Samples of Joe Williams' Music

	Somebody to Love (2:08) RealAudio 3.0 Who She Do (1:41) RealAudio 3.0
1996 Williams Interview (below)

	Joe Williams

In 1937, he joined the band led by clarinetist Jimmie Noone, toured with the Les Hite Band and sat in regularly with the Count Basie Band during stops in Chicago. Williams joined the band as a member in 1954.

In the 1960s, however, Williams left Basie to form a group with Harry (Sweets) Edison, another of Basie's band members. He appeared regularly on "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson" and was a regular performer in Las Vegas.

Williams continued to tour into the 1980s. His album "Northin' but the Blues" (Delos) won the 1984 Grammy Award for best jazz vocalist. He sang "Come Sunday" to a silent crowd at Basie's funeral in 1989. He also appeared frequently on television's "The Cosby Show" as Grandpa Al.

1996 Williams Interview
By John Rabe

RealAudio 3.0

IT WAS A SIGNAL PLEASURE in the summer of 1996 to interview the great jazz and blues singer Joe Williams, who died in Las Vegas the other day at the age of 80.

1996 was one year short of what was basically the 60th anniversary of his first big gig, and, as you'll hear in the interview, Mr. Williams was exceedingly polite to the young interviewer who made a point of bringing up his "longevity" first thing.

I went to see Williams perform at the Dakota in Saint Paul the night of the interview, and he put on an incredible show, especially given that he was in his late 70s at that point and the fact that he came into town thinking he was only doing one show at the Dakota, not two in one night. No one would have known.

Williams was always known for his pinpoint control of his baritone, but the thing I remember best from that night in 1996 is his falsetto. He'd be in the middle of some ballad or blues tune, and would suddenly jump up three or four octaves. He did it fearlessly and frequently, nailing every note. He never cheated, never ramped up to it.

My one regret on Williams' passing: I never met him. For the interview, I was in the studio and Williams was in his room at the Saint Paul Hotel. An intern was at his room, recording his voice while I talked with him on the phone, and we mated my voice track to his in the studio. And the guy simply looked too beat at the end of his set at the Dakota for me to bug him for a handshake.