Williams Brothers
Encyclopedia
The Williams Brothers were a singing quartet that performed extensively on radio, movies, nightclubs, and television from 1938 through the 1990s.
—formed a singing quartet in the mid-1930s in Wall Lake, Iowa
. Their father, Jay Williams, managed and promoted the group. They entertained on radio station
s, first at WHO
in Des Moines, Iowa
, and later at WLS
in Chicago and WLW
in Cincinnati, before they moved to Los Angeles in 1943, where they were under contract with the MGM
film studio. The Williams Brothers appeared in Janie (1944), Kansas City Kitty
(1944), Ladies' Man (1947), and Something in the Wind (1947). They also appeared with Bing Crosby
on the hit record
"Swinging on a Star
" (1944). This led to a nightclub act with entertainer Kay Thompson
from 1947 to 1951. The act was staged by MGM choreographer, Robert Alton
. They toured night-clubs and cabarets in the United States and internationally with great success and appeared on radio and television establishing a loyal cult following
with their jazz-based harmonies and flamboyant performance style. The act broke up in 1951 and the brothers went separate ways, appearing annually on The Andy Williams Show
from 1962 through the 1990s.
has paid tribute to the Kay Thompson and the Williams Brothers act in The South Bank Show
(2008). In her 2008 tour, Minnelli devoted much of the performance to recreating the act, using Thompson's trademark music. The success of this tribute led to Minnelli's return to Broadway in December 2008. "Liza's At The Palace!" opened at New York's legendary Palace Theatre, an affectionate salute to her godmother, Kay Thompson. Supported by a quartet of dynamic singer/dancers standing in for the original Williams Brothers, Liza performed musical hits (with the original vocal arrangements) from the famous act, including such numbers as “I Love a Violin,” “Clap Yo' Hands
,” “Jubilee Time”, and “Hello Hello”. The show won a Tony Award
, and was subsequently released on a double CD- preserving the nightclub material in a state-of-the-art recording.
, recorded as The Williams Brothers in the 1990s, and made the Billboard Hot 100
with their song "Can't Cry Hard Enough
" in 1992. As potential teen idols, they had also made the Hot 100 in 1974, billed as "Andy and David Williams", with the #92 entry "What's Your Name"; this followed an appearance in The Partridge Family
, and features in the of-the-day teen magazines.
History
The four Williams Brothers—Bob, Don, Dick and Andy WilliamsAndy Williams
Howard Andrew "Andy" Williams is an American singer who has recorded 18 Gold- and three Platinum-certified albums. He hosted The Andy Williams Show, a TV variety show, from 1962 to 1971, as well as numerous television specials, and owns his own theater, the Moon River Theatre in Branson, Missouri,...
—formed a singing quartet in the mid-1930s in Wall Lake, Iowa
Wall Lake, Iowa
Wall Lake is a city in Sac County, Iowa, United States. The population was 841 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Wall Lake is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
. Their father, Jay Williams, managed and promoted the group. They entertained on radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
s, first at WHO
WHO (AM)
WHO is a clear channel radio station broadcasting 50,000 watts on 1040 AM with a news/talk format. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications and is located in Des Moines, Iowa. The station can be heard over most of the continental United States during nighttime hours...
in Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
, and later at WLS
WLS (AM)
WLS is a Chicago clear-channel AM station on 890 kHz. It uses C-QUAM AM stereo and transmits with 50,000 watts from transmitter and towers on the south edge of Tinley Park, Illinois....
in Chicago and WLW
WLW
WLW is a clear channel talk radio station located in Cincinnati, Ohio, run by Clear Channel Communications. The station broadcasts locally on 700 kHz AM...
in Cincinnati, before they moved to Los Angeles in 1943, where they were under contract with the MGM
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
film studio. The Williams Brothers appeared in Janie (1944), Kansas City Kitty
Kansas City Kitty
Kansas City Kitty is a 1944 American romantic musical film directed by Del Lord and starring Jane Frazee.- Cast :* Joan Davis - Polly Jasper* Bob Crosby - Jimmy* Jane Frazee - Eileen Hasbrook* Erik Rolf - Dr. Henry Talbot* Tim Ryan - Dave Clark...
