Andy Williams
Singer
Andy Williams was one of the defining voices of American easy listening - a smooth, warm baritone that carried Moon River into the world's living rooms and stayed there for half a century. Born Howard Andrew Williams on 3 December 1927 in Wall Lake, Iowa, to Florence and Jay Emerson Williams, he began performing as a boy alongside his three brothers in a barbershop-style vocal group before striking out on a hugely successful solo career.
His signature recording of Moon River, from 1962, became so identified with him that he named his production company, his Branson, Missouri theatre venue, and his 2009 autobiography all after the song, and opened all 265 episodes of his long-running variety programme, The Andy Williams Show (1962-1971), with it. He recorded dozens of albums and had numerous chart hits, including Can't Get Used to Losing You, Days of Wine and Roses and Happy Heart.
Like several major American stars, Williams has long been claimed by fans and family lore as having Welsh heritage - a connection this site has featured for many years as the reason behind his exceptional singing voice, though it is not something documented in his mainstream biographies. He died on 25 September 2012, aged 84, at his home in Branson.
