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Andy Williams

Born in 1928 in Wall Lake, IA

Andy Williams's Genre:

Vocal Pop, Traditional Pop, Vocal, Standards, Early Pop/Rock, AM Pop, Show Tunes, Cast Recordings, Soft Rock, Stage & Screen, Easy Listening

Biography

Easily the most solid and long-lasting vocalist of his era, Andy Williams' laid-back delivery and expansive voice charmed audiences for decades, from his first appearance with a brother quartet into his eighth decade of performance as the head of his own dinner theater in Branson, Missouri. Born in Wall Lake, Iowa, Williams sang in his church choir and later formed a quartet with his three brothers. The group performed on radio throughout the Midwest, then moved to Los Angeles to make it in show business. The Williams Brothers Quartet appeared on Bing Crosby's 1944 hit "Swinging on a Star" and appeared with comedienne Kay Thompson during the late '40s.

Andy Williams finally began his solo career in 1952, making several appearances on Steve Allen's The Tonight Show before signing a contract with Archie Bleyer's Cadence Records in 1955. He hit the Top Ten in 1956 with his third single for the label, "Canadian Sunset." One year later, his soft-toned cover of the Charlie Gracie rockabilly nugget "Butterfly" hit number one (it's still his biggest hit). Additional Top Ten entries "Are You Sincere," "Lonely Street," and "The Village of St. Bernadette" followed before Williams moved to Columbia in 1961.

Despite another big hit in 1963, "Can't Get Used to Losing You," Williams failed to generate much action on the singles charts during the 1960s. Instead, his highly rated variety program on NBC-TV spurred interest in the ever-growing LP market for adult and middle-of-the-road audiences. The popular 1962 album Moon River & Other Great Movie Themes featured the song he's most identified with, and the following year's Days of Wine and Roses hit the top of the album charts. Nine more LPs hit the Top Ten for Andy Williams during the '60s, many organized around loose themes -- Broadway, ballads, and one album that featured members of his family. Though 1971's Love Story was a platinum success that sparked a Top Ten hit for the title song, his television show was canceled that year.

Andy Williams remained very popular during the '70s, especially for British audiences. His single "Solitaire" hit the Top Ten there in 1973, though it didn't even chart in America. Two of his subsequent albums also performed well, but only in Britain. He released relatively few LPs during the 1980s, but returned to the pop world in the early '90s when he founded his own theater/resort in the home-grown entertainment capital of Branson, Missouri. Williams continued to headline shows there for 20 years, although he announced from its stage during a Christmas 2011 show that he had been diagnosed with cancer. It finally took his life on September 25, 2012. ~ John Bush

AOL Radio Stations Andy Williams is Featured on (8)

Yuletide Classics

Yuletide Classics on Slacker Radio includes all the traditional holiday favorites of the season. Hear timeless classics from Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Dean Martin, Elvis Presley and many more.

Top Christmas Hits

Top Christmas Hits on Slacker Radio is the perfect soundtrack for your holiday festivities. Enjoy classic songs from Frank Sinatra, Burl Ives and Johnny Mathis as well as contemporary artists like Justin Bieber, Mariah Carey, Michael Bublé and the cast of Glee.

Holiday Party

Holiday Party on Slacker Radio is the perfect way to celebrate the Holiday Season. Enjoy your festivities with upbeat holiday songs from classic crooners and soul legends to jazzy jingles, rock tunes and contemporary favorites. Get the holiday fun started with the festive sounds of Andy Williams, Dean Martin, Ella Fitgerald, Ray Charles, Lou Rawls, Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, U2 and many more.

Vocal Standards

For decades, the world of popular music belonged to the singers and songwriters. From romantic ballads to swinging standards, Vocal Standards on Slacker Radio shines the spotlight on the best classic and modern crooners, singers, and swingers ever heard.

'50s Hits

I Love Lucy, Sputnik, Edsel, Rebel Without A Cause, Sack Dresses, Blue Suede Shoes, Winky Dink, Honky Tonk, Bandstand, Doo Wop, Rockabilly, and Rock 'n' Roll. The 1950’s were out of this world. So drive your Chevy to the levy and re-live the best music of the 50s on Slacker’s ‘50s Hits.

'60s Hits

It was the decade that defined a generation. The Gulf of Tonkin, Neil Armstrong, Spiderman, Little Deuce Coupe, Mustang Sally, Get Smart, Twiggy, and We Shall Overcome. Yeah, yeah, yeah...it was fab, gear, groovy and boss. Turn on, tune in, and drop out with '60s Hits on Slacker Radio.

One-Night Standards

This station features the smooth sounds of charismatic crooners- from Sinatra to Buble, and all eras in-between. If your seduction style is more “Mad Men” than “Mad About You”, then this is your station. Pour a tall glass of scotch, throw another log on the fire, and flick the switch that automatically dims the lights- this is One Night Standards on Slacker Radio.

Andy Williams

This station plays the best music from and music from related artists like Johnny Mathis, Perry Como, Nat King Cole, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Bing Crosby, Bobby Darin, Harry Connick, Jr., Doris Day and more.

