Don Williams

Don Williams
Don Williams
	Williams performing in 2006
Background information
Birth name	Donald Ray Williams
Born	May 27, 1939; Floydada, Texas, U.S.
Died	September 8, 2017 (aged 78); Mobile, Alabama, U.S.
Genres	Country
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter, actor
Instrument(s)	Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active	1964–2006; 2010–2016
Labels	Columbia, JMI Records, Dot, ABC, MCA, Capitol, RCA, American Harvest, Giant, Koch, Vanguard, Sugar Hill Records
Formerly of	Pozo-Seco Singers
Website	www.don-williams.com
Military career
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army
Unit	United States Army Security Agency

Donald Ray Williams (May 27, 1939^[1] – September 8, 2017)^[2] was an American country music singer, songwriter, and 2010 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He began his solo career in 1971, singing popular ballads and amassing seventeen number one country hits. His straightforward yet smooth bass-baritone voice, soft tones, and imposing build earned him the nickname "The Gentle Giant". In 1975, Williams starred in a movie with Burt Reynolds and Jerry Reed called W.W. and the Dixie Dancekings.^[3]

Williams has had a strong influence over a variety of performers of different genres. His songs have been recorded by singers such as Johnny Cash, Eric Clapton, Ray Scott, Juice Newton, Claude Russell Bridges, Lefty Frizzell, Josh Turner, Sonny James, Alison Krauss, Billy Dean, Charley Pride, Kenny Rogers, Lambchop, Alan Jackson, Tomeu Penya, Telly Savalas, Waylon Jennings, Pete Townshend, and Tortoise with Bonnie "Prince" Billy.^[4] His music is also popular internationally, including in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Ukraine, India, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Namibia and Zimbabwe.^[5] In 2010, the Country Music Association inducted Don Williams into the Country Music Hall of Fame.^[6]

^ Colin Larkin, ed. (1993). The Guinness Who's Who of Country Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. pp. 448/9. ISBN 0-85112-726-6.
^ Cite error: The named reference Obit was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "Full List of Inductees » Country Music Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on March 31, 2013. Retrieved 2013-04-09.
^ Manage Domain Name Archived January 3, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
^ Don Williams: Into Africa Archived October 3, 2006, at the Wayback Machine and Africa
^ 4 inducted into Country Music Hall of Fame Archived February 26, 2010, at the Wayback Machine

[LarkinCountry-1] Colin Larkin, ed. (1993). The Guinness Who's Who of Country Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. pp. 448/9. ISBN 0-85112-726-6.

[Obit-2] Cite error: The named reference Obit was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[3] "Full List of Inductees » Country Music Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on March 31, 2013. Retrieved 2013-04-09.

[4] Manage Domain Name Archived January 3, 2007, at the Wayback Machine

[5] Don Williams: Into Africa Archived October 3, 2006, at the Wayback Machine and Africa

[6] 4 inducted into Country Music Hall of Fame Archived February 26, 2010, at the Wayback Machine

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