More Info on Lenny WilliamsSimilar Undetermined MusicSearch Artistopia
Biography
for|the Canadian football player|Lenny Williams (Canadian football)BLP sources|date=September 2011COI|date=September 2011Infobox musical artist|name = Lenny Williams|image =|caption =Lenny Williams|background = solo_singer|birth_name = Leonard Charles Williams|alias = |birth_date = birth date and age|1945|2|16|mf=y|birth_place = Little Rock, Arkansas|Little Rock , Arkansas , United States |death_date =|origin =|instrument = Human voice|Vocals , trumpet |genre = Soul music Rhythm and blues|R& B Jazz |occupation = Singer , musician |years_active = 1974& ndash;present|label = Fantasy Records|Fantasy LenTom ABC Records|ABC MCA Records|MCA Warner Bros. Records|Warner Bros. , Expansion Records |associated_acts = Tower of Power |website = http://www.lennywilliams.com/ LennyWilliams.com Leonard Charles "Lenny" Williams (born February 16, 1945, Little Rock, Arkansas )cite web|last=Williams|first=Lenny|title=Lennywilliams.com|url= http://www.lennywilliams.com/biography.html|accessdate=15 April 2011 is an American singer known for his work in the Rhythm and blues|R& B and soul music genres. During the 1970s, he was the lead vocalist for Tower of Power . As a soloist, he made several hit sound recording and reproduction|recordings , including 1977's Choosing You and 1978's Cause I Love You .
Early life and career
Williams moved to Oakland, California|Oakland , California at a young age. Learning to play the trumpet in elementary school fueled his interest in music; his skills as a vocalist were first nurtured by singing in gospel choirs and groups around the San Francisco Bay Area|Bay Area . He worked with several notable artists, such as Sly Stone , Andrae Crouch|Andraé Crouch , Billy Preston and members of the Hawkins family, Edwin Hawkins|Edwin , Walter Hawkins|Walter and Tramaine Hawkins|Tramaine .
Professional recordings
After winning several local talent contest s, Williams signed his first recording contract with Fantasy Records . He cut two single (music)|singles for the record label|label including "Lisa’s Gone" and "Feelin Blue", written by John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival . In 1972, Williams joined the emerging funk band Tower of Power. A string of hits followed, including "So Very Hard To Go", "Don't Change Horses (In The Middle Of The Stream)" and "Luvin You", written by Williams and Johnny "Guitar" Watson . During his two years with the group, Williams participated in three album s: Back To Oakland , Urban Renewal and the music recording sales certification|gold LP Tower Of Power . Williams and Tower of Power toured throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia.
Solo works
At the end of 1975, Williams returned to his solo projects. Initially signing with Motown Records in 1975, he later moved to ABC Records in 1977 (which was then purchased by MCA Records in 1979). Over the next four years. He scored ten record chart|chart hits, including “Shoo Doo FuFu Ooh”, "Choosing You”, “You Got Me Running”, “Love Hurt Me Love Healed Me”, and “Midnight Girl”. Williams recorded four more albums from 1977 to 1980: Choosing You , his first gold LP; Spark Of Love (contains Cause I Love You ); Love Current ; and Let’s Do It Today .
After leaving MCA, Williams recorded for the independent record label s, Rockshire and Knobhill. In 1986, he was invited to sing vocals on "Don't Make Me Wait For Love" a track from Duo Tones , a multi-platinum recording by Kenny G . The song became a Top 40|Top 20 Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R& B/Hip-Hop Songs|R& B hit the following year.
His 1978 hit song "Cause I Love You" was sampling (music)|sampled by Havoc of Mobb Deep for the track "Nothing Like Home", and by Kanye West for the songs " Overnight Celebrity " by Twista and " The Rest Is History|I Got A Love " by Jin (rapper)|Jin . The track was sampled a fourth time in 2007 by Scarface (rapper)|Scarface for his single "Girl You Know" featuring Trey Songz & Young Jeezy sampling (music)|sampled "Lets Talk It Over" for his single "I Do" featuring Jay-Z and Andre 3000
According to lennywilliams.com, over the past few years, Lenny has continued his solo career, touring the US, Europe and South Africa. He has recently shared stages with Aretha Franklin, The Whispers, Rick James, Boney James, Bobby Womack, Ohio Players, Al Green, Usher, K-Ci and JoJo, Alicia Keyes, Anthony Hamilton and Frankie Beverly and Maze. Lenny has also expanded his multi-dimensional career to include acting, starring in several stages plays "Love On Lay Away" starring Deborah Cox, actor Mel Jackson and Martha Wash. He also appeared in "What Men Don't Tell" starring Kenny Latimore, Shante Moore and Dottie Peoples the hit stage play "When A Woman's Fed Up". As an icon of the past and the present, Lenny Williams continues to expand his musical prowess and flex his newly found acting skills. He is sure to continue wowing his fans in the United States and beyond for decades to come. Lenny Williams is continuing to inspire the younger generation.
Discography
Studio albums
1974: Pray For The Lion (Warner Bros. Records)
1975: Rise Sleeping Beauty (Motown Records)
1977: Choosing You (ABC Records)
1978: Spark of Love (ABC Records)
1979: Love Current (MCA Records)
1980: ''Let's Do It Today (MCA Records)
1981: Taking Chances (MCA Records)
1984: Changing (Rocshire Records)
1986: New Episode (Knobhill Records)
1989: ''Layin' In Wait (K-Tel Records)
1996: Chill (Bellmark Records)
1996: ''Here's To The Lady (Universal Special Products)
http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Lenny%20Williams.html Artist profile at SoulWalking.com
Allmusic|class=artist|id=p5832|label=Lenny Williams
Persondata | NAME =Williams, Lenny | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = American singer | DATE OF BIRTH =February 16, 1945 | PLACE OF BIRTH = Little Rock, Arkansas|Little Rock , Arkansas , United States | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Lenny Category:People from Little Rock, Arkansas Category:American soul singers Category:Tower of Power members Category:Living people Category:1945 births
