Howard Andrew Williams (December 3, 1927 – September 25, 2012) was an American singer. He recorded 43 albums in his career, of which 15 have been gold certified and three platinum certified.
He was also nominated for six
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...
. He hosted ''
the Andy Williams Show'', a television variety show, from 1962 to 1971, along with numerous TV specials. ''The Andy Williams Show'' won three
Emmy Award
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
s. He sold more than 45 million records worldwide, including more than 10 million certified units in the United States.
Williams was active in the music industry for over 70 years until his death in September 2012 from
bladder cancer
Bladder cancer is the abnormal growth of cells in the bladder. These cells can grow to form a tumor, which eventually spreads, damaging the bladder and other organs. Most people with bladder cancer are diagnosed after noticing blood in thei ...
, at the age of 84.
Early life and education
Williams was born in
Wall Lake, Iowa, on December 3, 1927,
to Florence (''
née
The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...
'' Finley) and Jay Emerson Williams, who worked in insurance and the post office. While living in
Cheviot, Ohio
Cheviot is a city in west-central Hamilton County, Ohio, United States. It is a suburb of Cincinnati. The population was 8,658 at the 2020 census.
History
In 1818, a Scottish immigrant named John Craig purchased a half section of of Green T ...
, Williams attended
Western Hills High School in
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...
. He finished high school at
University High School, in
West Los Angeles, because of his family's move to
California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
. At age 17, Williams joined the
United States Merchant Marine
The United States Merchant Marine is an organization composed of United States civilian sailor, mariners and U.S. civilian and federally owned merchant vessels. Both the civilian mariners and the merchant vessels are managed by a combination of ...
and served until the end of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.
[Andy Williams obituary; Popular crooner who sold more than 100m albums in a career that spanned eight decades](_blank)
''The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
''. Retrieved September 13, 2021.[Andy Williams dies at 84; ‘Moon River’ singer](_blank)
''Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' via Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is an American 501(c)(3) organization, non-profit organization founded in 1996 by Brewster Kahle that runs a digital library website, archive.org. It provides free access to collections of digitized media including web ...
. Retrieved September 13, 2021.[CNN LARRY KING WEEKEND: The Best of Interviews With Andy Williams](_blank)
CNN via Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is an American 501(c)(3) organization, non-profit organization founded in 1996 by Brewster Kahle that runs a digital library website, archive.org. It provides free access to collections of digitized media including web ...
. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
Career
1938–1952: Early career
Williams had three older brothers—Bob, Don, and
Dick Williams. His first performance was in a children's choir at the local
Presbyterian
Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...
church.
His brothers and he formed
the Williams Brothers quartet
in late 1938, and they performed on radio in the
Midwest
The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...
, first at
WHO in
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Iowa, most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is the county seat of Polk County, Iowa, Polk County with parts extending into Warren County, Iowa, Wa ...
, and later at
WLS in
Chicago
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, and
WLW
WLW (700 AM broadcasting, AM) is a commercial radio, commercial news/talk radio station city of license, licensed to Cincinnati, Ohio. Owned by iHeartMedia, WLW is a clear-channel station, often identifying itself as "The Big One". Its studios ...
in Cincinnati.
Moving to Los Angeles in 1943, the Williams Brothers sang with
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, comedian, entertainer and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwi ...
on his 1944 hit record "
Swinging on a Star". They appeared in four musical films: ''
Janie'' (1944), ''
Kansas City Kitty'' (1944), ''
Something in the Wind'' (1947), and ''
Ladies' Man'' (1947).
A persistent myth alleges that as a teenager, the future singing star dubbed the singing for
Lauren Bacall
Betty Joan Perske (September 16, 1924 – August 12, 2014), professionally known as Lauren Bacall ( ), was an American actress. She was named the AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars, 20th-greatest female star of classic Hollywood cinema by the America ...
's character in the 1944 feature film ''
To Have and Have Not''. According to authoritative sources, including
Howard Hawks
Howard Winchester Hawks (May 30, 1896December 26, 1977) was an American film director, Film producer, producer, and screenwriter of the Classical Hollywood cinema, classic Hollywood era. Critic Leonard Maltin called him "the greatest American ...
and Bacall herself, this was not true. Williams and some female singers were tested to dub for Bacall because of fears that she lacked the necessary vocal skills, but those fears were overshadowed by the desire to have Bacall do her own singing despite her imperfect vocal talent.
The Williams Brothers were signed by
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...
