Andre Williams (musician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Andre Williams
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Williams at the 2010 Chicago Blues Festival
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Zephire Andre Williams |
| Born | November 1, 1936 Bessemer, Alabama, U.S. |
| Died | March 17, 2019 (aged 82) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genres | R&B |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, record producer |
Zephire Andre Williams (born November 1, 1936 – died March 17, 2019) was an American R&B musician. He started his music career in the 1950s at Fortune Records in Detroit. He was also a co-writer of the famous R&B song "Shake a Tail Feather".
Contents
Andre Williams's Life and Music
Early Life and Start in Music
Andre Williams was born in Bessemer, Alabama, in the United States. When he was about 16 years old, he moved to Detroit, Michigan.
In Detroit, he met Jack and Devora Brown, who owned Fortune Records. This record label was important for his early career.
Becoming a Star
In 1955, Andre became the lead singer for a group called The 5 Dollars. His song "Bacon Fat" became a big hit in 1957. It reached number 9 on the US Billboard R&B chart. Because "Bacon Fat" was so popular, Fortune Records sold the song to Epic Records, a much larger music company. In 1960, he also recorded a song called "Rosa Lee" for Motown's Miracle Record label.
Working with Other Artists
In the early 1960s, Andre Williams helped write "Thank You for Loving Me," which was Stevie Wonder's first song. Williams also co-wrote "Shake a Tail Feather." This song was a hit for the Five Du-Tones in 1963. Later, it became popular again with Ike & Tina Turner and James and Bobby Purify.
Another song written by Williams, "Twine Time," became a hit for Alvin Cash & the Crawlers. Andre Williams also helped produce two albums for the group The Contours. In the 1960s, he managed and worked as a roadie for singer Edwin Starr.
Later Career and New Sounds
In 1967, Andre Williams released "You Got It and I Want It" on the Ric-Tic label. In 1968, he signed with Chess Records on Checker, a major blues label in Chicago. He had more hits there, especially "Humpin' Bumpin' and Thumpin'" and "Cadillac Jack." "Cadillac Jack" reached number 46 on the Billboard R&B chart.
In the 1970s, Williams wrote songs for the bands Parliament and Funkadelic. He also started producing music for Ike Turner.
Return to Music
In 1996, Andre Williams released an album called Mr. Rhythm. This album included songs like "The Greasy Chicken" and "Pass the Biscuits Please." He tried a different style with his 1998 album, Silky.
In 1999, he started working with Bloodshot Records. He recorded a country album called Red Dirt with the band The Sadies. In 2000, Williams released The Black Godfather. He also toured with the Dutch band Green Hornet in 2002 and 2003.
Mark Deming described one of his albums as having a "laid-back and funky groove." He said it mixed 1970s sounds with jazz and R&B styles.
Tours and Recognition
Williams toured Europe several times, including in 2001, 2005, and 2006. In early 2008, he toured Europe with The Flash Express.
In 2007, Williams recorded an album called Can You Deal With It with the band Morning 40 Federation. It was released in 2008 by Bloodshot Records.
In 2010, Williams sang a cover version of "The Way You Dog Me Around." This song was part of a compilation album called Daddy Rockin Strong: A Tribute to Nolan Strong & The Diablos. This album honored the late Nolan Strong.
Andre Williams was sometimes known by the nickname "Rudibaker" or "Rutabaga." He would use a different voice when using this name.
In 2012, Andre Williams was honored by being added to the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.
Andre Williams passed away on March 17, 2019, in Chicago, Illinois, at the age of 82.
Selective discography
- 1955: "Going Down To Tia Juana"
- 1956: "Bacon Fat"
- 1968: "Cadillac Jack"
- 1990: Directly from the Streets
- 1994: Mr. Rhythm Is Back [compilation]
- 1996: Mr. Rhythm
- 2013: "Waterpipe" (spoken word contribution to the Arabicana/World Music band 'NO Blues' 5th album: Kind of NO Blues)
- 2016: I Wanna Go Back to Detroit City
See also
In Spanish: Andre Williams para niños