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Andy Williams's Selected Discography (50)

Essential Andy Williams [Bonus Disc] Album Cover

Christmas Presents

2013 Ludoxx201315 Songs

Artists Related to Andy Williams (50)

	Johnny Mathis	One of the last and most popular in a long line of traditional male vocalists who emerged before the rock-dominated 1960s, Johnny Mathis concentrated on romantic readings of jazz and pop standards for the ever-shrinking adult contemporary audience of the '60s and '70s.
	Perry Como	One of the most popular vocalists between the end of World War II and the rise of rock & roll in the mid-'50s, Perry Como perfected the post-big-band approach to pop music by lending his own irresistible, laid-back singing -- influenced by Bing Crosby and Russ Columbo -- to the popular hits of the day on radio, TV, and LP.
	Nat King Cole	For a mild-mannered man whose music was always easy on the ear, Nat King Cole managed to be a figure of considerable controversy during his 30 years as a professional musician.
	Dean Martin	Enjoying great success in music, film, television, and the stage, Dean Martin was less an entertainer than an icon, the eternal essence of cool.
	Frank Sinatra	Frank Sinatra was arguably the most important popular music figure of the 20th century, his only real rivals for the title being Bing Crosby, Elvis Presley, and the Beatles.
	Tony Bennett	Tony Bennett's career has enjoyed three distinct phases, each of them very successful. In the early '50s, he scored a series of major hits that made him one of the most popular recording artists of the time.
	Bing Crosby	Bing Crosby was, without doubt, the most popular and influential media star of the first half of the 20th century.
	Bobby Darin	There's been considerable discussion about whether Bobby Darin should be classified as a rock & roll singer, a Vegas hipster cat, an interpreter of popular standards, or even a folk-rocker.
	Harry Connick, Jr.	With very few exceptions, the career of Harry Connick, Jr., can be divided in half -- his first two albums encompassed straight-ahead New Orleans jazz and stride piano while his later career (which paralleled his rising celebrity status) alternated between more contemporary New Orleans music and pop vocals with a debt to Frank Sinatra.
	Doris Day	Doris Day has packed four careers into one lifetime, two each in music and movies. The pity is that all most people remember are her movies, from Teacher's Pet (1957) onward, as the quintessential all-American girl, the perpetually virginal screen heroine, cast opposite such icons of masculinity as Clark Gable and, rather ironically, Rock Hudson.
	Peggy Lee	Peggy Lee's alluring tone, distinctive delivery, breadth of material, and ability to write many of her own songs made her one of the most captivating artists of the vocal era, from her breakthrough on the Benny Goodman hit "Why Don't You Do Right" to her many solo successes, singles including "Mañana," "Lover" and "Fever" that showed her bewitching vocal power, a balance between sultry swing and impeccable musicianship.
	Rosemary Clooney	Before the rock & roll revolution, Rosemary Clooney was one of the most popular female singers in America, rising to superstardom during the golden age of adult pop.
	Elvis Presley	Elvis Presley may be the single most important figure in American 20th century popular music. Not necessarily the best, and certainly not the most consistent.
	Sammy Davis, Jr.	Recognized throughout much of his career as "the world's greatest living entertainer," Sammy Davis, Jr.
	Carpenters	With their light, airy melodies and meticulously crafted, clean arrangements, the Carpenters stood in direct contrast with the excessive, gaudy pop/rock of the '70s; yet they became one of the most popular artists of the decade, scoring 12 Top Ten hits, including three number one singles.
	Mel Tormé	Mel Tormé was a jazz-oriented pop singer who worked at his craft steadily from the '40s to the '90s, primarily in nightclubs and concert halls.
	Ella Fitzgerald	"The First Lady of Song," Ella Fitzgerald was arguably the finest female jazz singer of all time (although some may vote for Sarah Vaughan or Billie Holiday).
	The Andrews Sisters	The Andrews Sisters were the most successful female vocal group of the first half of the 20th century in the U.
	Louis Armstrong	Louis Armstrong was the first important soloist to emerge in jazz, and he became the most influential musician in the music's history.
	Burl Ives	With his grandfatherly image, Burl Ives parlayed his talent as a folksinger into a wide-ranging career as a radio personality and stage and screen actor.
	Judy Garland	Singer/actress Judy Garland had a varied career that began in vaudeville and extended into movies, records, radio, television, and personal appearances.
	Paul Anka	One of the biggest teen idols of the late '50s, Paul Anka moved to the adult sphere several years later and became a successful performer, songwriter, music businessman, and recording artist, remaining so well into the new millennium.
	Michael Bublé	Michael Bublé's introduction to the music of the swing era came to him through his grandfather, who filled his grandson's ears with the sounds of the Mills Brothers, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and others.
	Percy Faith	Percy Faith was one of the most popular easy listening recording artists of the '50s and '60s. Not only did he have a number of hit albums and singles under his own name, but Faith was responsible for arranging hits by Tony Bennett, Doris Day, Johnny Mathis, and Burl Ives, among others, as the musical director for Columbia Records in the '50s.