(MGM) to appear in ''
Anchors Aweigh'' and ''
Ziegfeld Follies
The ''Ziegfeld Follies'' were a series of elaborate theatrical revue productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 to 1931, with renewals in 1934, 1936, 1943, and 1957. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as '' The Ziegfeld Foll ...
'' (1945), but before they went before the cameras, the oldest brother, Bob, was drafted into military service and the group's contract was cancelled.
Kay Thompson, a former radio star who was now head of the vocal department at MGM, had a nose for talent and hired the remaining three Williams brothers to sing in her large choir on many soundtracks for MGM films, including ''
The Harvey Girls'' (1946). When Bob completed his military service, Kay hired all four brothers to sing on the soundtrack to ''
Good News'' (1947).
By then, Thompson was tired of working behind the scenes at MGM, so with the four Williams boys as her backup singers and dancers, she formed a nightclub act, Kay Thompson and the Williams Brothers. They made their debut in Las Vegas in 1947 and became an overnight sensation. Within a year, they were the highest-paid nightclub act in the world, breaking records wherever they appeared.
Williams revealed in his memoir ''Moon River and Me'' that Thompson and he became romantically involved while on tour despite the age difference (he was 19 and she was 38). The act broke up in 1949, but reunited for another hugely successful tour from the fall of 1951 through the summer of 1953. After that, the four brothers went their separate ways. A complete itinerary of both tours is listed on the Kay Thompson biography website.
Williams and Thompson, however, remained very close, both personally and professionally. She mentored his emergence as a solo singing star. She coached him, wrote his arrangements, and composed many songs that he recorded, including his 1958 top-20 hit "
Promise Me, Love", and later, "Kay Thompson's Jingle Bells" on his 1964 number-one ''
The Andy Williams Christmas Album''. Using her contacts in the business, Thompson helped Williams land his breakthrough television gig as a featured singer for two and a half years on ''
Tonight Starring Steve Allen''; it helped that the producer of the series, Bill Harbach, was Kay's former ''
aide-de-camp''. Thompson also got Williams his breakthrough recording contract with
Cadence Records, whose owner,
Archie Bleyer, had gotten early career breaks because of Kay and owed her a favor. Meanwhile, Williams sang backup on many of Thompson's recordings through the 1950s, including her top-40 hit "Eloise", based on
her bestselling books about the mischievous little girl who lives at the Plaza Hotel in New York.

Thompson also served as a creative consultant and vocal arranger on Williams's three summer-replacement network television series in 1957, 1958, and 1959. In the summer of 1961, Thompson traveled with Williams and coached him throughout his starring role in a summer-stock tour of the musical ''
Pal Joey''. Their personal and professional relationship finally ended in 1962, after Williams met and married
Claudine Longet, and Thompson moved to Rome.
1953–1961: Cadence years
Williams's solo career began in 1953.
He recorded six sides for
RCA Victor
RCA Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside Columbia Records (its former longtime rival), Arista Records and Epic ...
's label "X", but none was a popular hit.
After landing a spot as a regular on the ''Tonight Starring Steve Allen'' in 1954,
Williams was signed to a recording contract with
Cadence Records, a small label in New York, run by conductor
Archie Bleyer. Williams's third single, "
Canadian Sunset", reached number seven in the top 10 in August 1956; it was followed in February 1957 by his only ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' number-one hit,
"Butterfly", a
cover of a
Charlie Gracie record. "Butterfly" was also number one for two weeks on the
UK Singles Chart in May 1957. More hit records followed, including "
Hawaiian Wedding Song" (US number 11), "
Are You Sincere?" (US number three in February 1958), "
The Village of St. Bernadette" (US number seven in December 1959), "
Lonely Street" (US number five in September 1959), and "
I Like Your Kind of Love" with
Peggy Powers (US number eight in May 1957).
1962–1980: The Columbia years

On December 15, 1961, Williams married Claudine Longet and signed with
. His first album with Columbia, ''
Danny Boy and Other Songs I Love to Sing'', was a chart success, peaking at number 19. He was then asked to sing "
Moon River", the theme from ''
Breakfast at Tiffany's'', at the
1962 Academy Awards, where it won Best Original Song. Archie Bleyer at Cadence had previously told Williams that "Moon River" would not be a hit, but the Columbia producers encouraged Williams to record the song along with 11 other movie themes for an album. After Williams performed the song at the awards show, it became a hit. ''
Moon River and Other Great Movie Themes'' then sold across the country, garnering critical acclaim and propelling Williams into stardom. The album remained on the charts for the next three years and peaked at number three. In 1963, Williams's producer,
Robert Mersey, encouraged him to record "
Can't Get Used to Losing You
"Can't Get Used to Losing You" is a song written by Doc Pomus, Jerome "Doc" Pomus and Mort Shuman, first made popular by Andy Williams in a 1963 record release, which was a number-two hit in both the US and the UK. Twenty years later, British ba ...
