![]() As host of his own weekly variety series, 'The Andy Williams Show,' he helped put both established and emerging talent in front of American audiences. ![]() ![]() 26 statement: "Andy Williams' smooth voice and casual style turned the songs he sang into timeless classics and made him one of America's top pop singers. His autobiography is called "Moon River and Me." Neil Portnow, president/CEO of The Recording Academy, which administers the Grammy Awards, said this in a Sept. Bernadette," "The Hawaiian Wedding Song," "Music to Watch Girls By," "Can't Get Used to Losing You," "Days of Wine and Roses" and more. Williams moved to New York and continued to pursue his vocal career.Īmong his hit records over the years were "Canadian Sunset," "Butterfly," "Lonely Street," "The Village of St. Thompson and the brothers spend the next few years performing all over the United States and in London. Williams and his brothers teamed up with comedian-singer Kay Thompson for a nightclub act packed with acclaimed tight harmonies. Williams and his brothers made their first professional recording, "Swinging on a Star," which became a hit in 1944. The radio exposure caught the attention of Bing Crosby. They sang on the radio on national stations like WLS in Chicago and WLW in Cincinnati. The brothers became regulars on radio station WHO's "Iowa's Barn Dance Show" in Des Moines. At the age of 8, he made his professional singing debut as part of the Williams Brothers Quartet. Williams was grew up in Wall Lake, IA, where he began singing with his three brothers in a local Presbyterian church choir that was established by his parents. Williams, who also hosted the TV variety program "The Andy Williams Show" ("Moon River" was its theme) and many television Christmas specials (the Osmonds were frequent guests), died at his home in Branson, MO, where the lavish Andy Williams Moon River Theatre is located. French songwriter and singer Legrand shared the stage with the Iowa-born crooner, who is now best known for performing the hit song "Moon River" by Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini. With that, pop music lost one of its most charismatic performers.The singer made one appearance on Broadway, in Andy Williams With Michel Legrand, a Nederlander-produced concert that played two weeks at the Uris Theatre. When he played ‘Moon River’ on the former, it was clear that the ravages of time caught up with his voice - his vocals quivered as he hit the long notes - but the twinkle was still very much present and correct, and remained so as he continued to perform at the Moon River Theatre right up until shortly before his passing in 2012. with Jools Holland and Strictly Come Dancing. As recently as 2009, he reached the UK to promote his greatest hits record, The Very Best of Andy Williams, performing live on both Later. Later in life, Williams continued to play all over the world, and was a regular fixture at his own Moon River Theatre in Branson, Missouri. By the sixties, he was touring extensively, packing auditoriums with his slick live shows. His voice, too, was one of the time’s finest smooth as silk and yet utterly commanding, he made ‘Moon River’ his signature song and brought an additional touch of class to every standard he tried his hand at. ![]() What a man Andy Williams was dig up old footage of him from his 1950s heyday, and you’re greeted by a man who is every inch the image of the debonair gent of the time - sharp suits, slicked back hair and an unmistakable twinkle in the eye.
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