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{{Short description|American singer (1927–2012)}}
{{Otherpeople|Andrew Williams}}
{{Other people|Andrew Williams}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox musical artist
{{Infobox musical artist
| Name = Andy Williams
| image = Andy Williams 1967 cropped.jpg
| Img = Awamrt.jpg
| caption = Williams in 1966
| birth_name = Howard Andrew Williams
| Img_capt = Andy Williams performing live at his very own [[Moon River]] theatre in late 2006
| Background = solo_singer
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1927|12|3}}
| death_date = {{nowrap| {{death date and age|2012|9|25|1927|12|3}}}}
| Birth_name = Howard Andrew Williams<br>
| birth_place = [[Wall Lake, Iowa]], U.S.
| Alias = Andy Williams, <br>A Voice of National Treasure, <br>The Emperor of Easy, <br>The Emperor of Class, <br>The Crooning King, <br>The King of Easy Listening, <br>Mr. Moon River<br>
| death_place = [[Branson, Missouri]], U.S.
| Born = {{Birth date and age|1927|12|3|mf=y}}<br>
| Origin = [[Wall Lake, Iowa]], [[United States of America|USA]]<br>
| genre = [[Traditional pop]], [[easy listening]]
| occupation = Singer
| Genre = [[Easy Listening]], <br>[[Jazz]], <br>[[Country]], <br>[[pop music|Pop]]<br>
| years_active = 1938–2012
| Occupation = [[Singer]], <br>[[Songwriter]], <br>[[Actor]], <br>[[Record producer|Producer]]<br>
| label = {{hlist|[[Cadence Records|Cadence]]|[[Columbia Records|Columbia]]|[[London Records|London]]|[[Polydor Records|Polydor]]}}
| Years_active = [[1930s|late 1930s]] - [[Present (time)|Present]]
| past_member_of = [[The Williams Brothers]]
| Label = [[Sony BMG]]/[[Columbia Records|Columbia]]/[[Cadence Records|Cadence]]
| website = {{URL|andywilliams.com}}
| Associated_acts =
| URL = [http://www.andywilliams.com/ AndyWilliams.com]
| spouse = {{Plainlist|
* {{marriage|[[Claudine Longet]]|1961|1975|end=div}}
* {{marriage|Debbie Haas|1991}}
}}
}}
}}
'''Howard Andrew Williams''' (born [[December 3]], [[1927]] in [[Wall Lake, Iowa]]), known as '''Andy Williams''', is an [[United States|American]] [[Pop music|pop]] [[singer]]. Andy Williams has recorded 18 Gold <ref>[http://www.riaa.com/newsitem.php?news_year_filter=1998&id=E1EA3054-8BF7-07B9-0F5B-C32D3D87C898 RIAA: The Titanic Hits Eight Million Sales in RIAA Awards]</ref> and 3 Platinum <ref>[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0930023/bio Andy Williams (I) on IMDb: Movies, TV, Celebs, and more...]</ref> certified albums. He has performed with [[Ray Charles]], [[Elton John]], [[Ella Fitzgerald]], [[Simon and Garfunkel]], [[Mama Cass]] and [[Michael Jackson]]. When [[Ronald Reagan]] was President, he declared Andy's voice to be "a [[national treasure]]". He has had his own TV show as well as starring in a number of films. He also owns his own theatre, the Moon River in [[Branson, Missouri]].


'''Howard Andrew Williams''' (December 3, 1927 – September 25, 2012) was an American singer. He recorded 43 albums in his career, of which 15 have been gold certified<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=andy+williams#search_section |title= Gold & Platinum: Andy Williams|publisher=Recording Industry Association of America |access-date=March 22, 2016}}</ref> and three platinum certified.<ref name="IMDb">{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0930023/bio|title=Andy Williams (I) |website=IMDb|access-date=August 26, 2015}}</ref> He was also nominated for six [[Grammy Awards]]. He hosted ''[[the Andy Williams Show]]'', a television variety show, from 1962 to 1971, along with numerous TV specials. ''The Andy Williams Show'' won three [[Emmy Award]]s. He sold more than 45 million records worldwide, including more than 10 million certified units in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=top_tallies&ttt=TAA#search_section |title=Top Artist(Albums)|publisher=Recording Industry Association of America |access-date=July 27, 2016}}</ref><ref name="theguardian ">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/sep/26/andy-williams |title=Andy Williams obituary |work=The Guardian |date=September 26, 2012 |access-date=July 27, 2016 |first=Dave |last=Laing}}</ref>
==Early life==


Williams was active in the music industry for over 70 years until his death in September 2012 from [[bladder cancer]], at the age of 84.
Williams first performed in a children's choir at the local [[Presbyterianism|Presbyterian]] church. Williams and his three older brothers Dick, Don, and Bob, formed a quartet, the Williams Brothers, in the late 1930s, and they performed on radio in the [[Midwest]], first at [[WHO (AM)|WHO]] in [[Des Moines, Iowa]], and later at [[WLS (AM)|WLS]] in [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]] and [[WLW]] in [[Cincinnati, Ohio|Cincinnati]]. Williams graduated from [[Western Hills High School]] in Cincinnati. The Williams Brothers 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.


==Early life and education==
==Solo career==
Williams was born in [[Wall Lake, Iowa]] on December 3 1927,<ref name="tv.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.tv.com/andy-williams/person/978/biography.html |title=Andy Williams |website=TV.com |access-date=April 30, 2012 |archive-date=June 4, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604062435/http://www.tv.com/andy-williams/person/978/biography.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> to Florence (''[[née]]'' Finley) and Jay Emerson Williams, who worked in insurance and the post office.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://wral.tributes.com/obituary/print/86491487|title=Andy Williams - September 25, 2012 - Obituary - Tributes.com|website=Wral.tributes.com}}</ref> While living in [[Cheviot, Ohio]], Williams attended [[Western Hills High School (Cincinnati, Ohio)|Western Hills High School]] in [[Cincinnati, Ohio]]. He finished high school at [[University High School (Los Angeles, California)|University High School]], in [[West Los Angeles]], because of his family's move to [[California]]. At 17, Williams joined the [[United States Merchant Marine]] and served until the end of [[World War II]].<ref name="guardianobit">[https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/sep/26/andy-williams Andy Williams obituary; Popular crooner who sold more than 100m albums in a career that spanned eight decades] ''[[The Guardian]]''. Retrieved September 13, 2021.</ref><ref name="latimesobit">[https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-andy-williams-20120927-story.html Andy Williams dies at 84; ‘Moon River’ singer] ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' via [[Internet Archive]]. Retrieved September 13, 2021.</ref><ref name="cnninterview">[https://web.archive.org/web/20190411214538/http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0105/12/lklw.00.html CNN LARRY KING WEEKEND: The Best of Interviews With Andy Williams] [[CNN]] via [[Internet Archive]]. Retrieved September 13, 2021.</ref>
Williams's solo career began in [[1952]] after his brothers left the act. He recorded six sides for [[RCA Victor]]'s label "X," but none of them were popular hits. After landing a spot as a regular on [[Steve Allen (comedian)|Steve Allen]]'s ''[[Tonight Show]]'' in [[1955]], he was signed to a recording contract with [[Cadence Records]], a small label in [[New York City|New York]] run by conductor [[Archie Bleyer]]. His third single, "[[Canadian Sunset]]" ([[1956]]) hit the Top Ten, and was soon followed his only Billboard #1 hit, "[[Butterfly (1957 song)|Butterfly]]" (a [[cover version|cover]] of a [[Charlie Gracie]] record on which Williams imitated [[Elvis Presley]]). More hits followed, including "The Hawaiian Wedding Song," "Are You Sincere," "The Village of St. Bernadette," and "Lonely Street," before Williams moved to [[Columbia Records]] in [[1961]], having moved from New York to Los Angeles. In terms of chart popularity, the Cadence era was Williams's peak although songs he introduced on Columbia became much bigger standards. Two top ten hits from the Cadence era, "Butterfly" and "I Like Your Kind of Love" were apparently believed to not suit Williams's later style; they were not included on a Columbia reissue of his Cadence greatest hits in the [[1960s]]. In [[1964]], Williams ultimately became the owner of the Cadence master tapes, which he did occasionally license to Columbia, including not only his own recordings, but those of his fellow Cadence-era labelmates, [[The Everly Brothers]], [[Lenny Welch]], [[The Chordettes]], and [[Johnny Tillotson]]. In [[1968]], although he was still under contract with Columbia for his own recordings, Williams formed a separate company called [[Barnaby Records]] not only to handle reissuing of the Cadence material, especially that of The Everly Brothers (one of the first Barnaby LPs was a double LP set of the brothers long out of print Cadence hits) but new artists as well. Barnaby also had several Top 40 hits in the 70s with novelty artist [[Ray Stevens]] (who had done a summer replacement show for Williams in 1970), including Top 10s such as "[[Everything Is Beautiful]]" in [[1970]], and "[[The Streak]]" in [[1974]]. Also in 1970, Barnaby signed and released the first album by an unknown singer-songwriter named [[Jimmy Buffett]] ("Down To Earth") Columbia initially was the distributor for Barnaby, but later distribution was handled first by [[MGM Records]] and then [[GRT]]. Once Barnaby ceased operating as a working record company at the end of the [[1970s]], Williams licensed the old Cadence material to various other labels (such as Varese & Rhino in the U.S.) after [[1980]].


==Career==
During the 1960s, Williams became one of the most popular vocalists in the country and was signed to what was at that time the biggest recording contract in history. He was primarily an album artist, and at one time he had earned more [[gold album]]s than any solo performer except [[Frank Sinatra]], [[Johnny Mathis]] and [[Elvis Presley]]. By [[1973]] he had earned as many as 18 gold album awards. Among his hit albums from this period were ''Moon River,'' ''Days of Wine and Roses'' (number one for 16 weeks in mid-1963), ''The Andy Williams Christmas Album,'' ''Dear Heart,'' ''The Shadow of Your Smile,'' ''Love, Andy,'' ''Get Together with Andy Williams,'' and ''Love Story.'' In these recordings Williams displays an incredible vocal technique along with an uncanny ability to make each song his very own, often rivaling or surpassing the version by the original artist. These attributes, along with his natural affinity for the music of the 1960s and early 1970s, combined to make him one of the premier [[easy listening]] singers of that era. In the UK, Williams continued to reach high chart status until 1978. The albums ''Can't Help Falling In Love'' (1970), ''Andy Williams Show'' (1970) ''Home Lovin Man'' ( #1 1971), ''Solitaire'' (1973), ''The Way We Were'' (1974) and ''Reflections'' (1978) all reached the Top 10.
===1938–1952: Early career===
Williams had three older brothers—Bob, Don, and [[Dick Williams (singer)|Dick Williams]]. His first performance was in a children's choir at the local [[Presbyterianism|Presbyterian]] church.<ref name="tv.com"/> His brothers and he formed [[the Williams Brothers]] quartet<ref name="tv.com"/> in late 1938, and they performed on radio in the [[Midwest]], first at [[WHO (AM)|WHO]] in [[Des Moines, Iowa]], and later at [[WLS (AM)|WLS]] in [[Chicago]], and [[WLW]] in Cincinnati.


Moving to Los Angeles in 1943, the Williams Brothers sang with [[Bing Crosby]] on his 1944 hit record "[[Swinging on a Star]]". They appeared in four musical films: ''[[Janie (1944 film)|Janie]]'' (1944), ''[[Kansas City Kitty]]'' (1944), ''[[Something in the Wind]]'' (1947), and ''[[Ladies' Man (1947 film)|Ladies' Man]]'' (1947).
<!-- Commented out because image was deleted: [[Image:A Williams.jpg|thumb|200px|Williams in the 1950s]] -->
Williams forged an indirect collaborative relationship with [[Henry Mancini]], although they never recorded together. Williams was asked to sing Mancini and Johnny Mercer's song "[[Moon River]]" at the 1962 Oscar Awards (where it won), and it quickly became Williams's theme song. (Interestingly, "Moon River" was never a chart hit for Andy). The next year Williams sang "Days of Wine and Roses" which was written by Mancini and Mercer (this song also won). Two years later, he sang Mancini's "Dear Heart" at the 1965 awards and "The Sweetheart Tree" (also written with Mercer) at the 1966 awards.


