Deniece Williams facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Deniece Williams
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Williams in 1982
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | June Deniece Chandler |
| Also known as | Niecy Williams |
| Born | June 3, 1950 Gary, Indiana, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active | 1968–present |
| Labels | |
June Deniece Williams (born June 3, 1950) is an American singer. People often call her "Niecy." The BBC has called her "one of the great soul voices."
She is famous for her songs "Free" and "Silly." She also had two songs that reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. These were "Let's Hear It for the Boy" and "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" with Johnny Mathis.
Deniece Williams has won four Grammys, which are big music awards. She was nominated for twelve Grammys in total. She also sang "Without Us," the theme song for the TV show Family Ties, with Johnny Mathis.
Contents
Early Life
June Deniece Chandler was born and grew up in Gary, Indiana, in the United States.
She went to Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. She wanted to become a nurse. But she left college after about a year and a half. She said, "You have to be a good student to be in college, and I wasn't."
Music Career
Starting Out (late 1960s–1975)
Deniece Williams started singing while she was in college. She had a part-time job singing at a club called Casino Royal. She really enjoyed it. During these years, she also worked for a phone company. She was also a clerk at the Chicago Mercy Hospital.
She recorded some early songs as Deniece Chandler. One of these, "I'm Walking Away," is still popular in England. In 1969, she sang lead on a song called "I'm Not Like the Others." This song was released much later in 1999.
Becoming Famous (1975–1987)
Deniece Williams became a backup vocalist for the famous singer Stevie Wonder. She sang on his albums like Talking Book and Songs in the Key of Life. She also sang on albums for other artists like Minnie Riperton and Roberta Flack.
In 1975, she left Stevie Wonder's group. She signed a record deal with Columbia Records. She worked with producers Maurice White and Charles Stepney. Her first album, This Is Niecy, came out in 1976. It became very popular on the R&B charts. The album was certified Gold in the US and Silver in the UK.
A song from that album, "Free," became a big hit. It reached number one in the UK. Another song, "That's What Friends Are For," also did well in the UK.
After Charles Stepney passed away, Maurice White produced her second album, Song Bird, in 1977. This album also did well on the R&B charts. Critics praised her amazing four-octave voice. A song from this album, "Baby, Baby My Love's All for You," was a hit.
Williams sang with Johnny Mathis on a duet called "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late." This song became a number one hit on three different Billboard charts!
In 1978, Deniece Williams and Johnny Mathis released a whole album together. It was called That's What Friends Are For. This album was very popular and was certified Gold in the US.
Her fourth album, When Love Comes Calling, came out in 1979. It featured her expressive voice. A song from this album, "I've Got the Next Dance," reached number one on the Billboard Dance/Club Play chart.
In 1981, she released My Melody. This album was also certified Gold in the US. The song "Silly" from this album became a big hit.
Her album Niecy came out in 1982. It was very successful on the R&B charts. Critics loved her clear voice and wide vocal range.
A song called "It's Gonna Take a Miracle" became a number one hit on the Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart. Deniece Williams and Johnny Mathis also recorded "Without Us." This song became the famous theme song for the TV show Family Ties.
In 1983, she released I'm So Proud. This album was nominated for a Grammy Award. In 1984, her album Let's Hear It for the Boy came out. The title song, "Let's Hear It for the Boy," was a huge hit! It reached number one on three different Billboard charts. This song was also in the movie Footloose.
Gospel Music (1980–1987)
Even though Deniece Williams sang pop and R&B, she also started singing Gospel music. In 1980, she performed a gospel show with friends like Philip Bailey from Earth, Wind & Fire.
In 1985, at the Grammy Awards, she chose to sing a gospel song instead of her number one hit "Let's Hear It for the Boy."
Her first gospel album, So Glad I Know, was released in 1986. It was nominated for a Grammy. She won two Grammys for her gospel songs: "I Surrender All" and "They Say" (with Sandi Patti).
R&B, Gospel, and Jazz (1987–2000)
In 1987, she released Water Under the Bridge. The song "Never Say Never" was a hit on the R&B charts.
Her next album, As Good As It Gets, came out a year later. Songs like "I Can't Wait" and "This Is as Good as It Gets" were popular.
In 1989, she released her second gospel album, Special Love.
Deniece Williams also sang on albums for other artists like Nancy Wilson and George Duke. In 1999, she released another gospel album, This Is My Song. This album won a Grammy Award for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album.
Recent Years (2000–present)
In 2007, she released Love, Niecy Style. It was produced by Bobby Eli. The album did well on the R&B charts. In October 2007, she performed in her hometown of Gary, Indiana. She was honored as an "Outstanding Hoosier."
She also released a single called "Grateful: The Rededication" in 2007. In 2008, Deniece Williams announced plans for a program called KOP—Kids of Promise—in Gary, Indiana. This program would help kids with education and performing arts.
In 2010, she performed her song "Silly" with singer Monica at the BET Awards. She also appeared on the TV show Unsung in 2011.
She sang on Cliff Richard's album Soulicious in 2011. In 2020, she released a new song called "When You Love Somebody." This was followed by a new EP (mini-album) called Gemini in 2021.
In 2021, she was one of the first people to be inducted into the Women Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2023, she received the keys to the city of Kingston, Jamaica.
Acting Roles
Deniece Williams appeared in the 2004 holiday movie Christmas Child. In 2005, she was on a TV dating show called Elimidate for their "Celebrity Week."
Vocal Style
Deniece Williams is known for her amazing voice. She has a four-octave range, which means she can sing very low and very high notes. She has a clear, strong soprano voice. The New York Times said her voice could "soar effortlessly." People have compared her vocal ability to other great singers like Minnie Riperton and Mariah Carey.
Personal Life
Deniece Williams has four sons. She was married to Kendrick Williams from 1971 to 1975. She still uses his last name professionally. They had two sons, Kendrick Jr. and Kevin. She later married Christipher Joy and then Brad Westering, with whom she had two more sons, Forrest and Logan.
Awards
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards are very important music awards. Deniece Williams has won four Grammys and was nominated for thirteen.
| Year | Category | Nominated work | Result |
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| 1983 | Best Female R&B Vocal Performance | "It's Gonna Take a Miracle" | Nominated |
| 1984 | I'm So Proud | Nominated | |
| 1984 | Best Inspirational Performance | "Whiter Than Snow" | Nominated |
| 1985 | Best Female Pop Vocal Performance | "Let's Hear It for the Boy" | Nominated |
| Best Female R&B Vocal Performance | Let's Hear It for the Boy | Nominated | |
| 1987 | Best Female Gospel Performance | So Glad I Know | Nominated |
| Best Female Soul Gospel Performance | "I Surrender All" | Won | |
| Best Duo or Group Gospel Performance | "They Say" (with Sandi Patti) | Won | |
| 1988 | Best Female Gospel Performance | "I Believe in You" | Won |
| 1989 | "Do You Hear What I Hear?" | Nominated | |
| 1990 | "Healing" | Nominated | |
| Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group | "We Sing Praises" (with Natalie Cole) | Nominated | |
| 1999 | Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album | This Is My Song | Won |
Images for kids
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Williams in 1982
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Side A of Williams's US single "It's Gonna Take a Miracle"
See also
In Spanish: Deniece Williams para niños