(1944), Ladies' Man (1947), and Something in the Wind (1947). They also appeared with Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
on the hit record
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...
"Swinging on a Star
Swinging on a Star
"Swinging on a Star" is an American pop standard with music composed by Jimmy Van Heusen and lyrics by Johnny Burke. It was sung by Bing Crosby in the 1944 film Going My Way, winning an Academy Award for Best Original Song that year, and has been recorded by numerous artists since...
" (1944). This led to a nightclub act with entertainer Kay Thompson
Kay Thompson
Kay Thompson was an American author, composer, musician, actress and singer. She is best known as the creator of the Eloise children's books.-Background:Catherine Louise Fink was born in St...
from 1947 to 1951. The act was staged by MGM choreographer, Robert Alton
Robert Alton
Robert Alton was an American dancer and choreographer, a major figure in dance choreography of Broadway and Hollywood musicals from the 1930s through to the early 1950s...
. They toured night-clubs and cabarets in the United States and internationally with great success and appeared on radio and television establishing a loyal cult following
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
with their jazz-based harmonies and flamboyant performance style. The act broke up in 1951 and the brothers went separate ways, appearing annually on The Andy Williams Show
The Andy Williams Show
The Andy Williams Show is a television variety show which ran from 1959 to 1971 , and a short-lived run in syndication, beginning in the fall of 1976...
from 1962 through the 1990s.
Tribute
Liza MinnelliLiza Minnelli
Liza May Minnelli is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of singer and actress Judy Garland and film director Vincente Minnelli....
has paid tribute to the Kay Thompson and the Williams Brothers act in The South Bank Show
The South Bank Show
The South Bank Show was a television arts magazine show, originally made by London Weekend Television , presented by Melvyn Bragg, broadcast on ITV and seen in over 60 countries worldwide — including Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United States...
(2008). In her 2008 tour, Minnelli devoted much of the performance to recreating the act, using Thompson's trademark music. The success of this tribute led to Minnelli's return to Broadway in December 2008. "Liza's At The Palace!" opened at New York's legendary Palace Theatre, an affectionate salute to her godmother, Kay Thompson. Supported by a quartet of dynamic singer/dancers standing in for the original Williams Brothers, Liza performed musical hits (with the original vocal arrangements) from the famous act, including such numbers as “I Love a Violin,” “Clap Yo' Hands
Clap Yo' Hands
"Clap Yo' Hands" is a song composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin.It was introduced in the musical Oh, Kay! , and was featured by Fred Astaire and Kay Thompson in a song and dance routine in Funny Face ....
,” “Jubilee Time”, and “Hello Hello”. The show won a Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
, and was subsequently released on a double CD- preserving the nightclub material in a state-of-the-art recording.
Second generation
Twin brothers Andrew Williams and David Williams (born February 22, 1959), from Henderson, NevadaHenderson, Nevada
-Demographics:According to the 2000 census, there were 175,381 people, 66,331 households, and 47,095 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,200.8 people per square mile . There were 71,149 housing units at an average density of 892.8 per square mile...
, recorded as The Williams Brothers in the 1990s, and made the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
with their song "Can't Cry Hard Enough
Can't Cry Hard Enough
"Can't Cry Hard Enough" is a song originally performed by The Williams Brothers, and written by David Williams and Marvin Etzioni from the band Lone Justice. The song peaked at number 42 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1992....
" in 1992. As potential teen idols, they had also made the Hot 100 in 1974, billed as "Andy and David Williams", with the #92 entry "What's Your Name"; this followed an appearance in The Partridge Family
The Partridge Family
The Partridge Family is an American television sitcom about a widowed mother and her five children who embark on a music career. The series originally ran from September 25, 1970 until August 31, 1974, the last new episode airing on March 23, 1974, on the ABC network, as part of a Friday-night lineup...
, and features in the of-the-day teen magazines.
Articles and reviews
- Detroit News Pictorial. December 14, 1947.
- Chicago Daily News. Thursday, June 17, 1948.
- This Week in Montreal. Friday, December 31, 1948.
- Paul V. Coates. “Well, Medium and Rare”. Los Angeles Mirror. Monday, July 31, 1951. p. 10.
- Variety. October 3, 1951. p. 64.
External links
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1ygvhlYgpM