A persistent myth alleges that as a teenager, the future singing star dubbed the singing for Lauren Bacall's character in the 1944 feature film ''[[To Have and Have Not (film)|To Have and Have Not]]''. According to authoritative sources, including [[Howard Hawks]] and Bacall herself, this was not true. Williams and some female singers were tested to dub for Bacall because of fears that she lacked the necessary vocal skills, but those fears were overshadowed by the desire to have Bacall do her own singing despite her imperfect vocal talent.<ref>[[Joseph McBride (writer)|McBride, Joseph]]. ''[[Hawks on Hawks]]''. Berkeley, University of California Press, 1982. p. 130.</ref>
In 1968, Columbia released a 45-rpm record of two songs Williams sang at the funeral of [[Robert F. Kennedy]], a close friend: "[[Ave Maria]]" and "[[The Battle Hymn of the Republic]]". These were never released on a [[LP album|long-playing record]].


The Williams Brothers were signed by [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] (MGM) to appear in ''[[Anchors Aweigh (film)|Anchors Aweigh]]'' and ''[[Ziegfeld Follies (film)|Ziegfeld Follies]]'' (1945), but before they went before the cameras the oldest brother, Bob, was drafted into military service and the group's contract was cancelled. [[Kay Thompson]], a former radio star who was now head of the vocal department at MGM, had a nose for talent and hired the remaining three Williams brothers to sing in her large choir on many soundtracks for MGM films, including ''[[The Harvey Girls]]'' (1946). When Bob completed his military service, Kay hired all four brothers to sing on the soundtrack to ''[[Good News (1947 film)|Good News]]'' (1947).
Williams also competed in the teenage-oriented [[single (music)|single]]s market as well and had several charting hits including "Can't Get Used to Losing You," "Happy Heart," and [[(Where Do I Begin) Love Story|"Where Do I Begin"]], the theme song from the 1970 blockbuster film, ''[[Love Story (1970 film)|Love Story]]''. In addition Williams hit the UK Top 10 singles chart with, "Almost There" (1965),"Can't Help Falling In Love" (1970), "Home Lovin' Man"(1970) and "Solitaire"(1973). Building on his experience with Allen and some short-term variety shows in the 1950s, he became the star of his own weekly [[television]] variety show in 1962. This series, ''[[The Andy Williams Show]],'' won three [[Emmy Awards]] for outstanding variety program. Among his series regulars were the [[The Osmonds|Osmond Brothers]]. He gave up the variety show in 1971 while it was still popular and retrenched to three [[television special|special]]s per year. His [[Christmas]] specials, which appeared regularly until 1974 and intermittently from 1982 into the 1990s, were among the most popular of the genre. Williams has recorded eight Christmas albums over the years. He hosted the [[Grammy Awards]] for three consecutive years in the 1970s. He returned to television to do a syndicated half-hour series in 1976&ndash;77.


By then, Thompson was tired of working behind the scenes at MGM, so with the four Williams boys as her backup singers and dancers, she formed a nightclub act, Kay Thompson and the Williams Brothers. They made their debut in Las Vegas in 1947 and became an overnight sensation. Within a year, they were the highest-paid nightclub act in the world, breaking records wherever they appeared.
In the early 1990s, Williams gave up most of his touring schedule in order to open his own theatre in [[Branson, Missouri]], the Andy Williams Moon River Theater. He continues to do 8 to 12 shows a week in the spring, fall and Christmas seasons. He occasionally makes tours of Europe and Japan in the winter and summer. Andy Williams also invites guests to star with him at his theatre. The list has included [[Glen Campbell]], [[Ann-Margaret]], [[Petula Clark]], and [[Charo]]. In November and December of each year he present his annual Andy Williams Christmas Concert at his Moon River Theatre, followed by a "mini" Christmas tour in the U.S.


Williams revealed in his memoir ''Moon River and Me'' that Thompson and he became romantically involved while on tour despite the age difference (he was 19 and she was 38). The act broke up in 1949, but reunited for another hugely successful tour from the fall of 1951 through the summer of 1953. After that, the four brothers went their separate ways. A complete itinerary of both tours is listed on the Kay Thompson biography website.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.KayThompsonWebsite.com/ |title=Kay Thompson Website |access-date=August 26, 2015}}</ref>
His 1967 recording of "Music to Watch Girls By" was a surprise [[United Kingdom|UK]] hit in 1999, when it reached number 9 after featuring in an advert (beating the original peak of number 33 in 1967). A new generation was reminded of Williams' recordings and a sell-out UK tour followed the success of the single, and he was given the nickname "The Emperor of Easy" in the UK. In 2002 he took part in a new duet of "[[Can't Take My Eyes Off You]]" with British actress and singer [[Denise van Outen]]. Nearly everything Williams ever recorded has now been made available on CD through a series of compilations from 1997 to 2006.


Williams and Thompson, however, remained very close, both personally and professionally. She mentored his emergence as a solo singing star. She coached him, wrote his arrangements, and composed many songs that he recorded, including his 1958 top-20 hit "[[Promise Me, Love]]", and later, "Kay Thompson's Jingle Bells" on his 1964 number-one ''[[The Andy Williams Christmas Album]]''. Using her contacts in the business, Thompson helped Williams land his breakthrough television gig as a featured singer for two and a half years on ''[[Tonight Starring Steve Allen]]''; it helped that the producer of the series, Bill Harbach, was Kay's former ''[[aide-de-camp]]''. Thompson also got Williams his breakthrough recording contract with [[Cadence Records]], whose owner, [[Archie Bleyer]], had gotten early career breaks because of Kay and owed her a favor. Meanwhile, Williams sang backup on many of Thompson's recordings through the 1950s, including her top-40 hit "Eloise", based on [[Eloise (books)|her bestselling books]] about the mischievous little girl who lives at the Plaza Hotel in New York.
Williams also sang the [[national anthem]] at [[Super Bowl VII]] in 1973 with Little Angels of Holy Angels Church in [[Chicago, Illinois]]
[[File:Andy Williams 1960.JPG|thumb|right|upright|Williams in a publicity photo, 1960]]
Thompson also served as a creative consultant and vocal arranger on Williams's three summer-replacement network television series in 1957, 1958, and 1959. In the summer of 1961, Thompson traveled with Williams and coached him throughout his starring role in a summer stock tour of the musical ''[[Pal Joey (musical)|Pal Joey]]''. Their personal and professional relationship finally ended in 1962, after Williams met and married [[Claudine Longet]], and Thompson moved to Rome.


===1953–1961: Cadence years===
In 2007 Andy appeared as himself on a few episodes of [[As the World Turns]] - based at his Moon River Theatre. He recently completed a sold out tour of the UK in the summer of 2007, in which he performed at several major concert halls including the [[Royal Albert Hall]], singing among other classics, [[Van Morrison]]'s "[[Have I Told You Lately]]".
Williams's solo career began in 1953.<ref name="tv.com"/> He recorded six sides for [[RCA Victor]]'s label "X", but none was a popular hit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mysticgames.com/famouspeople/AndyWilliams.htm |title=Andy Williams – Celebrity information |website=Mysticgames.com |access-date=April 30, 2012}}</ref>


After landing a spot as a regular on the ''Tonight Starring Steve Allen'' in 1954,<ref name="IMDb"/> Williams was signed to a recording contract with [[Cadence Records]], a small label in New York, run by conductor [[Archie Bleyer]]. Williams's third single, "[[Canadian Sunset]]", reached number seven in the top 10 in August 1956; it was followed in February 1957 by his only ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' number-one hit, [[Butterfly (1957 song)|"Butterfly"]], a [[Cover version|cover]] of a [[Charlie Gracie]] record. "Butterfly" was also number one for two weeks on the [[UK Singles Chart]] in May 1957. More hit records followed, including "[[Hawaiian Wedding Song]]" (US number 11), "[[Are You Sincere|Are You Sincere?]]" (US number three in February 1958), "[[The Village of St. Bernadette (song)|The Village of St. Bernadette]]" (US number seven in December 1959), "[[Lonely Street (Carl Belew song)|Lonely Street]]" (US number five in September 1959), and "[[I Like Your Kind of Love]]" with [[Peggy Powers]] (US number eight in May 1957).
Andy returned to the UK singles charts with "[[It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year]]" in December 2007 thanks to an advert for Marks And Spencer it currently has got as high as number 25, also reaching #108 on the EU Top 200.


===1962–1980: The Columbia years===
==Marriages==
[[File:Andy Williams headshot 1963.JPG|thumb|right|upright|{{center|Williams in 1963}}]]
Williams met [[Claudine Longet]] when he pulled over to aid her on a [[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]] road. She was a dancer at the time at the [[Folies Bergère]]. They married on [[Christmas|Christmas Day]], 1961, and had three children, Noelle, Christian, and Robert. They separated in 1969 and finally divorced six years later. In 1976 Longet was charged with fatally shooting her boyfriend, skier [[Vladimir "Spider" Sabich]] and Williams supported her. Williams was close friends with [[Robert F. Kennedy]] and [[Ethel Kennedy]]. The friendship with Ethel has endured, with him serving as her escort during the 1970s. He married a second time in May 1991 to the former Debbie Haas. They make their homes at [[Branson, Missouri]] and [[La Quinta, California]]. Williams' homes have been featured in [[Architectural Digest]], and he is a noted collector of modern art. Williams is an avid [[golf]]er. He hosted a major golf tournament in [[San Diego]] from 1968 to 1988, which was known as the Andy Williams San Diego Open during that time.
On December 15, 1961, Williams married Claudine Longet and signed with [[Columbia Records]]. His first album with Columbia, ''[[Danny Boy and Other Songs I Love to Sing]]'', was a chart success, peaking at number 19. He was then asked to sing "[[Moon River]]", the theme from ''[[Breakfast at Tiffany's (film)|Breakfast at Tiffany's]]'', at the [[34th Academy Awards|1962 Academy Awards]], where it won Best Original Song.<ref>{{cite news|last1=McLellan|first1=Dennis|title=Andy Williams dies at 84|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2012-sep-27-la-me-andy-williams-20120927-story.html|access-date=August 27, 2016|work=Los Angeles Times|date=September 27, 2012}}</ref> Archie Bleyer at Cadence had previously told Williams that "Moon River" would not be a hit,<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Corliss|first1=Richard|title=Andy Williams: A Farewell Song for the "Moon River" Man|url=https://entertainment.time.com/2012/09/26/andy-williams-a-farewell-song-for-the-moon-river-man/|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date=September 26, 2012|access-date=August 27, 2016}}</ref> but the Columbia producers encouraged Williams to record the song along with 11 other movie themes for an album. After Williams performed the song at the awards show, it became a hit. ''[[Moon River and Other Great Movie Themes]]'' then sold across the country, garnering critical acclaim and propelling Williams into stardom. The album remained on the charts for the next three years and peaked at number three. In 1963, Williams's producer, [[Robert Mersey]], encouraged him to record "[[Can't Get Used to Losing You]]" as the B-side to "[[Days of Wine and Roses (song)|Days of Wine and Roses]]". Williams initially did not like the pop song, preferring the Mancini tune, but "Can't Get Used to Losing You" reached number two in the US and UK.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Halberstadt|first1=Alex|title=Lonely Avenue: The Unlikely Life and Times of Doc Pomus|date=April 1, 2009|publisher=Da Capo Press|isbn=9780306815645|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-uJeRbcbekEC&q=williams+hated+can%27t+get+used+to+losing+you&pg=PT120|access-date=August 28, 2016}}</ref> The album containing both songs, ''[[Days of Wine and Roses and Other TV Requests]]'', topped the album charts at number one for 16 weeks.


