JOE WILLIAMS (JAZZ SINGER)

'Joe Williams' (December 12, 1918–March 29, 1999) was a well-known jazz singer.
He was born 'Joseph Goreed' in Cordele, Georgia and moved to Chicago as a child. He was raised by his mother and grandmother. He grew on the south side of Chicago, surrounded by jazz, blues, and gospel music. In the 1930s, as a teenager, he was a member of "The Jubilee Boys" and performed in Chicago churches.
He worked as a singer and bouncer in Chicago in the late 1930s and early 1940s. In 1943, he was hired by the Lionel Hampton Orchestra. He toured with Hampton for several years but never achieved breakthrough success.
He rose to national prominence as the singer for Count Basie's Orchestra in 1954. He remained with Basie for several years. "Everyday I have the Blues" is his biggest hit.
After leaving the Basie band, Williams continued to have a successful career working with his own jazz combo. He and Basie remained on good terms and he would regularly appear with the band.
Williams gained further notoriety when Bill Cosby cast him as Heathcliff Huxtable's father-in-law "Grandpa Al" Hanks in a recurring role on the hit 1980s sitcom ''The Cosby Show''.
Williams enjoyed a successful career and worked regularly until his death. He died at age 80, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Joe Williams shares a birthday with Frank Sinatra who was also born Dec. 12, three years before Williams

Contents

Partial discography

Partial discography

'Verve Records'

★ 1956 ''Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings''

★ 1957 ''One O'Clock Jump''

★ 1958 ''A Man Ain't Supposed to Cry''

★ 1963 ''Jump for Joy''

★ 1964 ''Me and the Blues''

★ 1966 ''Presenting Joe Williams and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra''

★ 1973 ''Joe Williams Live''

★ 1985 ''I Just Wanna Sing''

★ 1993 ''Live at Orchestra Hall, Detroit''

★ 1993 ''

★ 1997 ''

★ 1998 ''One for My Baby''

★ 1999 ''Ultimate Joe Williams''

★ 2001 ''The Heart and Soul of Joe Williams and George Shearing''

★ 2002 ''The Definitive Joe Williams''
'Delos Records'

★ 1984 ''Nothin' but the Blues''