" as the B-side to "
Days of Wine and Roses". Williams initially did not like the pop song, preferring the Mancini tune, but "Can't Get Used to Losing You" reached number two in the US and UK. The album containing both songs, ''
Days of Wine and Roses and Other TV Requests'', topped the album charts at number one for 16 weeks.
From 1962 to 1972, Williams was one of the most popular vocalists in the country and was signed to what was at that time the biggest recording contract in history. He was primarily an album artist, and at one time, he had recorded more gold albums than any solo performer except
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...
,
Johnny Mathis
John Royce Mathis (born September 30, 1935) is an American singer. Starting his 69-year career with singles of standard (music), standard music, Mathis is one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century and became highly popular as ...
, and
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...
. By 1973, he had earned as many as 17 gold-album awards. Among his hit albums from this period were ''The Andy Williams Christmas Album'', ''Dear Heart'', ''The Shadow of Your Smile'', ''
Love, Andy'', ''Happy Heart'', ''Get Together with Andy Williams'', ''Love Story'', and ''Love Theme from the Godfather''. These recordings, along with his natural affinity for the music of the 1960s and early 1970s, combined to make him one of the premier easy-listening singers of that era.
In the UK, Williams continued to reach high chart status until 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 We Were'' (1974), and ''Reflections'' (1978) all reached the top 10.
Williams forged an indirect collaborative relationship with
Henry Mancini, although they never recorded together. Both "Moon River" and "Days of Wine and Roses" were written by Mancini, with lyrics by
Johnny Mercer
John Herndon Mercer (November 18, 1909 – June 25, 1976) was an American lyricist, songwriter, and singer, as well as a record label executive who co-founded Capitol Records with music industry businessmen Buddy DeSylva and Wallichs Music Cit ...
. Williams sang Mancini's "
Dear Heart" at the 1965 Academy Awards and "
The Sweetheart Tree" (also written with Mercer) at the 1966 Awards.
On August 5, 1966, the 14-story, 700-room
Caesars Palace casino and nightclub opened in
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...
, with the stage production of "Rome Swings", in which Williams starred. He performed to a sold-out crowd in the Circus Maximus showroom. He headlined for Caesars for the next 20 years.
On September 17, 1968, Columbia released a single of two songs Williams sang at the funeral of his close friend
Robert F. Kennedy: "
The Battle Hymn of the Republic
The "Battle Hymn of the Republic" is an American patriotic song written by the abolitionist writer Julia Ward Howe during the American Civil War.
Howe adapted her song from the soldiers' song " John Brown's Body" in November 1861, and sold ...
" and
Franz Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert (; ; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical period (music), Classical and early Romantic music, Romantic eras. Despite his short life, Schubert left behind a List of compositions ...
's "
Ave Maria
The Hail Mary or Ave Maria (from its first words in Latin), also known as the Angelic or Angelical Salutation, is a traditional Catholic prayer addressing Mary, mother of Jesus, Mary, the mother of Jesus. The prayer is based on two biblical pa ...
". These were never released on a
long-playing record, but have appeared in several compilations of Williams's output.

Williams also competed in the teen-oriented singles market and had several charting hits, including "
Can't Get Used to Losing You
"Can't Get Used to Losing You" is a song written by Doc Pomus, Jerome "Doc" Pomus and Mort Shuman, first made popular by Andy Williams in a 1963 record release, which was a number-two hit in both the US and the UK. Twenty years later, British ba ...
", "
Happy Heart", and
"Where Do I Begin", the theme song from the 1970 blockbuster film ''
Love Story''. In addition, Williams hit the top 10 of the
UK Singles Chart with "
Almost There" (1964), "
Can't Help Falling in Love" (1970), "
Home Lovin' Man" (1970), and "Solitaire" (1973).
