Concert: Andy Williams

Keywords

Andy Williams Concert Schedule

Chicago Gigs

Andy Williams

Album

Songs

Video

Music

Background:
What makes Andy Williams an icon of sorts is his musical career across seven decades that saw countless genres of music come and go but still held his own. The charmer kept delivering hits like ''Swinging on a star'' in 1944, ''Canadian Sunset'' in 1956, ''Cant get used to loosing you'' in 1962, ''Solitaire'' in 1973 and countless other hits in the 90's after a brief sabbatical in the 80's. How is that for an introduction! Add to that five Grammy nominations, an Academy award (For ''Moon River''), and 18 gold and 13 platinum certified albums. That makes him more than a treat!
Andy Williams made his debut at 8 alonwith his three brothers as part of William Brothers Quartet. The brothers started singing on radio until they met Bing Crosby and delivered ''Swinging on a star''.

The brothers parted ways in 1951. Andie turned to television and performed on Steve Allen's ''Tonight Show'' among others like CBS and NBC. During the 50's he also returned to the nightclub circuit where he had earlier performed with his brothers. In the meantime, he had delivered ''Canadia Sunset'', his first Top Ten hit, and the ''Hawaii Wedding Song'' for which he received the first of his five Grammy Award Nominations.
The year of 1962 was the turning point in his career when he began his 28 year association with Columbia Records. The high point being the ''Moon River'', the Oscar winning song from the movie Breakfast At Tiffany's. The 60's were the best days of his career during which he gave us ''Days of Wine and Roses'', ''Dear Heart'', ''Love Story'' , ''Get Together with Andie Williams'' and signed what was then the biggest contract in history.

It was in the 60's again when he launched ''The Andie Williams Show'' that propelled him into stardom. The show lasted for nine years and won three Emmy awards for Best Musical/Variety series. The show eventually ended in 1972 when he was a international superstar.

In the 70's he begun his schedule of world tours the broke records wherever he went. In 1991, he gave up on touring to open his own theatre, Andy Williams Moon River Theatre in Missouri.

Discography:

Cadence Records

Andy Williams, 1957 (compilation of A and B sides of second through seventh Cadence singles)
Andy Williams Sings Steve Allen, 1959
Andy Williams Sings Rodgers and Hammerstein, 1959
Two Time Winners, 1959
To You, Sweetheart, Aloha, 1959
Lonely Street, 1959
The Village of St. Bernadette, 1960
Under Paris Skies, with Quincy Jones, 1961 (William's Last Album of New Material for Cadence)
Andy Williams' Best, 1961 (compilation including Cadence singles which had never appeared on an album)
Million Seller Songs, 1962

Columbia Records

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, 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)
Hawaiian 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 US until 2004)

Other labels

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

Compilations of interest to collectors
16 Most Requested Songs, Columbia/Legacy, 1986
The Best of the Cadence Years, Varese Sarabande, 1997
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)

Filmography

Janie (1944)
Kansas City Kitty (1944)
Ladies' Man (1947)
Something in the Wind (1947)
I'd Rather Be Rich (1964)
Dorival Caymmi (1999) (documentary)