Lester Williams (musician)
Encyclopedia
Lester Williams was an American
Texas blues
and electric blues
guitarist, singer and songwriter. He is best known for his songs, "Winter Time Blues" and "I Can't Lose with the Stuff I Use". His main influence was T-Bone Walker
.
Williams released several singles
in the 1950s, but remained a stalwart of the Houston blues circuit for decades. His recording career lasted from 1949 to 1956.
, United States
, although when he was a young boy his family relocated to Houston. After serving in World War II
, Williams sang at Houston's Eldorado Ballroom, but quit and enrolled at the New England Conservatory in Boston
, Massachusetts
, to study piano and voice. He did not graduate, and returned to Houston where he taught himself to play guitar and started to write songs. Walker's influence inspired Williams, who said to himself "I could learn to play guitar and pull in some of that money that T-Bone made". Having formed his own group in 1949, he wrote "Winter Time Blues", which came from his own life experience of his wife and daughter travelling to Los Angeles
for the summer, and leaving Williams to contemplate the winter alone. The song's lyrics included the lines "Winter without your baby, you might as well be dead".
He signed a recording contract
with Macy's Records, and Steve Poncio produced
"Winter Time Blues" which was a regional hit
. His next few releases did not fare well commercially and, by 1951, Williams had moved to Specialty Records
. His first disc for them was his biggest success, "I Can't Lose with the Stuff I Use" (1952). His notability rose to the extent that he appeared in February 1953 on a Carnegie Hall
, New York
bill, which also included Dinah Washington
, Billy Eckstine
and Nat King Cole
. The song "I Can't Lose with the Stuff I Use" was covered
a decade later by B.B. King.
His success was short-lived as subsequent releases did not sell but, by 1954, Williams started to perform on a regular basis on Houston's radio station, KLVL
, and began a constant touring regime across the South
. Further single releases appeared on both Duke
and Imperial
, the latter in 1956.
For the ensuing decades, Williams continued to perform around Houston and beyond, and he undertook a tour of Europe in 1986.
Williams died in November 1990, in Houston, at the age of 70.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Texas blues
Texas blues
Texas blues is a subgenre of blues. It has had various style variations but typically has been played with more swing than other blues styles....
and electric blues
Electric blues
Electric blues is a type of blues music distinguished by the amplification of the guitar, bass guitar, drums, and often the harmonica. Pioneered in the 1930s, it emerged as a genre in Chicago in the 1940s. It was taken up in many areas of America leading to the development of regional subgenres...
guitarist, singer and songwriter. He is best known for his songs, "Winter Time Blues" and "I Can't Lose with the Stuff I Use". His main influence was T-Bone Walker
T-Bone Walker
Aaron Thibeaux "T-Bone" Walker was a critically acclaimed American blues guitarist, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, who was one of the most influential pioneers and innovators of the jump blues and electric blues sound. He is the first musician recorded playing blues with the...
.
Williams released several singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
in the 1950s, but remained a stalwart of the Houston blues circuit for decades. His recording career lasted from 1949 to 1956.
Life and career
Williams was born in Groveton, TexasGroveton, Texas
Groveton is a city in Trinity County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,107 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Trinity County.-Geography:Groveton is located at ....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, although when he was a young boy his family relocated to Houston. After serving in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Williams sang at Houston's Eldorado Ballroom, but quit and enrolled at the New England Conservatory in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, to study piano and voice. He did not graduate, and returned to Houston where he taught himself to play guitar and started to write songs. Walker's influence inspired Williams, who said to himself "I could learn to play guitar and pull in some of that money that T-Bone made". Having formed his own group in 1949, he wrote "Winter Time Blues", which came from his own life experience of his wife and daughter travelling to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
for the summer, and leaving Williams to contemplate the winter alone. The song's lyrics included the lines "Winter without your baby, you might as well be dead".
He signed a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
with Macy's Records, and Steve Poncio produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
"Winter Time Blues" which was a regional hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
. His next few releases did not fare well commercially and, by 1951, Williams had moved to Specialty Records
Specialty Records
Specialty Records was an American record label based in Los Angeles. It was originally launched as Juke Box Records in 1946, but later renamed by its owner Art Rupe when he parted company with a couple of his original partners...
. His first disc for them was his biggest success, "I Can't Lose with the Stuff I Use" (1952). His notability rose to the extent that he appeared in February 1953 on a Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
, New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
bill, which also included Dinah Washington
Dinah Washington
Dinah Washington, born Ruth Lee Jones , was an American blues, R&B and jazz singer. She has been cited as "the most popular black female recording artist of the '50s", and called "The Queen of the Blues"...
, Billy Eckstine
Billy Eckstine
William Clarence Eckstine was an American singer of ballads and a bandleader of the swing era. Eckstine's smooth baritone and distinctive vibrato broke down barriers throughout the 1940s, first as leader of the original bop big-band, then as the first romantic black male in popular...
and Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
. The song "I Can't Lose with the Stuff I Use" was covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
a decade later by B.B. King.
His success was short-lived as subsequent releases did not sell but, by 1954, Williams started to perform on a regular basis on Houston's radio station, KLVL
KLVL
KLVL is an AM radio station serving the Greater Houston, Texas area with a Spanish Christian format. It operates on AM frequency 1480 kHz and is under ownership of Siga Broadcasting.-History:...
, and began a constant touring regime across the South
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
. Further single releases appeared on both Duke
Duke Records
Duke Records was an American record label, started in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1952 by David James Mattis and Bill Fitzgerald, owners of Tri-State Recording Company. Their first release was Roscoe Gordon singing "Hey Fat Girl", issued on Duke R-1, later amended to R-101.After forming a partnership...
and Imperial
Imperial Records
Imperial Records is a United States based label started in 1947 by Lew Chudd and reactivated in 2006 by label owner EMI.- The independent and Liberty Records years :...
, the latter in 1956.
For the ensuing decades, Williams continued to perform around Houston and beyond, and he undertook a tour of Europe in 1986.
Williams died in November 1990, in Houston, at the age of 70.
Compilation albums
| Year | Title | Record label |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | The Godfather of Blues | Collectables Records Collectables Records Collectables is a reissue record label founded in 1980 by Jerry Greene. Greene was previously associated with New York City's Times Square Record Shop, Philadelphia's Record Museum retail chain, and the Lost Nite and Crimson record labels.... |
| 1993 | I Can't Lose with the Stuff I Use | Specialty Records Specialty Records Specialty Records was an American record label based in Los Angeles. It was originally launched as Juke Box Records in 1946, but later renamed by its owner Art Rupe when he parted company with a couple of his original partners... |
| 1995 | Texas Troubadour | Ace Records |