As a teenager, Andre Williams moved to Detroit from Alabama and eventually signed a deal with Fortune Records. At the label, he sang and wrote songs for groups such as 5 Dollars and Don Juans. In 1957, he had his first hit under his own name with “Bacon Fat.” The song went to 9 on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart and was the first as well as the highest charting track of his career.
In the 1960s, he wrote songs for Stevie Wonder and was also a producer of records for artist such as Ike and Tina Turner and Funkadelic.
Between bad contracts and personal demons, the decades following weren’t so good to Andre but he persevered. The 1990s brought a revival of interest to his songs and career. That eventually found him collaborating with Dan and Mick of the Gories. The result was the 1998 album Silky. It was the jump start Andre needed to get things happening again.
He then continued to record and tour for the rest of his life.
Andre Williams died Sunday at the age of 82.
Earlier today, the C&L Music Club also paid tribute to Dick Dale who passed away this weekend as well.