From 1962 to 1972, Williams was one of the most popular vocalists in the country and was signed to what was at that time the biggest recording contract in history.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Williams |first1=Andy |title=Moon River and Me: A Memoir |date=October 13, 2009 |publisher=Viking Adult |isbn=978-0-670-02117-8 }}</ref> He was primarily an album artist, and at one time, he had recorded more gold albums than any solo performer except [[Frank Sinatra]], [[Johnny Mathis]], and [[Elvis Presley]]. By 1973, he had earned as many as 17 gold-album awards. Among his hit albums from this period were ''The Andy Williams Christmas Album'', ''Dear Heart'', ''The Shadow of Your Smile'', ''[[Love, Andy]]'', ''Happy Heart'', ''Get Together with Andy Williams'', ''Love Story'', and ''Love Theme from the Godfather''. These recordings, along with his natural affinity for the music of the 1960s and early 1970s, combined to make him one of the premier easy-listening singers of that era.
Williams' birthplace is a tourist attraction open most of the year.


In the UK, Williams continued to reach high chart status until 1978. The albums ''Dear Heart'' (1965), ''Love Andy'' (1967), ''Can't Help Falling in Love'' (1970), ''Andy Williams Show'' (1970), ''Home Lovin' Man'' (number one, 1971), ''Solitaire'' (1973), ''The Way We Were'' (1974), and ''Reflections'' (1978) all reached the top 10.
==Trivia==
* Andy opened [[Caesar's Palace]] in 1966 and was the headline performer there for 20 years.
* Originally, Singer/songwriters [[Barry Gibb|Barry]] and [[Robin Gibb]] offered the song [[How Can You Mend a Broken Heart]] to Williams, before ultimately recording it themselves, earning them their first U.S. #1 record on [[Billboard Magazine]]'s Hot 100 list.
* A persistent rumor states that Andy Williams, while a teenager, provided the dubbed singing voice of [[Lauren Bacall]] for her song "How Little We Know" in the movie ''[[To Have and Have Not]]''. Bacall herself addressed it in her autobiography, stating that Williams did dub a couple of high notes for her, not the whole song.
* The Moon River theatre was the first theatre ever to be featured in Architectural Digest.
* Williams hosted ''[[Happy New Year America]]'' on [[CBS]] for a number of years. Between the start of the show and the countdown, he would try to reach a particular destination.
* ''[[The Simpsons]]''' [[Nelson Muntz]] is an Andy Williams fan. In the episode "[[Bart on the Road]]", he forces the gang to make a detour to Branson so he can see his idol. The bully is reduced to tears as Williams performs "Moon River" during the second encore.
* Williams was the first host of the televised Grammy Awards.
* His nephews, Andy and David Williams, were minor teen idols in the 1970s.
* Opened the Moon River Grill in the spring of 2007 in Branson. The restaurant is decorated in photos from the Andy Williams’ Television Show with stars including [[Elton John]], [[Phyllis Diller]] and [[Sammy Davis Jr]]. Art is also featured in the restaurant, works by such artist as [[Andy Warhol]] and [[Robert Indiana]].
* Williams appeared on an episode of 1950s panel game show ''[[What's My Line]]'' as a mystery guest. He stumped the panel of his identity by concealing his voice. The panel thought he was a female.
* Both Williams and [[Petula Clark]] recorded "Happy Heart" at the same time, just prior to his guest appearance on her second NBC-TV special. Unaware that she, too, was releasing the song as a single, he asked to perform it on the show. The exposure ultimately led to his having the bigger hit with the tune.
* The song "Happy Heart" is played during the final scene, and throughout the end credits, of the [[Danny Boyle]] film ''[[Shallow Grave]]''.
* The greatest love song, according to Andy, is "Moon River", which was a hit for him in 1962.
* Williams appeared in three episodes American [[soap opera]] ''[[As the World Turns]]'' in [[July 2007]] as himself. The show shot four episodes on-location in Branson, Missouri.
* [[Down to Earth]] is the first album by American popular music singer-songwriter [[Jimmy Buffett]]. It was produced by Travis Turk and was initially released in 1970 on Andy Williams's small Barnaby Records label as Z 30093.


Williams forged an indirect collaborative relationship with [[Henry Mancini]], although they never recorded together. Both "Moon River" and "Days of Wine and Roses" were written by Mancini, with lyrics by [[Johnny Mercer]]. Williams sang Mancini's "[[Dear Heart (song)|Dear Heart]]" at the 1965 Academy Awards and "[[The Great Race#Soundtrack|The Sweetheart Tree]]" (also written with Mercer) at the 1966 Awards.
==Discography==
===Cadence Records===
*''Andy Williams Sings [[Steve Allen (comedian)|Steve Allen]],'' 1957
*''Andy Williams,'' 1958 (compilation of A and B sides of second through seventh Cadence singles)
*''Andy Williams Sings [[Rodgers and Hammerstein]],'' 1958
*''[[Lonely Street (album)|Lonely Street]],'' 1959
*''The Village of St. Bernadette,'' 1959
*''Two Time Winners,'' 1960
*''To You, Sweetheart, [[Aloha]],'' 1960
*''Under [[Paris]] Skies, with [[Quincy Jones]],'' 1961 (William's last album of new material for Cadence)
*''Andy Williams' Best,'' 1962 (compilation including Cadence singles which had never appeared on an album)
*''Million Seller Songs,'' 1962


On August 5, 1966, the 14-story, 700-room [[Caesars Palace]] casino and nightclub opened in [[Las Vegas, Nevada]], with the stage production of "Rome Swings", in which Williams starred. He performed to a sold-out crowd in the Circus Maximus showroom. He headlined for Caesars for the next 20 years.
===Columbia Records===


On September 17, 1968, Columbia released a single of two songs Williams sang at the funeral of his close friend [[Robert F. Kennedy]]: "[[The Battle Hymn of the Republic]]" and [[Franz Schubert]]'s "[[Ave Maria (musical settings)|Ave Maria]]". These were never released on a [[LP album|long-playing record]], but have appeared in several compilations of Williams's output.
*''Danny Boy and Other Songs I Love to Sing,'' 1962
*''Moon River and Other Great Movie Themes,'' 1962
*''Warm and Willing,'' 1962
*''Can't Get Used To Losing You,'' 1963
*''[[Days of Wine and Roses (album)|Days of Wine and Roses]],'' 1963
*''The Andy Williams [[Christmas]] Album,'' 1963
*''The Wonderful World of Andy Williams,'' 1964
*''Call Me Irresponsible,'' 1964
*''The Great Songs from [[My Fair Lady]] and Other Shows,'' 1964
*''Dear Heart,'' 1965
*''Canadian Sunset,'' 1965 (reissue of the 1962 Cadence Records compilation ''Andy Williams' Best'')
*''[[Hawaii]]an Wedding Song,'' 1965 (reissue of the Cadence Records album ''To You Sweetheart, Aloha'')
*''Merry Christmas,'' 1965
*''Andy Williams' Newest Hits,'' 1966 (compilation of early Columbia singles)
*''The Shadow of Your Smile,'' 1966
*''In the Arms of Love,'' 1967
*''Born Free,'' 1967
*''Love, Andy,'' 1967
*''Honey,'' 1968
*''Happy Heart,'' 1969
*''Get Together with Andy Williams,'' 1969
*''The Andy Williams' Sound of Music,'' 1969
*''The Andy Williams Show,'' 1970
*''Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head,'' 1970
*''Andy Williams' Greatest Hits,'' 1970
*''Love Story,'' 1971
*''You've Got a Friend,'' 1971
*''Love Theme from [[The Godfather]] (Speak Softly Love),'' 1972
*''Alone Again (Naturally),'' 1972
*''Solitaire,'' 1973
*''Andy Williams' Greatest Hits Vol. II,'' 1973
*''The Way We Were,'' 1974
*''You Lay So Easy on My Mind,'' 1974
*''Christmas Present,'' 1974
*''The Other Side of Me,'' 1975
*''Andy,'' 1976
*''Spanish Eyes,'' 1976
*''Let's Love While We Can,'' 1980 (not released in U.S. until 2004)


[[File:Andy Williams 1966.JPG|thumb|{{center|Williams in 1966}}|left|upright=1.2]]
===Other labels===
Williams also competed in the teen-oriented singles market and had several charting hits, including "[[Can't Get Used to Losing You]]", "[[Happy Heart]]", and [[(Where Do I Begin?) Love Story|"Where Do I Begin"]], the theme song from the 1970 blockbuster film ''[[Love Story (1970 film)|Love Story]]''. In addition, Williams hit the top 10 of the [[UK Singles Chart]] with "[[Almost There (Andy Williams song)|Almost There]]" (1964), "[[Can't Help Falling in Love]]" (1970), "[[Home Lovin' Man]]" (1970), and "Solitaire" (1973).


Williams and [[Petula Clark]] recorded "[[Happy Heart]]" around the same time, just before his guest appearance on her second NBC-TV special. Unaware that she was releasing the song as a single, he asked to perform it on the show. The exposure ultimately led to his having the bigger hit with the song. The song "Happy Heart" was used for the final scene and end credits of [[Danny Boyle]]'s award-winning [[directorial debut]] film ''[[Shallow Grave (1994 film)|Shallow Grave]]'' (1994).
*''The Williams Brothers Christmas Album,'' Barnaby
*''Greatest Love Classics, with the [[Royal Philharmonic Orchestra]],'' EMI, 1984
*''Close Enough for Love,'' Atco, 1986
*''I Still Believe in [[Santa Claus]],'' Curb, 1990
*''[[Nashville]],'' Curb, 1991
*''The New Andy Williams Christmas Album,'' Laserlight, 1994
*''We Need A Little Christmas,'' Unison, 1997
*''It's a Wonderful Christmas,'' Publishing Mills, 1997
*''Andy Williams Live: Christmas Treasures,'' 2001
*''Easy Does It,'' Metro, 2002
*''Together,'' 2006, a duet with [[Petula Clark]], who also wrote the lyrics and music
*''I Don't Remember Ever Growing Up,'' Demon, 2006


===1962–1971: ''The Andy Williams Show''===
===Compilations of interest to collectors===
[[File:Andy williams 1969.JPG|thumb|right|upright|{{center|Williams in 1969}}]]
*''16 Most Requested Songs,'' Columbia/Legacy, 1986
Building on his experience with Allen and some short-term variety shows in the 1950s, he became the star of his own weekly television variety show in the fall of 1962. Though cancelled after 1963 owing to low ratings, the show was then sponsored to make 12 weekly specials in the 1963–64 season. This series, ''[[The Andy Williams Show]]'', won three [[Emmy Awards]] for outstanding variety program. Among his series regulars were the [[The Osmonds|Osmond Brothers]]. He gave up the variety show in 1971 while it was still popular, continuing with three specials per year. His Christmas specials, which appeared regularly until 1974 and intermittently from 1982 into the 1990s, were among the most popular of the genre.<ref name="DMReg-2009"/> Williams recorded eight Christmas albums over the years, and was known as "Mr. Christmas",<ref name="DMReg-2009">{{cite news|url=http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2012/09/26/final-register-interview-iowas-own-andy-williams-is-mr-christmas-to-the-nation/|title=Iowa's own Andy Williams is "Mr. Christmas" to the nation|last=Munson|first=Kyle|date=December 25, 2009|work=Des Moines Register|publisher=reprinted in Register blog September 26, 2012|access-date=September 26, 2012}}{{dead link|date=February 2018|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> due to his perennial Christmas specials and the success of "[[It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year]]".
*''16 Most Requested Songs Encore,'' Columbia/Legacy, 1995

*''The Best of the Cadence Years,'' Varese Sarabande, 1997
Williams hosted the most [[Grammy]] telecasts—seven consecutive shows—from the [[13th Annual Grammy Awards]] in 1971 through to the [[19th Annual Grammy Awards|19th Awards]] in 1977. He returned to television with a syndicated half-hour series in 1976–77.
*''Complete Columbia Chart Singles Collection,'' Taragon, 2002

*''B Sides and Rarities,'' Collectables, 2003, (contains recordings as early as 1948, many of which had never appeared on any album before)
In the early 1970s, when the [[Nixon administration]] attempted to deport [[John Lennon]], Williams was an outspoken defender of the former [[The Beatles|Beatle]]'s right to stay in the United States.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Parker |first1=Suzi |title=Andy Williams crossed generational and political lines in his long career |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/she-the-people/post/andy-williams-crossed-generational-and-political-lines-in-his-long-career/2012/09/26/ddead784-07f9-11e2-9eea-333857f6a7bd_blog.html |access-date=February 11, 2022 |agency=The Washington Post |newspaper=Washington Post |date=September 26, 2012}}</ref> Williams is included in the montage of caricatures on the cover of [[Ringo Starr]]'s 1973 album, ''[[Ringo (album)|Ringo]]''.

