December 3: Pop singer Andy Williams - "Moon River" - was born on this date in 1927 ...

... he died on September 25, 2012 at the age of 84 after a log battle with bladder cancer.

Howard Andrew "Andy" Williams was born in Wall Lake, Iowa in 1927. During his long illustrious career, Andy has earned 18 Gold and three Platinum certified albums.

He had his own TV variety show from 1962–71 in which he performed with - among others - Michael Jackson, Bobby Darin, Ray Charles, Elton John, Ella Fitzgerald, Simon & Garfunkel, Mama Cass, Shirley Bassey, Bing Crosby, The Osmonds, Dusty Springfield, Perry Como, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, The Carpenters, Jack Benny, Bette Davis, Dean Martin, Bob Hope, Ronald Reagan and many other superstars. He also owns his own theater, the Moon River Theatre in Branson, Missouri.

 

Williams and his three older brothers Bob, Don, and Dick formed the Williams Brothers quartet in the late 1930s, 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. The Williams Brothers appeared with Bing Crosby on the hit record "Swinging on a Star" in 1944. This led to a nightclub act with entertainer Kay Thompson from 1947 to 1951.

 

(Continued below video and CDs...)

HIGHLY Recommended (Press album covers for direct links to Amazon):

Williams' solo career began in 1953. He recorded six sides for RCA Victor's label "X," but none of them were hits. After finally landing a spot as a regular on Steve Allen's Tonight Show in 1954,he was signed to a recording contract with Cadence Records, a small label in New York.

His third single, "Canadian Sunset" reached #7 in the Top Ten in August 1956, and was soon followed by his only Billboard #1 hit, "Butterfly"  in February 1957.

More hits followed, including "The Hawaiian Wedding Song," "Are You Sincere," "The Village of St. Bernadette," "Lonely Street," and "I Like Your Kind Of Love" with Peggy Powers. Williams moved to Columbia Records in 1961, and scored another hit with "Can't Get Used to Losing You" which peaked at #2 in the U.S.

####