More Info on Larry WilliamsSimilar Undetermined MusicSearch Artistopia
Biography
other peopleInfobox musical artist | name = Larry Williams| image = Larry Williams.jpg| caption =| image_size =| background = solo_singer| birth_name = Lawrence Eugene Williams| alias =| birth_date = birth date|1935|05|10|mf=y|birth_place = New Orleans , Louisiana , United States| death_date = death date and age|1980|01|07|1935|05|10|death_place =Los Angeles, California Interment Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood California.| origin = New Orleans| instrument = Human voice|Vocals , piano | genre = Rock and roll Rhythm and blues Funk Soul music|Soul | occupation = Singer, songwriter, pianist , record producer|producer | years_active = 1954–1979| label = Specialty Records|Specialty , Okeh Records|Okeh | associated_acts =| website =| notable_instruments = Piano Larry Williams (May 10, 1935 – January 7, 1980cite web |first= |last= |url=Allmusic|class=artist|id=p5831/biography|pure_url=yes |title=Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine |publisher=Allmusic.com |accessdate=16 December 2008) was an American rhythm and blues and rock and roll singer, songwriter, producer, and pianist from New Orleans, Louisiana . Williams is best known for writing and sound recording and reproduction|recording some rock and roll classics from 1957 to 1959 for Specialty Records , including " Bony Moronie ", " Short Fat Fannie ", " High School Dance " (1957), " Slow Down (Larry Williams song)|Slow Down ", " Dizzy Miss Lizzy " (1958), " Bad Boy (Larry Williams song)|Bad Boy " and " She Said Yeah " (1959), which were later covered by British Invasion groups and other artists.cite web|last=Thomas |first=Stephen |url= http://www.allmusic.com/artist/larry-williams-p5831 |title=Larry Williams |publisher=AllMusic |date= |accessdate=2012-04-01 John Lennon , in particular, was a fan of Williams, recording several of his songs over the course of his career. "Bony Moronie" is listed as one of the Top 500 songs that shaped Rock and Roll. http://www.rockhall.com/exhibithighlights/500-songs-wz/ Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Top 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll.
Williams lived a life mixed with tremendous success and violence-fueled drug addiction. He was a long-time friend of Little Richard .Charles A. White, The Life and Times of Little Richard: The Authorized Biography, Omnibus Press, 2003, page 186
Career
As a child in New Orleans, Williams learned how to play piano . When he was a adolescence|teenager , he and his family moved to Oakland, California , where he joined a local R& B group called the Lemon Drops. In 1954, Williams went back to New Orleans for a visit. He began work as Lloyd Price 's valet and played in the bands of Price, Roy Brown and Percy Mayfield.cite web|url= http://tsimon.com/williams.htm |title=Larry Williams Page |publisher=Tsimon.com |date= |accessdate=2012-04-01 In 1955, Williams met and developed a friendship with Little Richard Penniman, who was recording at the time in New Orleans.White (2003), p. 77-78. Price and Penniman were both recording for Specialty Records. Williams was introduced to Specialty's house producer, Robert Blackwell , and was signed to record.
In 1957, Little Richard was Specialty's biggest celebrity|star , but bolted from rock and roll to pursue the Christian ministry|ministry . Williams was quickly groomed by Blackwell to try to replicate his success. Using the same raw, shouting human voice|vocals and piano -driven intensity, Williams scored with a number of hit singles.White (2003), p. 77-78.
Williams' three biggest successes were "Short Fat Fannie", which was his first hit, reaching #5 in Billboard (magazine)|Billboard's pop music|pop record chart|chart , " Bony Moronie ", which peaked at #14, and its flip "You Bug Me Baby" which made it to #45. "Dizzy Miss Lizzy" charted at #69 on Billboard the following year. Both "Short Fat Fannie" and "Bony Moronie" sold over one million copies, gaining music recording sales certification|gold disc s.cite book | first= Joseph | last= Murrells | year= 1978 | title= The Book of Golden Discs | edition= 2nd | publisher= Barrie and Jenkins Ltd | location= London | page= 97 | isbn= 0-214-20512-6
Several of his songs achieved later success as revivals, by The Beatles (" Bad Boy (Larry Williams song)|Bad Boy ", " Slow Down (Larry Williams song)|Slow Down ", and "Dizzy Miss Lizzy"), The Rolling Stones (" She Said Yeah ") and John Lennon ("Bony Moronie" and "Dizzy Miss Lizzy").
Williams had been involved with Organized crime|underworld activity since his early adolescence|teens , and had reputedly been a pimp before he ever recorded music. After 1957 Williams did not have much success selling records. He recorded a number of songs in 1958 and 1959, including " Heebie Jeebies (composition)|Heebie Jeebies ", with band members such as Plas Johnson on tenor sax and Jewel Grant on baritone, Rene Hall on guitar, Gerald Wilson on trumpet, Ernie Freeman or Williams himself on piano, and Earl Palmer on drums. He was convicted of dealing narcotics in 1960 and served a three-year jail term, setting back his career considerably.
Williams made a comeback in the mid-1960s with a funky soul band that included Johnny "Guitar" Watson , which paired him musically with Little Richard who had been lured back into secular music. He produced two Little Richard albums for Okeh Records in 1966 and 1967, which returned Little Richard to the Billboard album chart for the first time in ten years and spawned the hit single " Poor Dog ".White (2003), p. 268. He also acted as the music director for the Little Richard's live performances at the Okeh Club. Bookings for Little Richard during this period skyrocketed.White (2003), p. 268. Williams also recorded and released material of his own and with Watson, with some moderate chart success. This period may have garnered few hits but produced some of his best and most original work.
