Milan Williams

Milan B. Williams (born March 28, 1948 in Okolona , Mississippi , † July 9, 2006 in Houston , Texas ) was an American keyboardist and songwriter . He gained fame as a founding member of The Commodores . Williams wrote a variety of songs for the band until he left in 1989.

Life

Milan Williams grew up in his hometown of Okolona and began playing the piano at the age of five. The inspiration for this was his older brother Earl, who was a musician and played several instruments. Williams' first band was called The Jays . In 1967, as a freshman at Tuskegee University , Williams met musicians Lionel Richie , Thomas McClary and William King from the band The Mystics . Both bands then formed a new grouping called The Commodores .

The first recordings of the Commodores appeared in 1969. Milan Williams became the group's keyboardist and also wrote several of their singles, including the first chart success Machine Gun from 1974. He also participated as a producer on the 1986 album United .

In 1989 Williams left the Commodores after refusing to attend a performance by the band in South Africa .

Milan Williams was married twice and had two sons. He last lived in Houston, where he died on July 9, 2006 at the age of 58 of complications from cancer. Williams was buried in Zion Spring Cemetery in Okolona, the city of his birth.

Selection of songs written by Milan Williams

All singles written by Williams that were able to place in the US charts are listed. The respective album in brackets.

Machine Gun ( Machine Gun , 1974)
Wonderland ( Midnight Magic , 1979)
Old-Fashion Love ( Heroes , 1980)
Only You ( Commodores 13 , 1983)

Web links

personal data
SURNAME	Williams, Milan
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Williams, Milan B.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American keyboardist and songwriter
DATE OF BIRTH	March 28, 1948
PLACE OF BIRTH	Okolona , Mississippi
DATE OF DEATH	July 9, 2006
Place of death	Houston , Texas