Williams performed during the [[halftime show]] of [[Super Bowl VII]] in January 1973, held at [[Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/16844013/colorful_halftime_for_super_bowl_vii/ |title=Colorful Halftime For Super Bowl VII |agency=[[Associated Press]] |newspaper=[[The Tennessean]] |location=[[Nashville, Tennessee]] |date=January 15, 1973 |access-date=January 25, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ny-1Q6qxn-A |title=Super Bowl VII Halftime in 1973 featuring Andy Williams! |date=January 28, 2012 |access-date=January 25, 2018 |publisher=[[YouTube]]}}</ref>

===1991–2012: At Moon River Theatre===
In June 1991, Williams' brother Don invited him to the small [[The Ozarks|Ozarks]] town of [[Branson, Missouri]]. Don Williams at the time was the manager for entertainer [[Ray Stevens]], who had just opened a theater in Branson. While attending Stevens' show, Williams was encouraged by numerous Branson guests to open a venue in the town.<ref name="kroll">{{cite web| url=http://www.krolltravel.com/stories/Branson-Andy-Williams.html |first= Barb & Ron |last= Kroll |title=Andy Williams Moon River Theatre in Branson Missouri |work=krolltravel.com |access-date=April 22, 2012}}</ref> This led Williams to build his own theater in Branson in time for the 1992 season,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0008/22/lkl.00.html |title=CNN Transcript – Larry King Live: Andy Williams Discusses His Return to Singing – August 22, 2000 |website=Transcripts.cnn.com |date=August 22, 2000 |access-date=August 26, 2015}}</ref> eventually opening on May 1, 1992, as the Moon River Theatre.<ref name=SWHoF>{{cite web| title=Andy Williams Biography| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080408111515/http://www.songwritershalloffame.org/artist_bio.asp?artistId=108 |url=http://www.songwritershalloffame.org/artist_bio.asp?artistId=108| archive-date=April 8, 2008| work= songwritershalloffame.org}}</ref> The name came from his signature song. It went on to become the first theater ever to be featured in ''[[Architectural Digest]]'', and also won the 1992 Conservation Award from the State of [[Missouri]].<ref name=SWHoF />

The theater was designed to blend with the rough terrain of the [[Ozark Mountains]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Andy Williams Moon River Theater in Branson, MO|url=https://www.bransonshows.com/pointsOfInterest/AndyWilliamsMoonRiverTheaterinBransonMO.html|website=Vacations Made Easy|access-date=January 30, 2018}}</ref> He had originally planned a marble style theater reminiscent of the [[Dorothy Chandler Pavilion]] in Los Angeles, but soon had a change of mind. The Larson Company of Tucson, Arizona, fabricated a section of rock on Missouri's Highway 76 and the theater was soon engulfed with waterfalls, [[koi]]-filled ponds, ferns and trees native to the Ozarks. The inside of the theater incorporates the outside. Trees and plants are seen throughout the theater's three lobbies. Oak floors are accompanied by African ribbon-striped mahogany walls that are filled with pictures of the ''Andy Williams Show''. Williams' passion for art can be seen throughout as well. From the start of his career, Williams had accumulated several paintings and sculptures and decided to fill his theater with his collection. [[Helen Frankenthaler|Frankenthaler]], [[Richard Diebenkorn|Diebenkorn]], [[Claes Oldenburg|Oldenburg]], [[Jackson Pollock|Pollock]], [[Paul Klee|Klee]], and [[Henry Moore|Moore]] are a small list of artists whose work is on display at the Moon River Theatre.<ref name=SWHoF />

The theater's auditorium can accommodate 2,054 people. The seats and carpets match Williams' [[Navajo rug]] collection and are forest green, magenta, gold, and blue. On display inside the auditorium are 19 Japanese [[kimono]]s. The stage has accommodated numerous shows and guest celebrities. On stage, Williams was joined by [[Glen Campbell]], [[Ann-Margret]], Petula Clark, and [[Charo]].

When it first opened, it was unique because his was the first noncountry act to open in the then mostly country-music town. Other noncountry entertainers, such as [[Bobby Vinton]], [[Tony Orlando]], [[Wayne Newton]], and the Osmond Brothers soon followed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0008/22/lkl.00.html |title=CNN Transcript – Larry King Live: Andy Williams Discusses His Return to Singing |website=Transcripts.cnn.com |date=August 22, 2000 |access-date=August 26, 2015}}</ref>

Williams and his theater were featured on three episodes of the soap opera ''[[As the World Turns]]'' in July 2007, when several characters went to Branson for a concert of "[[Gwen Munson]]" held in the Moon River Theatre. ''[[The Simpsons]]'' featured Williams at his Moon River Theatre in an episode titled "[[Bart on the Road]]". [[Nelson Muntz]] is an Andy Williams fan, and in the episode, he forces the gang to make a detour to Branson so he could see his idol. He is reduced to tears as Williams performs "Moon River" during the second encore.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}}

In 2007, Williams opened the Moon River Grill adjacent to his theater in Branson. The restaurant is decorated in photos from the ''Andy Williams Show'' with stars including [[Diana Ross]], [[Elton John]], and [[Sammy Davis Jr.]] Art is center stage in the restaurant, with works by several artists including [[Andy Warhol]] and [[Robert Indiana]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Andy Williams Moon River Theatre |url=http://www.andywilliams.com/andy_williams_branson_016.htm |website=AndyWilliams.com |access-date=August 26, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100825225507/http://www.andywilliams.com/andy_williams_branson_016.htm |archive-date=August 25, 2010}}</ref>

In 1995, ''[[We Need a Little Christmas (Andy Williams album)|We Need a Little Christmas]]'' became Williams's 18th gold album.

His 1967 recording of "[[Music to Watch Girls By]]" became a UK hit to a new young television audience in 1999, when it reached number 9 after being featured in new television advertisements for the [[Fiat Punto]]—and later for [[Diet Pepsi]]—beating the original peak of number 33 in 1967. A new generation was reminded of Williams' recordings and a sell-out UK tour followed the success of the single, prompting a British revival for Williams. In 2002, he re-recorded "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" as a duet with British actress and singer [[Denise van Outen]]; it reached number 23 in the UK singles charts. He completed a sold-out tour of the United Kingdom and Asia in the winter and summer of 2007, in which he performed at several major concert halls including the [[Royal Albert Hall]].

Williams returned to the UK singles charts with his 1963 recording of "[[It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year]]" in December 2007, due to an advertisement for [[Marks & Spencer]], reaching number 21 in its first appearance in the British charts. In 2008, he lip-synched the 45-year-old recording to welcome Santa at the end of the [[Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade]].{{citation needed|date=April 2023}}

On October 3, 2009, Williams appeared live on the BBC's ''[[Strictly Come Dancing]]''<ref>{{cite web |title = Strictly Come Dancing TV Appearance |url=http://www.sonymusic.co.uk/news/14754/0/ |publisher= Sony Music |access-date=October 3, 2009| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091003050513/http://www.sonymusic.co.uk/news/14754/0/| archive-date= October 3, 2009 | url-status= live}}</ref> in London, singing "Moon River" to promote the UK edition of ''The Very Best of Andy Williams'' LP, which peaked at number 10 in the main pop chart.

==Business ventures==
In 1964, Williams ultimately became the owner of the Cadence master tapes, which he occasionally licensed to Columbia, including not only his own recordings but also those of his fellow Cadence-era labelmates: [[the Everly Brothers]], [[Lenny Welch]], [[the Chordettes]], [[Link Wray]] and [[Johnny Tillotson]]. In 1968, although he was still under contract with Columbia for his own recordings, Williams formed a separate company called [[Barnaby Records]] to handle reissuing of the Cadence material, especially that of the Everly Brothers (one of the first Barnaby LPs was a double LP set of the Brothers' long out-of-print Cadence hits) and new artists. Barnaby also had several top-40 hits in the 1970s with novelty artist Ray Stevens (who had done a summer replacement show for Williams in 1970), including number-one hits such as "[[Everything Is Beautiful]]" in 1970 and "[[The Streak (song)|The Streak]]" in 1974. Also in 1970, Barnaby signed and released the first album by an unknown singer-songwriter named [[Jimmy Buffett]] (''[[Down to Earth (Jimmy Buffett album)|Down to Earth]]'') produced by Travis Turk.

Columbia was initially the distributor for Barnaby, but later distribution was handled first by [[MGM Records]] and then [[General Recorded Tape]]. Once Barnaby ceased operating as a working record company at the end of the 1970s, Williams licensed the old Cadence material to various other labels (such as [[Varèse Sarabande]] and [[Rhino Entertainment|Rhino]] in the U.S.) after 1980.

==Politics==
Williams was close friends with Robert F. Kennedy and his wife, [[Ethel Kennedy]], and campaigned for Kennedy in the [[Democratic Party (United States) presidential primaries, 1968|1968 Democratic presidential primary races]]. Williams was among the celebrities who were in Kennedy's entourage in the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles when Kennedy was shot and mortally wounded by [[Sirhan Sirhan]] in June 1968.<ref name="LAT-obit">{{cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-andy-williams-20120927,0,2768780,full.story|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927040826/http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-andy-williams-20120927,0,2768780,full.story|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 27, 2012|title=Andy Williams, 'Moon River' singer, dies at 84| last=McLellan|first=Dennis|date=September 27, 2012|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=October 22, 2012}}</ref> Williams sang "Battle Hymn of the Republic" at RFK's funeral, at Ethel's request. In August 1969, Williams and Claudine Longet named their newborn son Bobby, after Kennedy. The Williams' friendship with Ethel Kennedy endured, with Williams serving as escort to Ethel at events in the 1970s. He also raised funds for [[George McGovern]]'s [[George McGovern presidential campaign, 1972|1972 presidential campaign]], performing at [[Celebrity activists in George McGovern's 1972 presidential campaign|benefit concerts]].<ref>McGovern, George S., ''Grassroots: The Autobiography of George McGovern'', New York: Random House, 1977, p. 173</ref>

Williams later said that despite his friendship with the Democratic Kennedys, he was a lifelong [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]].<ref name="washpost">{{cite news| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/07/AR2005080700873.html |title=Branson, Mo., Looks Beyond RVs and Buffets |newspaper=The Washington Post | date= August 8, 2005| access-date=October 19, 2009 | first=Lois | last=Romano}}</ref> In 2009, he was quoted by ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' as accusing [[President of the United States|President]] [[Barack Obama]] of "following Marxist theory" and "wanting the country to fail".<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/6241196/Andy-Williams-accuses-Barack-Obama-of-following-Marxist-theory.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091001163425/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/6241196/Andy-Williams-accuses-Barack-Obama-of-following-Marxist-theory.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=October 1, 2009 | work=The Daily Telegraph | location=London | title=Andy Williams accuses Barack Obama of following Marxist theory | date=September 28, 2009 | access-date=April 25, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/29/andy-williams-obama-wants_n_302945.html |work=Huffington Post | first=Katy | last=Hall | title=Andy Williams: Obama Wants The Country To Fail | date=September 29, 2009}}</ref> Williams gave [[Rush Limbaugh]] permission to use his recording of the song "[[Born Free (song)|Born Free]]" as the theme to the "Animal Rights Update" on [[The Rush Limbaugh Show|Limbaugh's radio show]]—in which a portion of the song was then followed by gunfire—saying "Hey, it's fine with me. I love what you're doing with it." The record company later blocked Limbaugh's use of the recording.<ref>[http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_092909/content/01125104.guest.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091002224250/http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_092909/content/01125104.guest.html|date=October 2, 2009}}</ref> Williams was a guest on the ''[[Glenn Beck Radio Program]]'' in December 2009, introduced by his own 1960s recording of "Little Altar Boy".

