Gene Williams
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Eugene "Gene" Williams was an American jazz singer and big band leader .
Live and act
Gene Williams began his career in 1942 as a member of the Duke Ambassadors under Sam Fletcher; then he worked in Johnny Long's orchestra until he was drafted into the US Army. After the war he was a band singer with Vincent Lopez and also worked for Les Elgart , George Paxton and Bobby Sherwood . He was best known at the end of the 1940s as a singer in Claude Thornhill's orchestra ; he was also involved in recordings in 1947 ("Sorta Kinda").
In 1950, Williams founded his own band in New York City , Gene Williams and the Junior Thornhill Band , for which he was able to win Gil Evans , Chico O'Farrill and Joe Reisman as arrangers . Initially, the Williams Orchestra only performed on weekends and at college parties and experienced frequent staff changes. The style was initially based on the sound of the Thornhill Orchestra and also had some bebop numbers in the repertoire. 1952 Williams had a long engagement with his band at the Glen Island Casino ; At that time, stylistically more of a dance band with the priority of ensemble passages over solo interludes. Recordings were made for Mercury and King Records . Eventually, Gene Williams had to disband the orchestra in the late 1950s. The band's most popular track was their instrumental number "Just Goofin '". In addition to Williams himself, Patti Dugan was briefly a singer in the band. In the following years Williams left the music business and worked in the New York musician bar Charlie's Tavern .
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- Leo Walker: The Big Band Almanac . Ward Ritchie Press, Pasadena. 1978
- Williams at Solid!
Web links
- Gene Williams at Allmusic (English)
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Williams, Gene |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Williams, Eugene |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American jazz singer and big band leader |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 20th century |