Williams also began acting in the 1960s, appearing on film in Just for the Hell of It (1968), The Klansman (1974), and Drum (1976 film)|Drum (1976). http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0931116/
In the 1970s, there was also a brief dalliance with disco , but Williams' wild lifestyle continued. By the middle of the decade, the drug abuse and violence were taking their toll. In 1977, Williams pulled a gun on and threatened to kill his long-time friend, Little Richard, over a drug debt. They were both living in Los Angeles and addicted to cocaine and heroin. Little Richard bought drugs from him, arranged to pay him later, but did not show up because he was high. Williams was furious. He hunted him down but ended up showing compassion on his long-time friend after Little Richard repaid the debt.White (2003), p. 186. This, along with other factors, led to Little Richard's return to Born again (Christianity)|born again Christianity and the ministry, but Williams would not escape LA's seedy underworld.
Death
On January 7, 1980, Williams was found dead from a gunshot wound to his head in his Los Angeles, California home. He was 44 years old. The death was deemed suicide, though there was much speculation otherwise. No suspects were ever arrested or charged.
Martin Allbritton as Larry Williams
A Southern Illinois drummer and blues singer by the name of Martin Allbritton claims to be Larry Williams, alive and well. This claim originated at about the time Larry Williams was found dead. He did record and perform as a drummer for Bobby "Blue" Bland in the 1960s. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4109223.html Albritton has toured the country performing under the moniker of "Big" Larry Williams, and has gone so far as to claim that he recorded the hits "Bony Moronie" and "Dizzy Miss Lizzy". He did record an album in 1990 called Street Party with the Mellow Fellows band, previously headed by Big Twist. While touring with the Mellow Fellows in Chicago, Allbritton was confronted by Etta James , who knew Larry Williams.
Williams' family members have asked him to cease any future reference to "Larry Williams". Allbritton has so far refused, and presently continues to use the name. http://www.carbondalerocks.com/ Carbondalerocks.com
Selective list of recorded cover versions
" Bony Moronie ": John Lennon , Johnny Burnette , Dr. Feelgood , Flying Burrito Brothers , Gram Parsons|Gram Parsons and the Fallen Angels , Johnny Winter , Little Richard , Paul Jones (singer)|Paul Jones ,Bobby Comstock Showaddywaddy , The Who , Jumpin' Gene Simmons , The Shadows , Ritchie Valens , Bill Haley & His Comets , The Creation (band)|The Creation , Freddy Fender , Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs|The Aztecs , The Rebel Rousers , The Standells , Hush (band)|Hush .
"Bony Moronie" (plus Spanish version as "Popotitos"): Miguel Ríos|Mike Ríos con Los Relámpagos , Alejandra Guzmán , Serú Girán , Luis Miguel Gallego Basteri|Luis Miguel , Dúo Dinámico , Ricky Martin
" Dizzy, Miss Lizzy ": Plastic Ono Band , The Beatles , New York Dolls , Flying Lizards , The Saints (band)|The Saints
" She Said Yeah ": The Rolling Stones , The Animals , Paul McCartney , Russ Ballard , Flamin' Groovies , The End (UK band)|The End , Pussy Galore (band)|Pussy Galore
" Slow Down (Larry Williams song)|Slow Down ": Alvin Lee , Blodwyn Pig , Episode Six , The Beatles , Gerry & The Pacemakers , Johnny Hallyday , The Jam , Brian May , The Young Rascals
" Short Fat Fannie ": Little Richard , Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers , The Dovells , The Beatles
"Groovy Little Suzy": Little Richard
"Bad Boy": The Beatles , Rush (band)|Rush , Teengenerate .
Singles
1966 "This Old Heart (Is So Lonely)" / "I'd Rather Fight Than Switch" (Okeh#7259)
1967 Johnny Watson and Larry Williams - "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" / "A Quitter Never Wins" (Okeh#7274)
1967 "You Ask For One Good Reason / "I Am The One" (Okeh#7280)
1967 Johnny Watson and Larry Williams - "Too Late" / "Two For The Price Of One" (Okeh#7281)
1967 "Just Because" / "Just Because" (Okeh#7294)
1967 Johnny Watson and Larry Williams - "Find Yourself Someone To Love" / "Nobody" (Okeh#7300)
References
Reflist
External links
http://www.concordmusicgroup.com/artists/Larry-Williams/ Biography at Concordmusic.com
http://tsimon.com/williams.htm Fan website
http://www.nndb.com/people/655/000070445/ Article with a picture at NNDB
http://koti.mbnet.fi/wdd/larrywilliams.htm Larry Williams discography
http://www.rockhall.com/exhibithighlights/500-songs-wz/ Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - Top 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4109223.html
Find a Grave|8486319
Persondata|NAME = Williams, Larry |ALTERNATIVE NAMES = |SHORT DESCRIPTION = American singer |DATE OF BIRTH = May 10, 1935 |PLACE OF BIRTH = New Orleans , Louisiana , United States |DATE OF DEATH = January 7, 1980 |PLACE OF DEATH = Los Angeles, California Interment Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood California. DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Larry Category:1935 births Category:1980 deaths Category:American rhythm and blues singers Category:American rock singer-songwriters Category:African American singers Category:Bell Records artists Category:Chess Records artists Category:Smash Records artists Category:Specialty Records artists Category:Okeh Records artists Category:Sue Records artists Category:People from New Orleans, Louisiana Category:Suicides by firearm in California Category:Burials at Inglewood Park Cemetery Category:Northern soul musicians
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