Tony Williams (English musician)
Encyclopedia
Anthony "Tony" Williams (born 19 August 1947 in Durham
, England
) is an English
musician who plays bass guitar
in the folk rock
/rock
band Stealers Wheel
and who also played with Jethro Tull
.
, Lancashire
where other future band members of Jethro Tull also lived including, Ian Anderson
, Barriemore Barlow
, John Evan
and Jeffrey Hammond
.
In the 1960s he played guitar with The Executives, a Blackpool-based Mod band who recorded a handful of singles with frontman Roy Carr
and future Jethro Tull bassist Glenn Cornick
.
Williams originally auditioned to join Jethro Tull in 1968 along with Martin Barre
. He also brought out a single, "Lazy River". From 1970 to 1971 he played bass guitar with the band Requiem.
In 1972 Williams joined Stealers Wheel, which had been formed earlier that year in Paisley, Renfrewshire
by former school friends Gerry Rafferty
and Joe Egan. Williams helped record their self-styled debut album Stealers Wheel, which was produced by the influential American songwriters and producers Leiber & Stoller. Williams left Stealers Wheel a year later. In 1978 he joined Jethro Tull, replacing John Glascock
who was unwell, at the request of Ian Anderson. He joined them on their tour of North America before returning to being studio work and television production.
After being contacted by iTunes
and K-tel records
in California, and following negotiations which started in 2006, Williams re-formed Stealers Wheel in Blackpool
in 2008 with two other original band members, Rod Coombes
and Paul Pilnick together with locally based musician and songwriter Tony Mitchell. On 10 November 2008 they started filming a music video for a re-release of "Stuck in the Middle" on the Fylde coast
. They also began writing songs for a new album to be released in 2009, although they have no plans to go on tour.
conservation, and has worked as a Public Relations advisor, based at Blackpool Zoo
, the for the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums
. In 2007 he was elected as a local councillor
in Blackpool
.
He was re-elected in 2011 and is currently the Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group on Blackpool Borough Council.
He is also Vice Chair of the Lancashire Safety Partnership and a Board Member of the Arts Council North West
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
) is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
musician who plays bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
in the folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
/rock
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
band Stealers Wheel
Stealers Wheel
Stealers Wheel are a Scottish folk rock/rock band formed in Paisley, Renfrewshire in 1972 by former school friends Joe Egan and Gerry Rafferty.The band broke up in 1975 and re-formed without Egan and Rafferty in 2008.-Biography:...
and who also played with Jethro Tull
Jethro Tull (band)
Jethro Tull are a British rock group formed in 1967. Their music is characterised by the vocals, acoustic guitar, and flute playing of Ian Anderson, who has led the band since its founding, and the guitar work of Martin Barre, who has been with the band since 1969.Initially playing blues rock with...
.
Career
Born in Durham, he later moved to BlackpoolBlackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
where other future band members of Jethro Tull also lived including, Ian Anderson
Ian Anderson (musician)
Ian Scott Anderson, MBE is a Scottish singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known for his work as the leader and flautist of British rock band Jethro Tull.-Early life:...
, Barriemore Barlow
Barriemore Barlow
Barrie "Barriemore" Barlow is an English musician, best known as the drummer and percussionist for the rock band Jethro Tull, from May 1971 to June 1980....
, John Evan
John Evan
John Evan , played keyboards for Jethro Tull from April 1970 to June 1980. He was educated at King's College London....
and Jeffrey Hammond
Jeffrey Hammond
Jeffrey Hammond sometimes credited as Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond, is a former bass guitar player for the progressive rock band Jethro Tull....
.
In the 1960s he played guitar with The Executives, a Blackpool-based Mod band who recorded a handful of singles with frontman Roy Carr
Roy Carr
Roy Carr is an English music journalist. He joined the New Musical Express in the late 1960s and has edited NME, VOX and Melody Maker magazines...
and future Jethro Tull bassist Glenn Cornick
Glenn Cornick
Glenn Douglas Barnard Cornick was the bespectacled, first bass guitar player in the progressive rock band, Jethro Tull....
.
Williams originally auditioned to join Jethro Tull in 1968 along with Martin Barre
Martin Barre
Martin Lancelot Barre is an English rock musician.Barre has been the guitarist for rock band Jethro Tull since 1969. He has appeared on every Jethro Tull album except their debut This Was...
. He also brought out a single, "Lazy River". From 1970 to 1971 he played bass guitar with the band Requiem.
In 1972 Williams joined Stealers Wheel, which had been formed earlier that year in Paisley, Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire is one of 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland. Located in the west central Lowlands, it is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic county of Renfrewshire, the others being Inverclyde to the west and East Renfrewshire to the east...
by former school friends Gerry Rafferty
Gerry Rafferty
Gerald "Gerry" Rafferty was a Scottish singer songwriter best known for his solo hits "Baker Street", "Right Down the Line", "Days Gone Down", "Night Owl", "Get It Right Next Time", and with the band Stealers Wheel, "Stuck in the Middle with You". Rafferty was born into a working-class family in...
and Joe Egan. Williams helped record their self-styled debut album Stealers Wheel, which was produced by the influential American songwriters and producers Leiber & Stoller. Williams left Stealers Wheel a year later. In 1978 he joined Jethro Tull, replacing John Glascock
John Glascock
John Glascock was the bass guitarist, backing vocalist, and occasional lead vocalist for the progressive rock band Carmen. He was also the bass guitarist and backing vocalist for the progressive rock band Jethro Tull from December 1975 until August 1979...
who was unwell, at the request of Ian Anderson. He joined them on their tour of North America before returning to being studio work and television production.
After being contacted by iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
and K-tel records
K-tel
K-tel International is an "As-Seen-On-TV" company, which is most noted for its compilation music albums, such as "The Super Hits" series, "The Dynamic Hits" series and "The Number One Hits" series...
in California, and following negotiations which started in 2006, Williams re-formed Stealers Wheel in Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
in 2008 with two other original band members, Rod Coombes
Rod Coombes
Rod Coombes is an English singer-songwriter and musician.-Career:He has played professionally since he was 17, when he joined singer Lulu's backing band The Luvvers. He played with the Jeff Beck Group at the time of the release of the single "Hi Ho Silver Lining" and then joined soul band Trifle,...
and Paul Pilnick together with locally based musician and songwriter Tony Mitchell. On 10 November 2008 they started filming a music video for a re-release of "Stuck in the Middle" on the Fylde coast
The Fylde
The Fylde ; Scandinavian: "field") is a coastal plain in western Lancashire, England. It is roughly a 13-mile square-shaped peninsula, bounded by Morecambe Bay to the north, the Ribble estuary to the south, the Irish Sea to the west, and the Bowland hills to the east...
. They also began writing songs for a new album to be released in 2009, although they have no plans to go on tour.
Personal life
Williams works in elephantElephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
conservation, and has worked as a Public Relations advisor, based at Blackpool Zoo
Blackpool Zoo
Located two miles from Blackpool's sea-front in Lancashire, England, Blackpool Zoo provides a home to over 1,500 animals from all over the world. The Zoo aims to provide its visitors with a stimulating, informative and enjoyable experience that demonstrates its role in the conservation of...
, the for the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums
British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums
The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums is a conservation, education and scientific wildlife charity. Founded in 1966 within the zoo and aquarium community to see the principles and practices of animal management adopted in the British Isles...
. In 2007 he was elected as a local councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
in Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
.
He was re-elected in 2011 and is currently the Deputy Leader of the Conservative Group on Blackpool Borough Council.
He is also Vice Chair of the Lancashire Safety Partnership and a Board Member of the Arts Council North West