Williams and
Petula Clark
Sally "Petula" Clark (born 15 November 1932) is a British singer, actress, and songwriter. She started her professional career as a child actor, child performer and has had the longest career of any British entertainer, spanning more than 85 y ...
recorded "
Happy Heart" around the same time, just before his guest appearance on her second NBC-TV special. Unaware that she was releasing the song as a single, he asked to perform it on the show. The exposure ultimately led to his having the bigger hit with the song. The song "Happy Heart" was used for the final scene and end credits of
Danny Boyle
Daniel Francis Boyle (born 20 October 1956) is an English director and producer. He is known for his work on the films ''Shallow Grave (1994 film), Shallow Grave'' (1994), ''Trainspotting (film), Trainspotting'' (1996) and its sequel ''T2 Tra ...
's award-winning
directorial debut film ''
Shallow Grave'' (1994).
1962–1971: ''The Andy Williams Show''

Building on his experience with Allen and some short-term variety shows in the 1950s, he became the star of his own weekly television variety show in the fall of 1962. Though cancelled after 1963 owing to low ratings, the show was then sponsored to make 12 weekly specials in the 1963–64 season. This series, ''
The Andy Williams Show'', won three
Emmy Awards
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
for outstanding variety program. Among his series regulars were the
Osmond Brothers. He gave up the variety show in 1971 while it was still popular, continuing with three specials per year. His Christmas specials, which appeared regularly until 1974 and intermittently from 1982 into the 1990s, were among the most popular of the genre.
Williams recorded eight Christmas albums over the years, and was known as "Mr. Christmas",
due to his perennial Christmas specials and the success of "
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year".
Williams hosted the most
Grammy
The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...
telecasts—seven consecutive shows—from the
13th Annual Grammy Awards in 1971 through to the
19th Awards in 1977. He returned to television with a syndicated half-hour series in 1976–77.
In the early 1970s, when the
Nixon administration attempted to deport
John Lennon
John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer-songwriter, musician and activist. He gained global fame as the founder, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. Lennon's ...
, Williams was an outspoken defender of the former
Beatle's right to stay in the United States. Williams is included in the montage of caricatures on the cover of
Ringo Starr
Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the group, us ...
's 1973 album, ''
Ringo''.
Williams performed during the
halftime show
A halftime show is a performance given during the brief period between the first and second halves, or the second and third quarters, of a sporting event. Halftime shows are not given for sports with an irregular or indeterminate number of di ...
of
Super Bowl VII in January 1973, held at
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (also known as the Los Angeles Coliseum or L.A. Coliseum) is a multi-purpose stadium in the Exposition Park, Los Angeles, Exposition Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United States. Conceived as a hal ...
.
1991–2012: At Moon River Theatre
In June 1991, Williams' brother Don invited him to the small
Ozarks
The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands or Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region in the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, as well as a small area in the southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover ...
town of
Branson, Missouri. Don Williams at the time was the manager for entertainer
Ray Stevens, who had just opened a theater in Branson. While attending Stevens' show, Williams was encouraged by numerous Branson guests to open a venue in the town.
This led Williams to build his own theater in Branson in time for the 1992 season, eventually opening on May 1, 1992, as the Moon River Theatre.
The name came from his signature song. It went on to become the first theater ever to be featured in ''
Architectural Digest'', and also won the 1992 Conservation Award from the State of
Missouri
Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...
.
The theater was designed to blend with the rough terrain of the
Ozark Mountains. He had originally planned a marble-style theater reminiscent of the
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is one of the halls in the Los Angeles Music Center, which is one of the largest performing arts centers in the United States. The Music Center's other halls include the Mark Taper Forum, Ahmanson Theatre, and Walt ...
in Los Angeles, but soon had a change of mind. The Larson Company of Tucson, Arizona, fabricated a section of rock on Missouri's Highway 76 and the theater was soon engulfed with waterfalls,
koi-filled ponds, ferns, and trees native to the Ozarks. The inside of the theater incorporates the outside. Trees and plants are seen throughout the theater's three lobbies. Oak floors are accompanied by African ribbon-striped mahogany walls that are filled with pictures of the ''Andy Williams Show''. Williams' passion for art can be seen throughout, as well. From the start of his career, Williams had accumulated several paintings and sculptures and decided to fill his theater with his collection.
Frankenthaler,
Diebenkorn,
Oldenburg,
Pollock
Pollock or pollack (pronounced ) is the common name used for either of the two species of North Atlantic ocean, marine fish in the genus ''Pollachius''. ''Pollachius pollachius'' is referred to as "pollock" in North America, Ireland and the Unit ...
,
Klee, and
Moore are on a small list of artists whose work is on display at the Moon River Theatre.
