Come Early Morning Don Williams Volume One |
- | - | - | - |
Country12 (16 weeks) Country |
||
| Amanda |
- | - | - | - |
Country33 (7 weeks) Country |
B-side of Come Early Morning
|
|
| 1974 | Atta Way to Go Don Williams Volume Two |
- | - | - | - |
Country13 (14 weeks) Country |
|
| We Should Be Together Don Williams Volume Two |
- | - | - | - |
Country5 (15 weeks) Country |
||
| Down the Road I Go Don Williams Volume Two |
- | - | - | - |
Country62 (7 weeks) Country |
||
| I Wouldn't Want to Live If You Didn't Love Me Don Williams Vol. III |
- | - | - | - |
Country1 (17 weeks) Country |
||
| The Ties That Bind Don Williams Vol. III |
- | - | - | - |
Country4 (15 weeks) Country |
||
| 1975 | You're My Best Friend You're My Best Friend |
- | - |
UK35 (6 weeks) UK |
- |
Country1 (17 weeks) Country |
|
| (Turn Out the Light And) Love Me Tonight You're My Best Friend |
- | - | - | - |
Country1 (16 weeks) Country |
||
| Til the Rivers All Run Dry Harmony |
- | - | - | - |
Country1 (16 weeks) Country |
||
| 1976 | Say It Again Harmony |
- | - | - | - |
Country1 (14 weeks) Country |
|
| I recall a gypsy woman |
- | - |
UK13 (10 weeks) UK |
- | - |
B-side of Atta Way to Go
|
|
| She Never Knew Me Harmony |
- | - | - | - |
Country2 (15 weeks) Country |
||
| 1977 | Some Broken Hearts Never Mend Visions |
- | - | - | - |
Country1 (16 weeks) Country |
|
| I'm just a country boy country boy |
- | - | - | - |
Country1 (15 weeks) Country |
||
| 1978 | I've Got a Winner in You Country Boy |
- | - | - | - |
Country7 (14 weeks) Country |
|
| Rake and Ramblin 'Man Country Boy |
- | - | - | - |
Country3 (15 weeks) Country |
||
| Tulsa Time Expressions |
- | - | - | - |
Country1 (16 weeks) Country |
||
| 1979 | Lay Down Beside Me Expressions |
- | - | - | - |
Country3 (15 weeks) Country |
|
| It Must Be Love Expressions |
- | - | - | - |
Country1 (14 weeks) Country |
||
| Love Me Over Again Portrait |
- | - | - | - |
Country1 (16 weeks) Country |
||
| 1980 | Good Ole Boys Like Me Portrait |
- | - | - | - |
Country2 (15 weeks) Country |
|
| I Believe in You I Believe in You |
- | - | - |
US24 (20 weeks) US |
Country1 (16 weeks) Country |
||
| Could You Ever Really Love a Poor Boy |
- | - | - | - |
Country97 (2 weeks) Country |
Promo single
|
|
| 1981 | Falling Again I Believe in You |
- | - | - | - |
Country6 (16 weeks) Country |
|
| Miracles Especially for You |
- | - | - | - |
Country4 (15 weeks) Country |
||
| Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good Especially for You |
- | - | - | - |
Country1 (20 weeks) Country |
||
| 1982 | Listen to the radio Listen to the radio |
- | - | - | - |
Country3 (16 weeks) Country |
|
| Mistakes Listen to the Radio |
- | - | - | - |
Country3 (17 weeks) Country |
||
| If Hollywood Don't Need You (Honey I Still Do) Listen to the Radio |
- | - | - | - |
Country1 (20 weeks) Country |
||
| 1983 | Love Is on a Roll Yellow Moon |
- | - | - | - |
Country1 (18 weeks) Country |
|
| Nobody but You Yellow Moon |
- | - | - | - |
Country2 (19 weeks) Country |
||
| Stay Young Yellow Moon |
- | - | - | - |
Country1 (19 weeks) Country |
||
| 1984 | That's the Thing About Love Cafe Carolina |
- | - | - | - |
Country1 (20 weeks) Country |
|
| Maggie's Dream Cafe Carolina |
- | - | - | - |
Country11 (21 weeks) Country |
||
| 1985 | Walkin 'a Broken Heart Cafe Carolina |
- | - | - | - |
Country2 (20 weeks) Country |
|
| It's Time for Love Cafe Carolina |
- | - | - | - |
Country20 (19 weeks) Country |
||
| 1986 | We've Got a Good Fire Goin ' New Moves |
- | - | - | - |
Country3 (22 weeks) Country |
|
| Heartbeat in the Darkness New Moves |