==Personal life==
[[File:Andy Williams en echtgenote (1972).jpg|thumb|right|upright|Williams with wife [[Claudine Longet]] in 1972]]
Williams met French-born [[Claudine Longet]] in Las Vegas when her car broke down and he offered help. She was a dancer at the time at the [[Folies Bergère]]. They married on December 15, 1961, and over the next eight years, they had three children—Noelle, Christian (died 2019),<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Christian Jay Williams |url=https://www.aspendailynews.com/obituaries/christian-jay-williams/article_23d25d32-c5c9-11e9-9b20-671b0194a1f8.html |work=Aspen Daily News |date=August 6, 2019 |access-date=March 8, 2020}}</ref> and Robert.<ref name=Bio>{{cite news|url=http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/332918/332918|title=Don't be sad, just remember the way we were, dying Andy Williams tells family|last= Parker| first= Mike|date=July 15, 2012|newspaper=[[The Daily Express]]| location= London}}</ref>
After separating in 1970,<ref>"Andy Williams to Separate", ''Washington Post'', June 9, 1970, B6.</ref> Williams and Longet divorced in 1975, but they remained friends.<ref>{{cite news | author=Larry King Live | year= 2000 | title= Transcript of Interview with Andy Williams, 22&nbsp;August 2000 | url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0008/22/lkl.00.html | access-date=June 5, 2008 |work=CNN}}</ref>
In March 1976, Longet was charged with fatally shooting her boyfriend, [[alpine skiing|alpine ski racer]] [[Spider Sabich]], in [[Aspen, Colorado|Aspen]]. Williams played a public role in the subsequent events, escorting her to and from the courtroom, testifying to her character at the trial, and providing legal assistance.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/9568283/Andy-Williams-dies-aged-84.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/9568283/Andy-Williams-dies-aged-84.html |archive-date=January 11, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Andy Williams dies aged 84 |work=The Daily Telegraph |access-date=September 27, 2012 |location=London |date=September 26, 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Longet claimed the shooting was accidental and eventually served 30 days in jail.

Williams also had partial ownership of the [[Phoenix Suns]] [[NBA]] team from the team's inception in 1968 until 1987.{{citation needed|date=October 2015}}

On May 3, 1991, Williams married Debbie Haas, ''née'' Meyer, whom he met through a mutual friend. They made their homes at Branson, Missouri, and [[La Quinta, California]], where he was known as the "honorary mayor".<ref name="DMReg-2009"/> Williams was a noted collector of modern art and his homes have been featured in ''[[Architectural Digest]]''.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Ratcliff|first1=C.|title=Architectural Digest visits Andy Williams|journal=Architectural Digest|issue=July 1987|page=40}}</ref>

Williams' birthplace in Iowa is a tourist attraction and is open most of the year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WME9ZX_Andy_Williams_Birthplace_Wall_Lake_IA|title=Andy Williams Birthplace – Wall Lake, IA - Childhood Homes on Waymarking.com|website=Waymarking.com|access-date=May 30, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iowabeautiful.com/northwest-iowa-tourism/andy-williams-birthplace-wall-lake-iowa.html|title=Andy Williams Birthplace – Wall Lake, Iowa — Iowa Tourism|website=Iowabeautiful.com|access-date=May 30, 2018|archive-date=December 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181214064933/http://www.iowabeautiful.com/northwest-iowa-tourism/andy-williams-birthplace-wall-lake-iowa.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Hobbies===
Williams was an avid golfer and hosted a [[PGA Tour]] golf tournament in [[San Diego]] from 1968 to 1988 at [[Torrey Pines Golf Course|Torrey Pines]]. Then known as the "Andy Williams San Diego Open", the tournament continues as the [[Farmers Insurance Open]], usually played in February. He was also a competent [[ice skating|ice skater]] and occasionally skated as part of his television Christmas shows.<ref>{{Cite AV media |type=TV production|title= Andy Williams Christmas Show |date= 1967 }}</ref>
[[File:1986 Bob Hope Classic, Andy Williams (6792789360).jpg|thumb|right|Williams at the [[Bob Hope Classic]] golf tournament, 1986]]

Williams was a noted art collector whose collection had hung in his homes, his offices, and in the Moon River Theatre, and was exhibited at the [[Saint Louis Art Museum]] in 1997 and 1998.<ref name=Forbes/> After his death, his collection was split among several auction houses. His paintings went to [[Christie's]] New York, where they fetched over $50 million.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://kxrb.com/andy-williams-art-collection-sells-for-46-million/|title=Andy Williams Art Collection Sells For $46 Million|website=Kxrb.com|date=May 18, 2013 |access-date=June 16, 2021}}</ref> His folk art collection was sold at [[Skinner, Inc.|Skinner]] for $2,471,725.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.skinnerinc.com/news/news/andy-williams-folk-art-collection-skinner-auction-results/|title=Andy Williams Folk Art Collection &#124; Skinner Auction Results |website=Skinnerinc.com|date=March 14, 2013 |access-date=June 16, 2021}}</ref> His collection of [[Navajo weaving|Navajo blankets]] was sold by [[Sotheby's]] on May 21, 2013, yielding $978,506 (£642,064).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sothebys.com/content/dam/sothebys/PDFs/N08984%20Andy%20Williams-Press-Release-0513.pdf |title=Sotheby's Sale Results: New York: Sale N08984 The Andy Williams Collection Of Navajo Blankets |website=Sothebys.com |access-date=August 26, 2015}}</ref><ref name=Forbes>{{cite news| url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/lynndouglass/2013/01/07/singer-andy-williams-navajo-blanket-collection-up-for-sale-rare-chiefs-blanket-is-the-star/|first= Lynn |last= Douglass|title=Singer Andy Williams' Navajo Blanket Collection Will Go Up For Sale, Rare Chief's Blanket Is The Star|newspaper=[[Forbes]]|date=January 7, 2013}}</ref>

==Illness and death==
{{Wikinews|Singer Andy Williams dies at 84}}
In a surprise appearance at his theater in November 2011, Williams announced that he had been diagnosed with bladder cancer.<ref>{{cite web|last=Francke |first=Tyler |url=http://bransontrilakesnews.com/news_free/article_4740dcba-0828-11e1-a72f-001cc4c03286.html |title=Andy Williams confirms cancer diagnosis |work=[[Branson Tri-Lakes News]] |date=October 21, 2012 |access-date=August 26, 2015}}</ref> After [[chemotherapy]] treatment in [[Houston]], he and his wife moved to a rented home in [[Malibu, California]], to be closer to cancer specialists in the [[Los Angeles]] area.<ref name=Bio/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/nov/07/andy-williams-bladder-cancer|title=Andy Williams tells audience he has bladder cancer|first=Sean|last=Michaels|date=November 7, 2011|website=Theguardian.com}}</ref>

On September 25, 2012, Williams died of bladder cancer at the age of 84 at his home in Branson, Missouri.<ref name = "BBC News-2012-09-26">{{cite news | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-19729630 | title = Andy Williams, Moon River singer, dies aged 84 | work = BBC News | date = September 26, 2012 | access-date = September 26, 2012 }}</ref><ref name="Gates">{{cite news |last=Gates |first=Anita |date=September 26, 2012 |title=Andy Williams, Crooner of 'Moon River,' Dies at 84 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/27/arts/music/andy-williams-crooner-of-moon-river-dies-at-84.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=July 13, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine| url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20570219,00.html|title=Andy Williams, 'Moon River' Singer, Dies at 84| magazine= [[People (magazine)|People]]| date= September 26, 2012| access-date=September 26, 2012 | first=Stephen M. | last=Silverman}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/sep/26/moon-river-crooner-andy-williams-dies-at-age-84/ |title='Moon River' Crooner Andy Williams Dies at Age 84 |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=September 26, 2012 |first1=Bob |last1=Thomas |first2=Jim |last2=Salter |access-date=May 10, 2015}}</ref> Williams' body was cremated, and his ashes were sprinkled into the artificial waterway named Moon River at his theater in Branson.<ref name="IMDb"/> The memorial service for Williams was held a month later.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.branson.com/news/2012/10/21/andy-williams-memorial-service-is-celebration-of-life-branson-shows/|title=Andy Williams memorial service is "Celebration of Life" - Branson, MO|website=Branson.com|access-date=August 23, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916210627/https://www.branson.com/news/2012/10/21/andy-williams-memorial-service-is-celebration-of-life-branson-shows/|archive-date=September 16, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/ns/andy-williams-obituary/160125517|title=Andy Williams Obituary on Legacy.com|website=Legacy.com|date=September 26, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-20026450|title=Stars gather for Andy Williams|date=October 22, 2012|work=BBC News}}</ref>

==Awards and achievements==
''The Andy Williams Show'' won three [[Emmy Awards]] in 1963, 1966, and 1967 for Outstanding Variety Series.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055660/awards|title=The Andy Williams Show|website=IMDb}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_beJCgAAQBAJ&q=andy+williams+show+emmy+awards&pg=PA167|title=Emmy Award Winning Nighttime Television Shows, 1948-2004|first=Wesley|last=Hyatt|date=February 21, 2006|publisher=McFarland|via=Google Books|isbn=9780786423293}}</ref>

Andy Williams also earned six Grammy nominations:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.grammy.com/news/andy-williams-1927-2012|title=Andy Williams, 1927–2012|date=September 26, 2012|website=Grammy.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title= Andy Williams {{!}} Artist |url= https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/andy-williams-0 |website= www.grammy.com |publisher= Recording Academy|access-date=January 30, 2018}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Year
!Nominated work
!Category
!Result
|-
|[[1st Grammy Awards|1959]]
| "[[Hawaiian Wedding Song]]"
|rowspan="2"|[[Grammy Award for Best Vocal Performance, Male|Vocal Performance, Male]]
|{{nom}}
|-
|[[Grammy Awards of 1962|1962]]
| "[[Danny Boy]]"
|{{nom}}
|-
|-
|rowspan="2"|[[Grammy Awards of 1964|1964]]
|''[[Days of Wine and Roses and Other TV Requests]]''
|[[Grammy Award for Album of the Year|Album of the Year]]
|{{nom}}
|-
| "[[Days of Wine and Roses (song)|Days of Wine and Roses]]"
|rowspan="3"|Vocal Performance, Male
|{{nom}}
|-
|[[Grammy Awards of 1965|1965]]
|''[[The Academy Award-Winning "Call Me Irresponsible" and Other Hit Songs from the Movies]]''
|{{nom}}
|-
|[[Grammy Awards of 1967|1967]]
|''[[The Shadow of Your Smile (Andy Williams album)|The Shadow of Your Smile]]''
|{{nom}}
|}

Other honors include:
*[[Society of Singers|Society of Singers Lifetime Achievement Award]], 2008<ref>{{cite web|url=http://singers.org/special-events//|date=February 12, 2011|title=Society of Singers: ELLA honorees|access-date=July 27, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160801061536/http://singers.org/special-events/|archive-date=August 1, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*Star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://projects.latimes.com/hollywood/star-walk/andy-williams/|title=Andy Williams - Hollywood Star Walk |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=May 30, 2018}}</ref>

==Discography==
{{Main|Andy Williams discography}}
Andy Williams' extensive discography began with the release of the 1948 single "Jubilee" as a member of the Williams Brothers alongside Kay Thompson. He recorded his first solo album, ''Andy Williams Sings Steve Allen'', eight years later, and remained active in the music industry for the next 56 years, completing 43 studio albums, alongside compilation albums and more.