The theater's auditorium can accommodate 2,054 people. The seats and carpets match Williams'
Navajo rug
Navajo weaving () are textiles produced by Navajo people, who are based near the Four Corners area of the United States. Navajo textiles are highly regarded and have been sought after as trade items for more than 150 years. Commercial production ...
collection and are forest green, magenta, gold, and blue. On display inside the auditorium are 19 Japanese
kimono
The is a traditional Japanese garment and the national dress of Japan. The kimono is a wrapped-front garment with square sleeves and a rectangular body, and is worn Garment collars in hanfu#Youren (right lapel), left side wrapped over ri ...
s. The stage has accommodated numerous shows and guest celebrities. On stage, Williams was joined by
Glen Campbell
Glen Travis Campbell (April 22, 1936 – August 8, 2017) was an American country musician and actor. He was best known for a series of hit songs in the 1960s and 1970s, and for hosting ''The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour'' on CBS television from ...
,
Ann-Margret, Petula Clark, and
Charo
María Rosario Pilar Martínez Molina Baeza, professionally known by her stage name Charo, is a Spanish-born actress, singer, comedian, and flamenco guitarist who rose to international prominence in the 1960s on American television, as well ...
.
When it first opened, it was unique because his was the first noncountry act to open in the then mostly country-music town. Other noncountry entertainers, such as
Bobby Vinton,
Tony Orlando
Michael Anthony Orlando Cassavitis (born April 3, 1944), known professionally as Tony Orlando, is an American Pop music, pop/Rock music, rock singer, songwriter, and music executive whose career spans nearly seven decades. He is best known for h ...
,
Wayne Newton, and the Osmond Brothers soon followed.
Williams and his theater were featured on three episodes of the soap opera ''
As the World Turns
''As the World Turns'' (often abbreviated as ''ATWT'') is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS for 54 years from April 2, 1956, to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created ''As the World Turns'' as a sister show to her other so ...
'' in July 2007, when several characters went to Branson for a concert of "
Gwen Munson" held in the Moon River Theatre. ''
The Simpsons
''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is a Satire (film and television), satirical depiction of American life ...
'' featured Williams at his Moon River Theatre in an episode titled "
Bart on the Road".
Nelson Muntz is an Andy Williams fan, and in the episode, he forces the gang to make a detour to Branson so he could see his idol. He is reduced to tears as Williams performs "Moon River" during the second encore.
In 2007, Williams opened the Moon River Grill adjacent to his theater in Branson. The restaurant is decorated in photos from the ''Andy Williams Show'' with stars including
Diana Ross
Diana Ross (born Diane Ernestine Earle Ross March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. Known as the "Queen of Motown Records", she was the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown#Major divisions, Motown's most suc ...
,
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...
, and
Sammy Davis Jr. Art is center stage in the restaurant, with works by several artists including
Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol (;''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''"Warhol" born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director and producer. A leading figure in the pop art movement, Warhol ...
and
Robert Indiana.
In 1995, ''
We Need a Little Christmas'' became Williams's 18th gold album.
His 1967 recording of "
Music to Watch Girls By" became a UK hit to a new young television audience in 1999, when it reached number 9 after being featured in new television advertisements for the
Fiat Punto—and later for
Diet Pepsi
Diet Pepsi, also called Pepsi Light in some countries, is a diet carbonated cola soft drink produced by PepsiCo, introduced in 1964 as a variant of Pepsi with no sugar. First test marketed in 1963 under the name Patio Diet Cola, it was re-bra ...
—beating the original peak of number 33 in 1967. A new generation was reminded of Williams' recordings and a sell-out UK tour followed the success of the single, prompting a British revival for Williams. In 2002, he re-recorded "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" as a duet with British actress and singer
Denise van Outen; it reached number 23 in the UK singles charts. He completed a sold-out tour of the United Kingdom and Asia in the winter and summer of 2007, in which he performed at several major concert halls including the
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London, England. It has a seating capacity of 5,272.
Since the hall's opening by Queen Victoria in 1871, the world's leading artists from many performance genres ...
.
Williams returned to the UK singles charts with his 1963 recording of "
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" in December 2007, due to an advertisement for
Marks & Spencer
Marks and Spencer plc (commonly abbreviated to M&S and colloquially known as Marks & Sparks or simply Marks) is a major British multinational retailer based in London, England, that specialises in selling clothing, beauty products, home produc ...
