Bruce Alan Williamson Jr. (September 29, 1970 – September 6, 2020) was an American R&B and

soul The soul is the purported Mind–body dualism, immaterial aspect or essence of a Outline of life forms, living being. It is typically believed to be Immortality, immortal and to exist apart from the material world. The three main theories that ...

singer and a one-time lead singer for

The Temptations The Temptations is an American vocal group formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1961 as The Elgins, known for their string of successful singles and albums with Motown from the 1960s to the mid-1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield ...

Career

Williamson had shown interest in joining the legendary Temptations music group since 1994. In an effort to help sign a fellow Vegas group to a label, Williamson's manager Dave Wallace introduced Williamson to long-time Temptations vocalist Ron Tyson. After listening to Williamson sing, Tyson mentored him and tried to have Williamson become a member of the Temptations for over a decade. Williamson later explained, "

Otis Williams Otis Williams (born Otis Miles Jr.; October 30, 1941) is an American second tenor/baritone singer.Ribowsky, Mark (2010). ''Ain't Too Proud to Beg: The Troubled Lives and Endearing Soul of the Temptations''. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. pp. ...

was initially against me joining the group, because he thought I was too big and too young," but Williams eventually relented allowing him to enter the group. Many of the Temptations' fans learned of Williamson's entry after former member G.C. Cameron told a

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

radio station that he was leaving the group to continue his solo career. Williamson has been quoted as saying that he had done "more in six months of being a Temptation than many artists have done in a lifetime." Williamson appeared on the group's recent albums, '' Back to Front'' and '' Still Here'', and participated in many public events with the Temptations, including countless concerts, TV appearances, and a cameo in '' Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story''. Williamson left the Temptations in 2015, citing weight problems and wanting to record a

gospel Gospel originally meant the Christianity, Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the second century Anno domino, AD the term (, from which the English word originated as a calque) came to be used also for the books in which the message w ...

album. He was replaced by former

Tower of Power Tower of Power is an American R&B and funk based band and horn section, originating in Oakland, California, that has been performing since 1968. The band has had a number of lead vocalists, the best-known being Lenny Williams, who fronted ...

vocalist Larry Braggs.

Personal life and death

Born and raised in

Los Angeles, California 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, ...

, on September 29, 1970, Bruce started singing in church at a young age. Williamson's love for music began after experiencing jealousy over his cousin's frequent choir leads. Having sung gospel music for most of his life, he also began singing R&B music in local clubs. Williamson later took his talent to the famous

Las Vegas 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 ...

Strip, fronting the popular cover, funk band, BlackBerry Jam. In August 2020, Williamson was diagnosed with

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nevada after having recovered from gall bladder surgery. He died from complications of COVID-19 in

on September 6, 2020, at age 49. At the time of his death, Williamson was working on R&B and gospel albums, one of which was with a reloaded BlackBerry Jam band entitled ''Send the Rain''.

References

External links

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Bruce Williamson's official MySpace page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williamson, Bruce 1970 births 2020 deaths American gospel singers American rhythm and blues singers The Temptations members Singers from Los Angeles Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Nevada 21st-century African-American male singers 21st-century American male singers