=== Studio albums ===

* ''[[Andy Williams Sings Steve Allen]]'' (1956)
* ''[[Andy Williams Sings Rodgers and Hammerstein]]'' (1958)
* ''[[Two Time Winners]]'' (1959)
* ''[[To You Sweetheart, Aloha]]'' (1959)
* ''[[Lonely Street (Andy Williams album)|Lonely Street]]'' (1959)
* ''[[The Village of St. Bernadette]]'' (1960)
* ''[[Under Paris Skies]]'' (1960)
* ''[[Danny Boy and Other Songs I Love to Sing]]'' (1962)
* ''[[Moon River and Other Great Movie Themes]]'' (1962)
* ''[[Million Seller Songs]]'' (1962)
* ''[[Warm and Willing]]'' (1962)
* ''[[Days of Wine and Roses and Other TV Requests]]'' (1963)
* ''[[The Andy Williams Christmas Album]]'' (1963)
* ''[[The Wonderful World of Andy Williams]]'' (1964)
* ''[[The Academy Award-Winning "Call Me Irresponsible" and Other Hit Songs from the Movies]]'' (1964)
* ''[[The Great Songs from "My Fair Lady" and Other Broadway Hits]]'' (1964)
* ''[[Andy Williams' Dear Heart]]'' (1965)
* ''[[Merry Christmas (Andy Williams album)|Merry Christmas]]'' (1965)
* ''[[The Shadow of Your Smile (Andy Williams album)|The Shadow of Your Smile]]'' (1966)
* ''[[In the Arms of Love (Andy Williams album)|In the Arms of Love]]'' (1966)
* ''[[Born Free (Andy Williams album)|Born Free]]'' (1967)
* ''[[Love, Andy]]'' (1967)
* ''[[Honey (Andy Williams album)|Honey]]'' (1968)
* ''[[Happy Heart (Andy Williams album)|Happy Heart]]'' (1969)
* ''[[Get Together with Andy Williams]]'' (1969)
* ''[[Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head (Andy Williams album)|Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head]]'' (1970)
* ''[[The Andy Williams Show (album)|The Andy Williams Show]]'' (1970)
* ''[[Love Story (Andy Williams studio album)|Love Story]]'' (1971)
* ''[[You've Got a Friend (Andy Williams album)|You've Got a Friend]]'' (1971)
* ''[[Love Theme from "The Godfather" (Andy Williams album)|Love Theme from "The Godfather"]]'' (1972)
* ''[[Alone Again (Naturally) (album)|Alone Again (Naturally)]]'' (1972)
* ''[[Solitaire (Andy Williams album)|Solitaire]]'' (1973)
* ''[[The Way We Were (Andy Williams album)|The Way We Were]]'' (1974)
* ''[[Christmas Present (Andy Williams album)|Christmas Present]]'' (1974)
* ''[[You Lay So Easy on My Mind]]'' (1974)
* ''[[The Other Side of Me (Andy Williams album)|The Other Side of Me]]'' (1975)
* ''[[Andy (1976 album)|Andy]]'' (1976)
* ''[[Let's Love While We Can]]'' (1980)
* ''[[Greatest Love Classics]]'' (1984)
* ''[[Close Enough for Love (Andy Williams album)|Close Enough for Love]]'' (1986)
* ''[[I Still Believe in Santa Claus]]'' (1990)
* ''[[Nashville (Andy Williams album)|Nashville]]'' (1991)
* ''[[We Need a Little Christmas (Andy Williams album)|We Need a Little Christmas]]'' (1995)
* ''[[I Don't Remember Ever Growing Up]]'' (2007)


==Filmography==
==Filmography==
*''[[Janie]]'' (1944)
*1944: ''[[Janie (1944 film)|Janie]]''
*''[[Kansas City Kitty]]'' (1944)
*1944: ''[[Kansas City Kitty]]''
*''[[Ladies' Man]]'' (1947)
*1947: ''[[Ladies' Man (1947 film)|Ladies' Man]]''
*''[[Something in the Wind]]'' (1947)
*1947: ''[[Something in the Wind]]''
*''[[The Man in the Moon (Film)]]'' (1960)
*1960: ''[[The Man in the Moon (Pontiac Star Parade)|The Man in the Moon]]''
*''[[I'd Rather Be Rich]]'' (1964)
*1964: ''[[I'd Rather Be Rich]]''
*1980: ''[[The Muppet Show]]'', special guest star
*''[[Dorival Caymmi]]'' (1999) (documentary)
*1999: ''[[Dorival Caymmi]]'' (documentary)
*2009: ''Sebring'' (documentary)
===Bibliography===
*{{cite book | last1=Williams | first1=Andy| title=Moon River & Me | publisher=Viking | date=2009| isbn=978-0-670-02117-8}}


==Commercials==
==References==
'''Notes'''
*''[http://www.adverblog.com/archives/002220.htm Honda: Impossible Dream (2005)]''
{{reflist}}
*''[[Marks and Spencer]] Christmas Advert 2007''


'''Sources'''
==External links==
*[http://www.andywilliams.com Official Site]
*[http://www.andywilliamsonline.tk Fan Site]
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/content/articles/2007/02/14/andy_williams_interview_feature.shtml BBC Radio Nottingham Interview]
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/content/articles/2007/02/14/andy_williams_interview_feature.shtml BBC Radio Nottingham Interview]


==References==
==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Reflist}}
* {{IMDb name}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120928233922/http://www.andywilliamstheatre.com/#!andy/c24w0 Profile at Andy Williams Theatre]
* {{The Interviews name}}
{{Andy Williams}}


{{Authority control}}
{{Great American Songbook}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Andy}}
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[[Category:1927 births]]
[[Category:1927 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
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[[Category:20th-century American male singers]]
[[Category:American pop singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:California musicians]]
[[Category:American art collectors]]
[[Category:Hollywood Walk of Fame]]
[[Category:American ballad musicians]]
[[Category:People from Cincinnati]]
[[Category:American crooners]]
[[Category:People from Iowa]]
[[Category:American male pop singers]]
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[[Category:American military personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:American Presbyterians]]
[[Category:American sailors]]
[[Category:American television hosts]]
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Latest revision as of 03:06, 17 November 2024

Andy Williams
Williams in 1966
Williams in 1966
Background information
Birth nameHoward Andrew Williams
Born(1927-12-03)December 3, 1927
Wall Lake, Iowa, U.S.
Died September 25, 2012(2012-09-25) (aged 84)
Branson, Missouri, U.S.
GenresTraditional pop, easy listening
OccupationSinger
Years active1938–2012
Labels
Formerly ofThe Williams Brothers
Spouses
(m. 1961; div. 1975)
Debbie Haas
(m. 1991)
Websiteandywilliams.com

Howard Andrew Williams (December 3, 1927 – September 25, 2012) was an American singer. He recorded 43 albums in his career, of which 15 have been gold certified[1] and three platinum certified.[2] He was also nominated for six Grammy Awards. He hosted the Andy Williams Show, a television variety show, from 1962 to 1971, along with numerous TV specials. The Andy Williams Show won three Emmy Awards. He sold more than 45 million records worldwide, including more than 10 million certified units in the United States.[3][4]

Williams was active in the music industry for over 70 years until his death in September 2012 from bladder cancer, at the age of 84.

Early life and education

[edit]

Williams was born in Wall Lake, Iowa on December 3 1927,[5] to Florence (née Finley) and Jay Emerson Williams, who worked in insurance and the post office.[6] While living in Cheviot, Ohio, Williams attended Western Hills High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. He finished high school at University High School, in West Los Angeles, because of his family's move to California. At 17, Williams joined the United States Merchant Marine and served until the end of World War II.[7][8][9]

Career

[edit]

1938–1952: Early career

[edit]

Williams had three older brothers—Bob, Don, and Dick Williams. His first performance was in a children's choir at the local Presbyterian church.[5] His brothers and he formed the Williams Brothers quartet[5] in late 1938, and they performed on radio in the Midwest, first at WHO in Des Moines, Iowa, and later at WLS in Chicago, and WLW in Cincinnati.

Moving to Los Angeles in 1943, the Williams Brothers sang with Bing Crosby on his 1944 hit record "Swinging on a Star". They appeared in four musical films: Janie (1944), Kansas City Kitty (1944), Something in the Wind (1947), and Ladies' Man (1947).

A persistent myth alleges that as a teenager, the future singing star dubbed the singing for Lauren Bacall's character in the 1944 feature film To Have and Have Not. According to authoritative sources, including Howard Hawks and Bacall herself, this was not true. Williams and some female singers were tested to dub for Bacall because of fears that she lacked the necessary vocal skills, but those fears were overshadowed by the desire to have Bacall do her own singing despite her imperfect vocal talent.[10]

The Williams Brothers were signed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) to appear in Anchors Aweigh and Ziegfeld Follies (1945), but before they went before the cameras the oldest brother, Bob, was drafted into military service and the group's contract was cancelled. Kay Thompson, a former radio star who was now head of the vocal department at MGM, had a nose for talent and hired the remaining three Williams brothers to sing in her large choir on many soundtracks for MGM films, including The Harvey Girls (1946). When Bob completed his military service, Kay hired all four brothers to sing on the soundtrack to Good News (1947).

By then, Thompson was tired of working behind the scenes at MGM, so with the four Williams boys as her backup singers and dancers, she formed a nightclub act, Kay Thompson and the Williams Brothers. They made their debut in Las Vegas in 1947 and became an overnight sensation. Within a year, they were the highest-paid nightclub act in the world, breaking records wherever they appeared.

Williams revealed in his memoir Moon River and Me that Thompson and he became romantically involved while on tour despite the age difference (he was 19 and she was 38). The act broke up in 1949, but reunited for another hugely successful tour from the fall of 1951 through the summer of 1953. After that, the four brothers went their separate ways. A complete itinerary of both tours is listed on the Kay Thompson biography website.[11]

Williams and Thompson, however, remained very close, both personally and professionally. She mentored his emergence as a solo singing star. She coached him, wrote his arrangements, and composed many songs that he recorded, including his 1958 top-20 hit "Promise Me, Love", and later, "Kay Thompson's Jingle Bells" on his 1964 number-one The Andy Williams Christmas Album. Using her contacts in the business, Thompson helped Williams land his breakthrough television gig as a featured singer for two and a half years on Tonight Starring Steve Allen; it helped that the producer of the series, Bill Harbach, was Kay's former aide-de-camp. Thompson also got Williams his breakthrough recording contract with Cadence Records, whose owner, Archie Bleyer, had gotten early career breaks because of Kay and owed her a favor. Meanwhile, Williams sang backup on many of Thompson's recordings through the 1950s, including her top-40 hit "Eloise", based on her bestselling books about the mischievous little girl who lives at the Plaza Hotel in New York.

Williams in a publicity photo, 1960

Thompson also served as a creative consultant and vocal arranger on Williams's three summer-replacement network television series in 1957, 1958, and 1959. In the summer of 1961, Thompson traveled with Williams and coached him throughout his starring role in a summer stock tour of the musical Pal Joey. Their personal and professional relationship finally ended in 1962, after Williams met and married Claudine Longet, and Thompson moved to Rome.