	Glenn Miller	Glenn Miller's reign as the most popular bandleader in the U.S. came relatively late in his career and was relatively brief, lasting only about three and a half years, from the spring of 1939 to the fall of 1942.
	Lena Horne	Singer/actress Lena Horne's primary occupation was nightclub entertaining, a profession she pursued successfully around the world for more than 60 years, from the 1930s to the 1990s.
	Brenda Lee	One of the biggest pop stars of the early '60s, Brenda Lee hasn't attracted as much critical respect as she deserves.
	The Rat Pack	The so-called Rat Pack wasn't a group in the normal sense, but consisted of a loose confederation of actors, comedians, and singers lumped together by the media under that name in the early '60s.
	Barbra Streisand	Barbra Streisand's status as one of the most successful singers of her generation was remarkable not only because her popularity was achieved in the face of a dominant musical trend -- rock & roll -- which she did not follow, but also because she used her vocal skills as a mere stepping stone to other careers, as a stage and film actress and as a film director.
	Ray Conniff	The man who popularized wordless vocal choruses and light orchestral accompaniment on a mix of popular standards and contemporary hits of the 1960s, Ray Conniff was a trombone player for Bunny Berigan's Orchestra and Bob Crosby's Bobcats before being hired as an arranger by Mitch Miller for Columbia Records in 1954.
	The Mills Brothers	An astonishing vocal group that grew into one of the longest-lasting oldies acts in American popular music, the Mills Brothers quickly moved from novelty wonders to pop successes and continued amazing audiences for decades.
	Bobby Vinton	Every era needs its crooner, and in the early '60s, it was Bobby Vinton. Vinton's sentimental balladeering and orchestral, middle-of-the-road arrangements were a throwback to a decade earlier, before rock & roll had found its mass market.
	Harry Belafonte	An actor, humanitarian, and the acknowledged "King of Calypso," Harry Belafonte ranked among the most seminal performers of the postwar era.
	Josh Groban	Pop and classical singer Josh Groban made his debut in the seventh grade, but then put music aside for a few years until he enrolled at the Interlochen Arts Program.
	Ray Charles	Ray Charles was the musician most responsible for developing soul music. Singers like Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson also did a great deal to pioneer the form, but Charles did even more to devise a new form of black pop by merging '50s R&B with gospel-powered vocals, adding plenty of flavor from contemporary jazz, blues, and (in the '60s) country.
	Barry Manilow	In terms of record sales and career longevity, Barry Manilow is one of the most successful adult contemporary singers ever.
	Vic Damone	One of the prototypical Italian-American crooners, Vic Damone parlayed a smooth, mellow baritone into big-time pop stardom during the '40s and '50s.
	Billie Holiday	The first popular jazz singer to move audiences with the intense, personal feeling of classic blues, Billie Holiday changed the art of American pop vocals forever.
	The Platters	The Platters started out as a Los Angeles-based doo wop group with little identity of their own to make them stand out from the pack.
	Steve Lawrence	As a solo artist and in a duo with his wife Eydie Gorme, Steve Lawrence enjoyed a successful singing career that stretched well past half a century.
	Fred Astaire	Dancer, actor, and singer Fred Astaire worked steadily in various entertainment media during nine decades of the 20th century.
	Benny Goodman	Benny Goodman was the first celebrated bandleader of the Swing Era, dubbed "The King of Swing," his popular emergence marking the beginning of the era.
	Sarah Vaughan	Possessor of one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century, Sarah Vaughan ranked with Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday in the very top echelon of female jazz singers.
	Engelbert Humperdinck	Ultrasmooth balladeer Engelbert Humperdinck was often billed as "the King of Romance," and for millions of fans around the world, he more than lived up to that title.
	Julie Andrews	At the commercial height of her career in the '60s, actress/singer Julie Andrews could claim to be the primary performer associated with the longest-running musical in Broadway history, the highest-grossing Hollywood film ever made, and the biggest-selling album of all time.
	Tommy Dorsey	Though he might have been ranked second at any given moment to Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Glenn Miller, or Harry James, Tommy Dorsey was overall the most popular bandleader of the swing era that lasted from 1935 to 1945.
	Gene Autry	Gene Autry was more than a musician. His music, coupled with his careers in movies and on radio and television, made him a part of the mythos that has made up the American identity for the past hundred years -- John Wayne with a little bit of Sam Houston and Davy Crockett all rolled into one, with a great singing voice and an ear for music added on.
	Jimmy Durante	If any performer can truly be said to have carved out his own comedic turf, made a huge success out of it lasting over several decades, while completely owning that piece of turf lock, stock, and barrel, then that performer would have to be Jimmy Durante.
	Duke Ellington	Duke Ellington was the most important composer in the history of jazz as well as being a bandleader who held his large group together continuously for almost 50 years.
	Johnny Mercer	Johnny Mercer's main claim to immortality is his incredible songwriting output, penning the lyrics or music and lyrics to roughly 1,500 songs.