- | - | - | - |
Country1 (22 weeks) Country |
||
| Then It's Love New Moves |
- | - | - | - |
Country3 (22 weeks) Country |
||
| 1987 | Señorita New Moves |
- | - | - | - |
Country9 (21 weeks) Country |
|
| I'll Never Be in Love Again New Moves |
- | - | - | - |
Country4 (26 weeks) Country |
||
| I wouldn't be a man traces |
- | - | - | - |
Country9 (26 weeks) Country |
||
| 1988 | Another place, another time traces |
- | - | - | - |
Country5 (23 weeks) Country |
|
| Desperately traces |
- | - | - | - |
Country7 (24 weeks) Country |
||
| 1989 | Old Coyote Town Traces |
- | - | - | - |
Country5 (21 weeks) Country |
|
| One Good Well One Good Well |
- | - | - | - |
Country4 (24 weeks) Country |
||
| I've Been Loved by the Best One Good Well |
- | - | - | - |
Country4 (26 weeks) Country |
||
| 1990 | Just as Long as I Have You Traces |
- | - | - | - |
Country4 (26 weeks) Country |
|
| Maybe That's All It Takes Traces |
- | - | - | - |
Country22 (21 weeks) Country |
||
| Back in My Younger Days True Love |
- | - | - | - |
Country2 (20 weeks) Country |
||
| 1991 | True Love True Love |
- | - | - | - |
Country4 (20 weeks) Country |
|
| Lord Have Mercy on a Country Boy True Love |
- | - | - | - |
Country7 (20 weeks) Country |
||
| 1992 | It's Who You Love Currents |
- | - | - | - |
Country73 (2 weeks) Country |
|
| Too Much Love Currents |
- | - | - | - |
Country72 (3 weeks) Country |
||
more publishments
- 1992: Catfish Bates
- 1995: Fever
- 1995: Games People Play
- 1998: Cracker Jack Diamond
- 1998: Pretty Little Baby Child
- 2004: My Heart to You
- 2012: I Just Come Here for the Music (with Alison Krauss )
- 2014: I'll Be Here in the Morning
With The Pozo Seco Singers
| year | Title album |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
DE
|
AT
|
UK
|
US
|
Country
|
|||
| 1966 | Time time |
- | - | - |
US47 (7 weeks) US |
- | |
| I'll be gone time |
- | - | - |
US92 (2 weeks) US |
- | ||
| I Can Make It With You I Can Make It With You |
- | - | - |
US32 (11 weeks) US |
- | ||
| 1967 | Look What You've Done I Can Make It With You |
- | - | - |
US32 (9 weeks) US |
- | |
| I Believed It All |
- | - | - |
US96 (1 week) US |
- | ||
| Louisiana Man |
- | - | - |
US97 (3 weeks) US |
- | ||
more publishments
- 1967: Almost Persuaded
- 1967: Morning Dew
- 1967: Excuse Me Dear Martha
- 1968: Creole Woman
- 1970: Comin 'Apart
- 1970: Strawberry Fields / Something
Guest Posts
| year | Title album |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
DE
|
AT
|
UK
|
US
|
Country
|
|||
| 1981 | If I Needed You Cimarron |
- | - | - | - |
Country3 (17 weeks) Country |
with Emmylou Harris
|
Video albums
- 1990: Don Williams Live (US:gold)
- 2004: Into Africa
- 2016: Don Williams in Ireland: The Gentle Giant in Concert
Web links
- Official website (English)
- Detailed portrait
Individual evidence
- ↑ http://countrymusichalloffame.org/Inductees/InducteeDetail/don-williams
- ^ Don Williams Announces Retirement .
- ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/08/arts/music/don-williams-dead-country-singer.html?mcubz=1
- ↑ a b c d e Chart sources Don Williams: DE AT UK US
- ↑ a b c Music Sales Awards: US UK
- ↑ Chart sources Pozo Seco Singers: US
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Williams, Don |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American country singer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | May 27, 1939 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Floydada , Texas , United States |
| DATE OF DEATH | September 8, 2017 |
| Place of death | Mobile , Alabama , United States |