, reaching number 21 in its first appearance in the British charts. In 2008, he lip-synched the 45-year-old recording to welcome Santa at the end of the
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
On October 3, 2009, Williams appeared live on the BBC's ''
Strictly Come Dancing
''Strictly Come Dancing'' (commonly referred to as ''Strictly'') is a British dance contest show in which celebrities partner with professional dancers to compete in mainly Ballroom dance, ballroom and Latin dance, Latin dance. Each couple is ...
'' in London, singing "Moon River" to promote the UK edition of ''The Very Best of Andy Williams'' LP, which peaked at number 10 in the main pop chart.
Business ventures
In 1964, Williams ultimately became the owner of the Cadence master tapes, which he occasionally licensed to Columbia, including not only his own recordings, but also those of his fellow Cadence-era labelmates:
the Everly Brothers
The Everly Brothers were an American rock duo, known for steel-string acoustic guitar playing and close-harmony singing. Consisting of Isaac Donald "Don" Everly and Phillip "Phil" Everly, the duo combined elements of rock and roll, country, ...
,
Lenny Welch,
the Chordettes
The Chordettes were an American female vocal quartet, specializing in traditional pop music. They are best known for their 1950s hit singles " Mr. Sandman" and " Lollipop", both of which sold over a million copies.
Career
The group organized i ...
,
Link Wray
Fred Lincoln "Link" Wray Jr. (May 2, 1929 – November 5, 2005) was an American guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist who became popular in the late 1950s. His 1958 Instrumental rock, instrumental single "Rumble (instrumental), Rumble", reached the ...
, and
Johnny Tillotson. In 1968, although he was still under contract with Columbia for his own recordings, Williams formed a separate company called
Barnaby Records to handle reissuing of the Cadence materials, especially those of the Everly Brothers (one of the first Barnaby LPs was a double LP set of the Brothers' long out-of-print Cadence hits) and new artists. Barnaby also had several top-40 hits in the 1970s with novelty artist Ray Stevens (who had done a summer replacement show for Williams in 1970), including number-one hits such as "
Everything Is Beautiful" in 1970 and "
The Streak" in 1974. Also in 1970, Barnaby signed and released the first album by an unknown singer-songwriter named
Jimmy Buffett
James William Buffett (December 25, 1946 – September 1, 2023) was an American singer-songwriter, author, and businessman. He was known for his tropical rock sound and persona, which often portrayed a lifestyle described as "island escapis ...
(''
Down to Earth'') produced by Travis Turk.
Columbia was initially the distributor for Barnaby, but later distribution was handled first by
MGM Records
MGM Records was a record label founded by the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio in 1946 for the purpose of releasing soundtrack recordings (later LP albums) of their musical films. It transitioned into a pop music label that continued into the ...
and then
General Recorded Tape. Once Barnaby ceased operating as a working record company at the end of the 1970s, Williams licensed the old Cadence material to various other labels (such as
Varèse Sarabande and
Rhino in the US) after 1980.
Politics
Williams was close friends with Robert F. Kennedy and his wife,
Ethel Kennedy, and campaigned for Kennedy in the
1968 Democratic presidential primary races. Williams was among the celebrities who were in Kennedy's entourage in the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles when Kennedy was shot and mortally wounded by
Sirhan Sirhan in June 1968.
Williams sang "Battle Hymn of the Republic" at RFK's funeral, at Ethel's request. In August 1969, Williams and Claudine Longet named their newborn son Bobby, after Kennedy. The Williams' friendship with Ethel Kennedy endured, with Williams serving as escort to Ethel at events in the 1970s. He also raised funds for
George McGovern
George Stanley McGovern (July 19, 1922 – October 21, 2012) was an American politician, diplomat, and historian who was a U.S. representative and three-term U.S. senator from South Dakota, and the Democratic Party (United States), Democ ...
's
1972 presidential campaign, performing at
benefit concerts
A benefit concert or charity concert is a type of musical benefit performance (e.g., concert, show, or gala) featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate Hu ...
.
Williams later said that despite his friendship with the Democratic Kennedys, he was a lifelong
Republican.
In 2009, he was quoted by ''
The Daily Telegraph
''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was found ...
'' as accusing
President Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
of "following Marxist theory" and "wanting the country to fail". Williams gave
Rush Limbaugh
Rush Hudson Limbaugh III ( ; January 12, 1951 – February 17, 2021) was an American Conservatism in the United States, conservative political commentator who was the host of ''The Rush Limbaugh Show'', which first aired in 1984 and was nati ...
permission to use his recording of the song "
Born Free" as the theme to the "Animal Rights Update" on
Limbaugh's radio show—in which a portion of the song was then followed by gunfire—saying "Hey, it's fine with me. I love what you're doing with it." The record company later blocked Limbaugh's use of the recording. Williams was a guest on the ''
Glenn Beck Radio Program'' in December 2009, introduced by his own 1960s recording of "Little Altar Boy".