1953–1961: Cadence years

[edit]

Williams's solo career began in 1953.[5] He recorded six sides for RCA Victor's label "X", but none was a popular hit.[12]

After landing a spot as a regular on the Tonight Starring Steve Allen in 1954,[2] Williams was signed to a recording contract with Cadence Records, a small label in New York, run by conductor Archie Bleyer. Williams's third single, "Canadian Sunset", reached number seven in the top 10 in August 1956; it was followed in February 1957 by his only Billboard number-one hit, "Butterfly", a cover of a Charlie Gracie record. "Butterfly" was also number one for two weeks on the UK Singles Chart in May 1957. More hit records followed, including "Hawaiian Wedding Song" (US number 11), "Are You Sincere?" (US number three in February 1958), "The Village of St. Bernadette" (US number seven in December 1959), "Lonely Street" (US number five in September 1959), and "I Like Your Kind of Love" with Peggy Powers (US number eight in May 1957).

1962–1980: The Columbia years

[edit]
Williams in 1963

On December 15, 1961, Williams married Claudine Longet and signed with Columbia Records. His first album with Columbia, Danny Boy and Other Songs I Love to Sing, was a chart success, peaking at number 19. He was then asked to sing "Moon River", the theme from Breakfast at Tiffany's, at the 1962 Academy Awards, where it won Best Original Song.[13] Archie Bleyer at Cadence had previously told Williams that "Moon River" would not be a hit,[14] but the Columbia producers encouraged Williams to record the song along with 11 other movie themes for an album. After Williams performed the song at the awards show, it became a hit. Moon River and Other Great Movie Themes then sold across the country, garnering critical acclaim and propelling Williams into stardom. The album remained on the charts for the next three years and peaked at number three. In 1963, Williams's producer, Robert Mersey, encouraged him to record "Can't Get Used to Losing You" as the B-side to "Days of Wine and Roses". Williams initially did not like the pop song, preferring the Mancini tune, but "Can't Get Used to Losing You" reached number two in the US and UK.[15] The album containing both songs, Days of Wine and Roses and Other TV Requests, topped the album charts at number one for 16 weeks.

From 1962 to 1972, Williams was one of the most popular vocalists in the country and was signed to what was at that time the biggest recording contract in history.[16] He was primarily an album artist, and at one time, he had recorded more gold albums than any solo performer except Frank Sinatra, Johnny Mathis, and Elvis Presley. By 1973, he had earned as many as 17 gold-album awards. Among his hit albums from this period were The Andy Williams Christmas Album, Dear Heart, The Shadow of Your Smile, Love, Andy, Happy Heart, Get Together with Andy Williams, Love Story, and Love Theme from the Godfather. These recordings, along with his natural affinity for the music of the 1960s and early 1970s, combined to make him one of the premier easy-listening singers of that era.

In the UK, Williams continued to reach high chart status until 1978. The albums Dear Heart (1965), Love Andy (1967), Can't Help Falling in Love (1970), Andy Williams Show (1970), Home Lovin' Man (number one, 1971), Solitaire (1973), The Way We Were (1974), and Reflections (1978) all reached the top 10.

Williams forged an indirect collaborative relationship with Henry Mancini, although they never recorded together. Both "Moon River" and "Days of Wine and Roses" were written by Mancini, with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. Williams sang Mancini's "Dear Heart" at the 1965 Academy Awards and "The Sweetheart Tree" (also written with Mercer) at the 1966 Awards.

On August 5, 1966, the 14-story, 700-room Caesars Palace casino and nightclub opened in Las Vegas, Nevada, with the stage production of "Rome Swings", in which Williams starred. He performed to a sold-out crowd in the Circus Maximus showroom. He headlined for Caesars for the next 20 years.

On September 17, 1968, Columbia released a single of two songs Williams sang at the funeral of his close friend Robert F. Kennedy: "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" and Franz Schubert's "Ave Maria". These were never released on a long-playing record, but have appeared in several compilations of Williams's output.

Williams in 1966

Williams also competed in the teen-oriented singles market and had several charting hits, including "Can't Get Used to Losing You", "Happy Heart", and "Where Do I Begin", the theme song from the 1970 blockbuster film Love Story. In addition, Williams hit the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart with "Almost There" (1964), "Can't Help Falling in Love" (1970), "Home Lovin' Man" (1970), and "Solitaire" (1973).

Williams and Petula Clark recorded "Happy Heart" around the same time, just before his guest appearance on her second NBC-TV special. Unaware that she was releasing the song as a single, he asked to perform it on the show. The exposure ultimately led to his having the bigger hit with the song. The song "Happy Heart" was used for the final scene and end credits of Danny Boyle's award-winning directorial debut film Shallow Grave (1994).

1962–1971: The Andy Williams Show

[edit]
Williams in 1969

Building on his experience with Allen and some short-term variety shows in the 1950s, he became the star of his own weekly television variety show in the fall of 1962. Though cancelled after 1963 owing to low ratings, the show was then sponsored to make 12 weekly specials in the 1963–64 season. This series, The Andy Williams Show, won three Emmy Awards for outstanding variety program. Among his series regulars were the Osmond Brothers. He gave up the variety show in 1971 while it was still popular, continuing with three specials per year. His Christmas specials, which appeared regularly until 1974 and intermittently from 1982 into the 1990s, were among the most popular of the genre.[17] Williams recorded eight Christmas albums over the years, and was known as "Mr. Christmas",[17] due to his perennial Christmas specials and the success of "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year".

Williams hosted the most Grammy telecasts—seven consecutive shows—from the 13th Annual Grammy Awards in 1971 through to the 19th Awards in 1977. He returned to television with a syndicated half-hour series in 1976–77.

In the early 1970s, when the Nixon administration attempted to deport John Lennon, Williams was an outspoken defender of the former Beatle's right to stay in the United States.[18] Williams is included in the montage of caricatures on the cover of Ringo Starr's 1973 album, Ringo.

Williams performed during the halftime show of Super Bowl VII in January 1973, held at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.[19][20]

1991–2012: At Moon River Theatre

[edit]

In June 1991, Williams' brother Don invited him to the small Ozarks town of Branson, Missouri. Don Williams at the time was the manager for entertainer Ray Stevens, who had just opened a theater in Branson. While attending Stevens' show, Williams was encouraged by numerous Branson guests to open a venue in the town.[21] This led Williams to build his own theater in Branson in time for the 1992 season,[22] eventually opening on May 1, 1992, as the Moon River Theatre.[23] The name came from his signature song. It went on to become the first theater ever to be featured in Architectural Digest, and also won the 1992 Conservation Award from the State of Missouri.[23]

The theater was designed to blend with the rough terrain of the Ozark Mountains.[24] He had originally planned a marble style theater reminiscent of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, but soon had a change of mind. The Larson Company of Tucson, Arizona, fabricated a section of rock on Missouri's Highway 76 and the theater was soon engulfed with waterfalls, koi-filled ponds, ferns and trees native to the Ozarks. The inside of the theater incorporates the outside. Trees and plants are seen throughout the theater's three lobbies. Oak floors are accompanied by African ribbon-striped mahogany walls that are filled with pictures of the Andy Williams Show. Williams' passion for art can be seen throughout as well. From the start of his career, Williams had accumulated several paintings and sculptures and decided to fill his theater with his collection. Frankenthaler, Diebenkorn, Oldenburg, Pollock, Klee, and Moore are a small list of artists whose work is on display at the Moon River Theatre.[23]

The theater's auditorium can accommodate 2,054 people. The seats and carpets match Williams' Navajo rug collection and are forest green, magenta, gold, and blue. On display inside the auditorium are 19 Japanese kimonos. The stage has accommodated numerous shows and guest celebrities. On stage, Williams was joined by Glen Campbell, Ann-Margret, Petula Clark, and Charo.

When it first opened, it was unique because his was the first noncountry act to open in the then mostly country-music town. Other noncountry entertainers, such as Bobby Vinton, Tony Orlando, Wayne Newton, and the Osmond Brothers soon followed.[25]

Williams and his theater were featured on three episodes of the soap opera As the World Turns in July 2007, when several characters went to Branson for a concert of "Gwen Munson" held in the Moon River Theatre. The Simpsons featured Williams at his Moon River Theatre in an episode titled "Bart on the Road". Nelson Muntz is an Andy Williams fan, and in the episode, he forces the gang to make a detour to Branson so he could see his idol. He is reduced to tears as Williams performs "Moon River" during the second encore.[citation needed]

In 2007, Williams opened the Moon River Grill adjacent to his theater in Branson. The restaurant is decorated in photos from the Andy Williams Show with stars including Diana Ross, Elton John, and Sammy Davis Jr. Art is center stage in the restaurant, with works by several artists including Andy Warhol and Robert Indiana.[26]

In 1995, We Need a Little Christmas became Williams's 18th gold album.

His 1967 recording of "Music to Watch Girls By" became a UK hit to a new young television audience in 1999, when it reached number 9 after being featured in new television advertisements for the Fiat Punto—and later for Diet Pepsi—beating the original peak of number 33 in 1967. A new generation was reminded of Williams' recordings and a sell-out UK tour followed the success of the single, prompting a British revival for Williams. In 2002, he re-recorded "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" as a duet with British actress and singer Denise van Outen; it reached number 23 in the UK singles charts. He completed a sold-out tour of the United Kingdom and Asia in the winter and summer of 2007, in which he performed at several major concert halls including the Royal Albert Hall.

Williams returned to the UK singles charts with his 1963 recording of "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" in December 2007, due to an advertisement for Marks & Spencer, reaching number 21 in its first appearance in the British charts. In 2008, he lip-synched the 45-year-old recording to welcome Santa at the end of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.[citation needed]

On October 3, 2009, Williams appeared live on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing[27] in London, singing "Moon River" to promote the UK edition of The Very Best of Andy Williams LP, which peaked at number 10 in the main pop chart.

Business ventures

[edit]

In 1964, Williams ultimately became the owner of the Cadence master tapes, which he occasionally licensed to Columbia, including not only his own recordings but also those of his fellow Cadence-era labelmates: the Everly Brothers, Lenny Welch, the Chordettes, Link Wray and Johnny Tillotson. In 1968, although he was still under contract with Columbia for his own recordings, Williams formed a separate company called Barnaby Records to handle reissuing of the Cadence material, especially that of the Everly Brothers (one of the first Barnaby LPs was a double LP set of the Brothers' long out-of-print Cadence hits) and new artists. Barnaby also had several top-40 hits in the 1970s with novelty artist Ray Stevens (who had done a summer replacement show for Williams in 1970), including number-one hits such as "Everything Is Beautiful" in 1970 and "The Streak" in 1974. Also in 1970, Barnaby signed and released the first album by an unknown singer-songwriter named Jimmy Buffett (Down to Earth) produced by Travis Turk.

Columbia was initially the distributor for Barnaby, but later distribution was handled first by MGM Records and then General Recorded Tape. Once Barnaby ceased operating as a working record company at the end of the 1970s, Williams licensed the old Cadence material to various other labels (such as Varèse Sarabande and Rhino in the U.S.) after 1980.

Politics

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Williams was close friends with Robert F. Kennedy and his wife, Ethel Kennedy, and campaigned for Kennedy in the 1968 Democratic presidential primary races. Williams was among the celebrities who were in Kennedy's entourage in the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles when Kennedy was shot and mortally wounded by Sirhan Sirhan in June 1968.[28] Williams sang "Battle Hymn of the Republic" at RFK's funeral, at Ethel's request. In August 1969, Williams and Claudine Longet named their newborn son Bobby, after Kennedy. The Williams' friendship with Ethel Kennedy endured, with Williams serving as escort to Ethel at events in the 1970s. He also raised funds for George McGovern's 1972 presidential campaign, performing at benefit concerts.[29]

Williams later said that despite his friendship with the Democratic Kennedys, he was a lifelong Republican.[30] In 2009, he was quoted by The Daily Telegraph as accusing President Barack Obama of "following Marxist theory" and "wanting the country to fail".[31][32] Williams gave Rush Limbaugh permission to use his recording of the song "Born Free" as the theme to the "Animal Rights Update" on Limbaugh's radio show—in which a portion of the song was then followed by gunfire—saying "Hey, it's fine with me. I love what you're doing with it." The record company later blocked Limbaugh's use of the recording.[33] Williams was a guest on the Glenn Beck Radio Program in December 2009, introduced by his own 1960s recording of "Little Altar Boy".

