Williams, Andy (1930—)
One of the great middle-of-the-road singers of the mid-twentieth century, Andy Williams is among the very few whose popularity survived the onset of rock 'n' roll in the 1950s. Howard Andrew Williams was born in the small town of Wall Lake, Iowa, the last of a set of four brothers. The Williams Brothers formed a singing group while Andy was still a child, and were regularly employed on radio from 1938. The family relocated several times to facilitate the Williams Brothers' obtaining new radio contracts. At various times they lived in Des Moines, Chicago, Cincinnati, and southern California. The two older brothers were drafted in the last days of World War Two, and Andy Williams spent a comparatively calm period finishing high school in Los Angeles.
In 1947 the foursome regrouped, joining with a new partner, Kay Thompson. They played a wide variety of clubs over the next several years, including a tour of Europe, before disbanding in 1953; the brothers went their separate ways professionally. Andy Williams landed a regular job on Steve Allen's Tonight Show from 1954 to 1957, singing and taking part in Allen's manic clowning, five nights a week. The year 1957 saw Williams hosting a summer replacement television program on NBC; he also had summer shows on ABC in 1958 and on CBS the following year. From 1962 to 1967, and again from 1969 to 1971, Williams had his own highly successful series on NBC. At various times his supporting cast included Dick Van Dyke, Jonathan Winters, Ray Stevens, and the Osmond Brothers. His program was noteworthy in that Williams was always willing to have competing singers—major personalities such as Bobby Darin or Robert Goulet—make guest appearances on his show.
Williams' recording career, benefitting from his national exposure on the Tonight Show, was a hit from the start. He recorded for the Cadence label until 1962, when he switched to the larger Columbia Records. His recording career had actually started much earlier, however, in 1944, when he was picked to sing "Swingin' on a Star" with Bing Crosby. Williams had several million-selling singles in the 1950s, including "The Village of St. Bernadette," "Canadian Sunset," and "The Hawaiian Wedding Song." His version of "Butter-fly" was the number-one record in America for three weeks in the spring of 1957.
The song most closely identified with Williams, 1961's "Moon River," was never a hit for him. However, it so perfectly suited his smooth voice and mellow delivery that it became his signature song, and served as his television theme from 1962 onwards. His popularization of the Henry Mancini-written "Moon River" (from Breakfast at Tiffany's) was not lost on the composer; Andy Williams was invited to sing the theme for the 1963 film Days of Wine and Roses, another important Mancini work. Williams' LP of the same name was one of the six top-selling albums of 1963. Major hits were rare for Williams after that year, his last being the theme from Love Story in 1971. His albums, television work, and live concerts all remained quite successful.
Williams became a noted collector of art in the late 1950s. He has built a well-regarded private collection of Impressionist and modern paintings, located in his Manhattan home. In 1961 he married a nineteen-year-old Folies-Bergère showgirl, Claudine Longet, whom he met during her show's stay in Las Vegas. Longet unsuccessfully pursued careers in music and acting for years. The two separated in 1970, divorcing in 1975. The following year she fatally shot her long-time lover, professional skier Spider Sabich, in their Colorado home. Williams, who remained close to his ex-wife after the breakup of their marriage, was publicly supportive of Longet throughout her trial and the attendant media circus.
In addition to his highly rated variety program, which he ended in 1971, Williams is known for hosting numerous seasonal television specials. He is an avid golfer, and the host of the annual Andy Williams Open golf tournament. In 1992 he opened his own theater in Branson, Missouri, considered the second city of country music after Nashville. Andy Williams' Moon River Theatre there is one of the more popular attractions, providing live music shows for many of the millions of tourists who visit Branson each year.
Andy Williams and Ann Sothern (foreground) dancing during a rehersal for the Andy Williams Show. Further Reading:
Brooks, Tim, and Earle Marsh. The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows. 5th Edition. New York, Ballantine, 1992.
Contemporary Musicians. Volume 2. Detroit, Gale Research, 1990.
Whitburn, Joel. The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits. 6th Edition. New York, Billboard Books, 1996.
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