Personal life
Williams met French-born
Claudine Longet in Las Vegas when her car broke down and he offered help. She was a dancer at the time at the
Folies Bergère. They married on December 15, 1961, and over the next eight years, they had three children—Noelle, Christian (died 2019), and Robert.
After separating in 1970, Williams and Longet divorced in 1975, but they remained friends.
In March 1976, Longet was charged with fatally shooting her boyfriend,
alpine ski racer Spider Sabich, in
Aspen
Aspen is a common name for certain tree species in the Populus sect. Populus, of the ''Populus'' (poplar) genus.
Species
These species are called aspens:
* ''Populus adenopoda'' – Chinese aspen (China, south of ''P. tremula'')
* ''Populus da ...
. Williams played a public role in the subsequent events, escorting her to and from the courtroom, testifying to her character at the trial, and providing legal assistance. Longet claimed the shooting was accidental and eventually served 30 days in jail.
Williams also had partial ownership of the
Phoenix Suns NBA team from the team's inception in 1968 until 1987.
On May 3, 1991, Williams married Debbie Haas, ''née'' Meyer, whom he met through a mutual friend. They made their homes at Branson, Missouri, and
La Quinta, California, where he was known as the "honorary mayor".
Williams was a noted collector of modern art and his homes have been featured in ''
Architectural Digest''.
Williams' birthplace in Iowa is a tourist attraction and is open most of the year.
Hobbies
Williams was an avid golfer and hosted a
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour (stylized as PGA TOUR by its officials) is the organizer of professional golf tours in North America. It organizes most of the events on the flagship annual series of tournaments also known as the PGA Tour, the PGA Tour Champion ...
golf tournament in
San Diego
San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...
from 1968 to 1988 at
Torrey Pines. Then known as the "Andy Williams San Diego Open", the tournament continues as the
Farmers Insurance Open, usually played in February. He was also a competent
ice skater and occasionally skated as part of his television Christmas shows.
Williams was a noted art collector whose collection had hung in his homes, his offices, and in the Moon River Theatre, and was exhibited at the
Saint Louis Art Museum in 1997 and 1998.
[ After his death, his collection was split among several auction houses. His paintings went to ]Christie's
Christie's is a British auction house founded in 1766 by James Christie (auctioneer), James Christie. Its main premises are on King Street, St James's in London, and it has additional salerooms in New York, Paris, Hong Kong, Milan, Geneva, Shan ...
New York, where they fetched over $50 million. His folk art collection was sold at Skinner for $2,471,725. His collection of Navajo blankets was sold by Sotheby's
Sotheby's ( ) is a British-founded multinational corporation with headquarters in New York City. It is one of the world's largest brokers of fine art, fine and decorative art, jewellery, and collectibles. It has 80 locations in 40 countries, an ...
on May 21, 2013, yielding $978,506 (£642,064).
Illness and death
In a surprise appearance at his theater in November 2011, Williams announced that he had been diagnosed with bladder cancer
Bladder cancer is the abnormal growth of cells in the bladder. These cells can grow to form a tumor, which eventually spreads, damaging the bladder and other organs. Most people with bladder cancer are diagnosed after noticing blood in thei ...
. After chemotherapy
Chemotherapy (often abbreviated chemo, sometimes CTX and CTx) is the type of cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs (list of chemotherapeutic agents, chemotherapeutic agents or alkylating agents) in a standard chemotherapy re ...
treatment in Houston
Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
, his wife and he moved to a rented home in Malibu, California
Malibu ( ; ; ) is a beach city in the Santa Monica Mountains region of Los Angeles County, California, about west of downtown Los Angeles. It is known for its Mediterranean climate, its strip of beaches stretching along the Pacific Ocean coa ...
, to be closer to cancer specialists in the Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
area.[
On September 25, 2012, Williams died of bladder cancer at the age of 84 at his home in Branson, Missouri.] Williams' body was cremated, and his ashes were sprinkled into the artificial waterway named Moon River at his theater in Branson. The memorial service for Williams was held a month later.
Awards and achievements
''The Andy Williams Show'' won three Emmy Awards
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
in 1963, 1966, and 1967 for Outstanding Variety Series.