Personal life

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Williams with wife Claudine Longet in 1972

Williams met French-born Claudine Longet in Las Vegas when her car broke down and he offered help. She was a dancer at the time at the Folies Bergère. They married on December 15, 1961, and over the next eight years, they had three children—Noelle, Christian (died 2019),[34] and Robert.[35] After separating in 1970,[36] Williams and Longet divorced in 1975, but they remained friends.[37] In March 1976, Longet was charged with fatally shooting her boyfriend, alpine ski racer Spider Sabich, in Aspen. Williams played a public role in the subsequent events, escorting her to and from the courtroom, testifying to her character at the trial, and providing legal assistance.[38] Longet claimed the shooting was accidental and eventually served 30 days in jail.

Williams also had partial ownership of the Phoenix Suns NBA team from the team's inception in 1968 until 1987.[citation needed]

On May 3, 1991, Williams married Debbie Haas, née Meyer, whom he met through a mutual friend. They made their homes at Branson, Missouri, and La Quinta, California, where he was known as the "honorary mayor".[17] Williams was a noted collector of modern art and his homes have been featured in Architectural Digest.[39]

Williams' birthplace in Iowa is a tourist attraction and is open most of the year.[40][41]

Hobbies

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Williams was an avid golfer and hosted a PGA Tour golf tournament in San Diego from 1968 to 1988 at Torrey Pines. Then known as the "Andy Williams San Diego Open", the tournament continues as the Farmers Insurance Open, usually played in February. He was also a competent ice skater and occasionally skated as part of his television Christmas shows.[42]

Williams at the Bob Hope Classic golf tournament, 1986

Williams was a noted art collector whose collection had hung in his homes, his offices, and in the Moon River Theatre, and was exhibited at the Saint Louis Art Museum in 1997 and 1998.[43] After his death, his collection was split among several auction houses. His paintings went to Christie's New York, where they fetched over $50 million.[44] His folk art collection was sold at Skinner for $2,471,725.[45] His collection of Navajo blankets was sold by Sotheby's on May 21, 2013, yielding $978,506 (£642,064).[46][43]

Illness and death

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In a surprise appearance at his theater in November 2011, Williams announced that he had been diagnosed with bladder cancer.[47] After chemotherapy treatment in Houston, he and his wife moved to a rented home in Malibu, California, to be closer to cancer specialists in the Los Angeles area.[35][48]

On September 25, 2012, Williams died of bladder cancer at the age of 84 at his home in Branson, Missouri.[49][50][51][52] Williams' body was cremated, and his ashes were sprinkled into the artificial waterway named Moon River at his theater in Branson.[2] The memorial service for Williams was held a month later.[53][54][55]

Awards and achievements

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The Andy Williams Show won three Emmy Awards in 1963, 1966, and 1967 for Outstanding Variety Series.[56][57]

Andy Williams also earned six Grammy nominations:[58][59]

Year Nominated work Category Result
1959 "Hawaiian Wedding Song" Vocal Performance, Male Nominated
1962 "Danny Boy" Nominated
1964 Days of Wine and Roses and Other TV Requests Album of the Year Nominated
"Days of Wine and Roses" Vocal Performance, Male Nominated
1965 The Academy Award-Winning "Call Me Irresponsible" and Other Hit Songs from the Movies Nominated
1967 The Shadow of Your Smile Nominated

Other honors include:

Discography

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Andy Williams' extensive discography began with the release of the 1948 single "Jubilee" as a member of the Williams Brothers alongside Kay Thompson. He recorded his first solo album, Andy Williams Sings Steve Allen, eight years later, and remained active in the music industry for the next 56 years, completing 43 studio albums, alongside compilation albums and more.

Studio albums

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Filmography

[edit]

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Williams, Andy (2009). Moon River & Me. Viking. ISBN 978-0-670-02117-8.

References

[edit]

Notes

  1. ^ "Gold & Platinum: Andy Williams". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 22, 2016.
  2. ^ a b c "Andy Williams (I)". IMDb. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  3. ^ "Top Artist(Albums)". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  4. ^ Laing, Dave (September 26, 2012). "Andy Williams obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  5. ^ a b c d "Andy Williams". TV.com. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved April 30, 2012.
  6. ^ "Andy Williams - September 25, 2012 - Obituary - Tributes.com". Wral.tributes.com.
  7. ^ Andy Williams obituary; Popular crooner who sold more than 100m albums in a career that spanned eight decades The Guardian. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  8. ^ Andy Williams dies at 84; ‘Moon River’ singer Los Angeles Times via Internet Archive. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  9. ^ CNN LARRY KING WEEKEND: The Best of Interviews With Andy Williams CNN via Internet Archive. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  10. ^ McBride, Joseph. Hawks on Hawks. Berkeley, University of California Press, 1982. p. 130.
  11. ^ "Kay Thompson Website". Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  12. ^ "Andy Williams – Celebrity information". Mysticgames.com. Retrieved April 30, 2012.
  13. ^ McLellan, Dennis (September 27, 2012). "Andy Williams dies at 84". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  14. ^ Corliss, Richard (September 26, 2012). "Andy Williams: A Farewell Song for the "Moon River" Man". Time. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
  15. ^ Halberstadt, Alex (April 1, 2009). Lonely Avenue: The Unlikely Life and Times of Doc Pomus. Da Capo Press. ISBN 9780306815645. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  16. ^ Williams, Andy (October 13, 2009). Moon River and Me: A Memoir. Viking Adult. ISBN 978-0-670-02117-8.
  17. ^ a b c Munson, Kyle (December 25, 2009). "Iowa's own Andy Williams is "Mr. Christmas" to the nation". Des Moines Register. reprinted in Register blog September 26, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2012.[dead link]
  18. ^ Parker, Suzi (September 26, 2012). "Andy Williams crossed generational and political lines in his long career". Washington Post. The Washington Post. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  19. ^ "Colorful Halftime For Super Bowl VII". The Tennessean. Nashville, Tennessee. Associated Press. January 15, 1973. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  20. ^ "Super Bowl VII Halftime in 1973 featuring Andy Williams!". YouTube. January 28, 2012. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
  21. ^ Kroll, Barb & Ron. "Andy Williams Moon River Theatre in Branson Missouri". krolltravel.com. Retrieved April 22, 2012.
  22. ^ "CNN Transcript – Larry King Live: Andy Williams Discusses His Return to Singing – August 22, 2000". Transcripts.cnn.com. August 22, 2000. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  23. ^ a b c "Andy Williams Biography". songwritershalloffame.org. Archived from the original on April 8, 2008.
  24. ^ "Andy Williams Moon River Theater in Branson, MO". Vacations Made Easy. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  25. ^ "CNN Transcript – Larry King Live: Andy Williams Discusses His Return to Singing". Transcripts.cnn.com. August 22, 2000. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  26. ^ "Andy Williams Moon River Theatre". AndyWilliams.com. Archived from the original on August 25, 2010. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  27. ^ "Strictly Come Dancing TV Appearance". Sony Music. Archived from the original on October 3, 2009. Retrieved October 3, 2009.
  28. ^ McLellan, Dennis (September 27, 2012). "Andy Williams, 'Moon River' singer, dies at 84". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 27, 2012. Retrieved October 22, 2012.
  29. ^ McGovern, George S., Grassroots: The Autobiography of George McGovern, New York: Random House, 1977, p. 173
  30. ^ Romano, Lois (August 8, 2005). "Branson, Mo., Looks Beyond RVs and Buffets". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 19, 2009.
  31. ^ "Andy Williams accuses Barack Obama of following Marxist theory". The Daily Telegraph. London. September 28, 2009. Archived from the original on October 1, 2009. Retrieved April 25, 2010.
  32. ^ Hall, Katy (September 29, 2009). "Andy Williams: Obama Wants The Country To Fail". Huffington Post.
  33. ^ [1] Archived October 2, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  34. ^ "Christian Jay Williams". Aspen Daily News. August 6, 2019. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  35. ^ a b Parker, Mike (July 15, 2012). "Don't be sad, just remember the way we were, dying Andy Williams tells family". The Daily Express. London.
  36. ^ "Andy Williams to Separate", Washington Post, June 9, 1970, B6.
  37. ^ Larry King Live (2000). "Transcript of Interview with Andy Williams, 22 August 2000". CNN. Retrieved June 5, 2008.
  38. ^ "Andy Williams dies aged 84". The Daily Telegraph. London. September 26, 2012. Archived from the original on January 11, 2022. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
  39. ^ Ratcliff, C. "Architectural Digest visits Andy Williams". Architectural Digest (July 1987): 40.
  40. ^ "Andy Williams Birthplace – Wall Lake, IA - Childhood Homes on Waymarking.com". Waymarking.com. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
  41. ^ "Andy Williams Birthplace – Wall Lake, Iowa — Iowa Tourism". Iowabeautiful.com. Archived from the original on December 14, 2018. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
  42. ^ Andy Williams Christmas Show (TV production). 1967.
  43. ^ a b Douglass, Lynn (January 7, 2013). "Singer Andy Williams' Navajo Blanket Collection Will Go Up For Sale, Rare Chief's Blanket Is The Star". Forbes.
  44. ^ "Andy Williams Art Collection Sells For $46 Million". Kxrb.com. May 18, 2013. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  45. ^ "Andy Williams Folk Art Collection | Skinner Auction Results". Skinnerinc.com. March 14, 2013. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  46. ^ "Sotheby's Sale Results: New York: Sale N08984 The Andy Williams Collection Of Navajo Blankets" (PDF). Sothebys.com. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  47. ^ Francke, Tyler (October 21, 2012). "Andy Williams confirms cancer diagnosis". Branson Tri-Lakes News. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  48. ^ Michaels, Sean (November 7, 2011). "Andy Williams tells audience he has bladder cancer". Theguardian.com.
  49. ^ "Andy Williams, Moon River singer, dies aged 84". BBC News. September 26, 2012. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
  50. ^ Gates, Anita (September 26, 2012). "Andy Williams, Crooner of 'Moon River,' Dies at 84". The New York Times. Retrieved July 13, 2014.
  51. ^ Silverman, Stephen M. (September 26, 2012). "Andy Williams, 'Moon River' Singer, Dies at 84". People. Retrieved September 26, 2012.
  52. ^ Thomas, Bob; Salter, Jim (September 26, 2012). "'Moon River' Crooner Andy Williams Dies at Age 84". Associated Press. Retrieved May 10, 2015.
  53. ^ "Andy Williams memorial service is "Celebration of Life" - Branson, MO". Branson.com. Archived from the original on September 16, 2016. Retrieved August 23, 2016.
  54. ^ "Andy Williams Obituary on Legacy.com". Legacy.com. September 26, 2012.
  55. ^ "Stars gather for Andy Williams". BBC News. October 22, 2012.
  56. ^ "The Andy Williams Show". IMDb.
  57. ^ Hyatt, Wesley (February 21, 2006). Emmy Award Winning Nighttime Television Shows, 1948-2004. McFarland. ISBN 9780786423293 – via Google Books.
  58. ^ "Andy Williams, 1927–2012". Grammy.com. September 26, 2012.
  59. ^ "Andy Williams | Artist". www.grammy.com. Recording Academy. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
  60. ^ "Society of Singers: ELLA honorees". February 12, 2011. Archived from the original on August 1, 2016. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
  61. ^ "Andy Williams - Hollywood Star Walk". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 30, 2018.

Sources

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