Dick Williams R.I.P.

Dick Williams, best known as one of the singing group the Williams Brothers, died on May 5 2018 at the age of 91. The Williams Brothers consisted of Bob, Don, Dick, and Andy Williams. Of course, Andy would go onto fame as a solo singer.

Dick Williams was born in Wall Lake, Iowa on June 7 1926. It was in late 1938 that he and his brothers formed the singing quartet known as the Williams Brothers. They performed on radio, first on WHO in Des Moines, Iowa, then on WLS in Chicago, and finally on WLW in Cincinnati. The brothers eventually moved to Los Angeles. They were under contract to MGM and appeared in the films Janie (1944), Kansas City Kitty (1944), Ladies Man (1947), and Something in the Wind (1947). They also sang as part of the studio choir for such movies as Anchors Aweigh(1945),Ziegfeld Follies(1945), The Harvey Girls;(1946), and Good News(1947).

During World War II Dick Williams served in the United States Merchant Marine. They appeared on Bing Crosby's hit single "Swinging on a Star". From 1947 to 1951 they had their own nighclub act with Kay Thompson. The group broke up in 1951, although they would reunite on some of Andy Williams's Christmas television specials. Dick Williams went onto sing with the Harry James's orchestra. He appeared on Broadway in 1957 in the production Copper and Brass. He later sang on hundreds of television commercials. He also served as a choral arranger for his brother Andy Williams, as well as for Steve Lawrence & Edye Gorme and Julie Andrews.