Andy Williams also earned six Grammy nominations:
Other honors include:
* Society of Singers Lifetime Achievement Award, 2008
*Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
Discography
Andy Williams' extensive discography began with the release of the 1948 single "Jubilee" as a member of the Williams Brothers alongside Kay Thompson. He recorded his first solo album, ''Andy Williams Sings Steve Allen'', eight years later, and remained active in the music industry for the next 56 years, completing 43 studio albums, alongside compilation albums and more.
Studio albums
* '' Andy Williams Sings Steve Allen'' (1956)
* '' Andy Williams Sings Rodgers and Hammerstein'' (1958)
* '' Two Time Winners'' (1959)
* '' To You Sweetheart, Aloha'' (1959)
* '' Lonely Street'' (1959)
* '' The Village of St. Bernadette'' (1960)
* '' Under Paris Skies'' (1960)
* '' Danny Boy and Other Songs I Love to Sing'' (1962)
* '' Moon River and Other Great Movie Themes'' (1962)
* '' Million Seller Songs'' (1962)
* '' Warm and Willing'' (1962)
* '' Days of Wine and Roses and Other TV Requests'' (1963)
* '' The Andy Williams Christmas Album'' (1963)
* '' The Wonderful World of Andy Williams'' (1964)
* '' The Academy Award-Winning "Call Me Irresponsible" and Other Hit Songs from the Movies'' (1964)
* '' The Great Songs from "My Fair Lady" and Other Broadway Hits'' (1964)
* '' Andy Williams' Dear Heart'' (1965)
* ''Merry Christmas
The Christmas season or the festive season, also known as the holiday season or the holidays, is an annual period generally spanning from November or December to early January. Incorporating Christmas Day and New Year's Day, the various celebrat ...
'' (1965)
* '' The Shadow of Your Smile'' (1966)
* '' In the Arms of Love'' (1966)
* '' Born Free'' (1967)
* '' Love, Andy'' (1967)
* ''Honey
Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several species of bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of pl ...
'' (1968)
* '' Happy Heart'' (1969)
* '' Get Together with Andy Williams'' (1969)
* '' Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head'' (1970)
* '' The Andy Williams Show'' (1970)
* '' Love Story'' (1971)
* '' You've Got a Friend'' (1971)
* '' Love Theme from "The Godfather"'' (1972)
* '' Alone Again (Naturally)'' (1972)
* '' Solitaire'' (1973)
* '' The Way We Were'' (1974)
* '' Christmas Present'' (1974)
* '' You Lay So Easy on My Mind'' (1974)
* '' The Other Side of Me'' (1975)
* '' Andy'' (1976)
* '' Let's Love While We Can'' (1980)
* '' Greatest Love Classics'' (1984)
* '' Close Enough for Love'' (1986)
* '' I Still Believe in Santa Claus'' (1990)
* ''Nashville
Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
'' (1991)
* '' We Need a Little Christmas'' (1995)
* '' I Don't Remember Ever Growing Up'' (2007)
Filmography
*1944: '' Janie''
*1944: '' Kansas City Kitty''
*1947: '' Ladies' Man''
*1947: '' Something in the Wind''
*1960: '' The Man in the Moon''
*1964: '' I'd Rather Be Rich''
*1980: ''The Muppet Show
''The Muppet Show'' is a variety sketch comedy television series created by Jim Henson and starring the Muppets. It is presented as a variety show, featuring recurring sketches and musical numbers interspersed with ongoing plot-lines with ru ...
'', special guest star
*1999: '' Dorival Caymmi'' (documentary)
*2009: ''Sebring'' (documentary)
Bibliography
*
References
Notes
Sources
BBC Radio Nottingham Interview
External links
*
Profile at Andy Williams Theatre
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Andy
1927 births
2012 deaths
20th-century American male singers
20th-century American singers
American art collectors
American ballad musicians
American crooners
American male pop singers
American military personnel of World War II
American Presbyterians
American sailors
American television hosts
Apex Records artists
Cadence Records artists
Columbia Records artists
Deaths from bladder cancer in the United States
Deaths from cancer in Missouri
Iowa Republicans
London Records artists
Military personnel from Iowa
Missouri Republicans
Singers from Cincinnati
Ohio Republicans
People from Branson, Missouri
People from Cheviot, Ohio
People from La Quinta, California
People from Sac County, Iowa
Phoenix Suns owners
Polydor Records artists
Singers from Iowa
Traditional pop music singers
United States Merchant Mariners
United States Merchant Mariners of World War II
X Records artists