Biography

Joe Williams’s hickory-smoked croon could convey the bluest blues and the sweetest joys, a flexibility that served him well as the lead singer of Count Basie’s band in the 1950s. At a time when Basie was at a low commercial ebb, Williams’s presence rejuvenated the live act. The singer also had a charting solo hit with Memphis Slim’s “Everyday I Have the Blues,” certainly one of the more popular renditions of the oft-covered standard. In the ‘60s Williams worked mostly as a solo artist, often accompanied by top-flight jazzmen, including Harry Edison, Clark Terry, and Cannonball Adderley. He continued to tour until his death in 1999.

Top Tracks

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• A Man Ain't Supposed To Cry

• Ain't No Use

• All Right, O.k., You Win

• Alright, Okay, You Win

• April In Paris

• Come Rain Or Come Shine

• Early In The Morning

• Every Day I Have The Blues

• Every Day I Have The Blues/all Blues

• Every Night

• Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You

• Get Out Of My Life Woman

• Goin' To Chicago Blues

• Gravy Waltz

• Here's To Life

• Honeysuckle Rose

• I Only Have Eyes For You

• I Want A Little Girl

• I'll Never Smile Again

• In The Evening (when The Sun Goes Down)

• Kansas City

• One O'clock Jump

• Roll 'em Pete

• September In The Rain

• Shake, Rattle And Roll

• She's Warm, She's Willing, She's Wonderful

• Smack Dab In The Middle

• The Very Thought Of You

• Well, Alright, Ok, You Win

• What's New?

• When I Fall In Love

• You Are Too Beautiful

Discography

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• Riviera Summit

  Starburst Records (UK) / Starburst Recordings

  2001

• Triple Play

  Telarc Distribution

  1999

• One for My Baby

  Delta Distribution

  1998

• Feel the Spirit

  Telarc Distribution

  1994

• Here's to Life

  Telarc Distribution

  1994

• Live at Orchestra Hall, Detroit

  Telarc Distribution

  1993

• Ballad and Blues Master

  Verve

  1992

• Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz with Guest Joe Williams

  Jazz Alliance / Jazz Alliance

  1991

• In Good Company

  Verve

  1989

• Every Night: Live at Vine St.

  Verve

  1987

• I Just Wanna Sing

  Delos

  1985

• Nothin' But the Blues

  Delos

  1983

• Prez & Joe

  GNP

  1979

• Joe Williams Live

  Fantasy/OJC

  1973

• The Heart and Soul of Joe Williams and George Shearing

  Koch Jazz / Koch Records

  1971

• Live in Vegas

  Hmo

  1971

• Presenting Joe Williams and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra

  Blue Note

  1966

• The Exciting Joe Williams

  RCA

  1965

• Song Is You

  1965

• Havin' a Good Time

  Hyena/The Music Force

  1964

• Me and the Blues

  RCA

  1964

• Jump for Joy

  Bluebird RCA / RCA

  1963

• At Newport '63

  Bluebird RCA / RCA

  1963

• One Is a Lonesome Number

  Roulette Records

  1963

• New Kind of Love

  Roulette Records

  1963

• A Swingin' Night at Birdland

  Blue Note

  1962

• Sentimental and Melancholy

  Roulette Records

  1961

• Together

  Roulette Records

  1961

• That Kind of Woman

  Roulette Records

  1960

• Everyday I Have the Blues/First, Lasting & Always ...

  Savoy

  1959

• Everyday I Have the Blues

  Roulette Records

  1959

• Joe Williams Sings About You!

  1959

• One O'Clock Jump

  Verve / PolyGram / Universal Classics & Jazz

  1957

• Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings

  Verve / Polygram

  1956

• A Night at Count Basie's

  Vanguard

  1955

• Just the Blues

  Roulette Records

  195?