Joseph G. Williams
Joseph George Williams (born July 1, 1920 in Warsaw, Missouri) is best known for his songwriting work in country music from the mid-1950s until the early-1980s.
Joe Williams | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Joseph George Williams |
| Also known as | Joe Williams |
| Born | July 1, 1920 |
| Origin | Warsaw, Missouri, US |
| Genres | Country music |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Instruments | Acoustic guitar |
| Years active | 1950–1990 |
| Labels | Six-Shooters Recordings (1954–1974) Nashville Records (1974–1984) Eagle Records (1984–2009) |
Birth and early life
Joseph George Williams was born on a farm on July 1, 1920 in Warsaw, Missouri. His father, George Earl Williams (b. 1900), was a farmer and his mother, Jenny Martha Williams, (b. 1901) was a homemaker. Williams had one older brother, John (b. 1918), and three younger brothers, Gregory (b. 1922), Samuel (b. 1924), and David (b. 1925).
After working on the farm most of his life, Joe finished school in 1938, and right after school, he went right into the Army. In 1950, after 12 years in the Army, Joe came back home to Warsaw and married his high school sweetheart, Dolly Johnson, on March 3, 1950. Then in June 1950, Joe and his wife Dolly moved to Nashville, Tennessee to become a country music artist.
Nashville
Once Joe moved to Nashville, he started to work in the nightclubs for tips and was writing songs for superstars such as Ernest Tubb, Kitty Wells, and many others. After working in clubs and bars for four years, he was signed to Six-Shooter Records in 1954 and released his first album titled "Joe Williams' Songs." In 1955, Joe and Dolly welcomed their first son, James, and in 1957, they welcomed their second son, Joe Jr., and in 1959, they welcomed their 3rd and final son, Merle.
Big star writer
After many unsuccessful albums in 1967, he became one of Nashville's best songwriters. He had many Top 10 and Top 20 hits for artists like George Jones, Conway Twitty, and Bill Anderson, just to name a few. Williams made it close to No. 1 on the charts but never made it, but he did come close with a song called "It's Never Too Late Baby" released in 1975 by Jerry Lee Lewis and it made it to No. 3 on the country charts.
Still writing
After writing many Top 10 and Top 20 in the 1960s and 1970s, country music changed over to more Urban Cowboy-like stars such as Mickey Gilley and Johnny Lee. But, after a few years off the charts, he came back with a few Top 10 hits in the mid-1980s with stars such as Willie Nelson and Hank Williams Jr.
Retirement and today
After 40 years in the country music business, Joe retired to his family farm in Warsaw with his wife Dolly in 1990 where he is a hometown hero. In 1993, Joe bought a gas station in Warsaw and renamed Ol' Joe's, then in 2003, Joe's oldest son James bought the gas station from his father and kept the name. In 1999, his father George Williams died at the age of 99 in Kansas City, Missouri and on December 31, 2006, his mother Jenny Williams died at the age of 105 in Warsaw, Missouri.
Well into his 80s, Joe still did a few shows every year in his home state of Missouri mostly at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia. In 2007, at the age of 87 Joe performed for the last time at the State Fair and ever due to his failing health and age issue.
In November 2007, Joe and his wife Dolly attended the funeral services for Porter Wagoner in Nashville, TN. Also in November of the same year, Joe and his wife Dolly attended the "celebration of life" services for Hank Thompson in Ft. Worth, TX at Billy Bob's Texas.
On May 1, 2009, Joe's contract with Eagle Records was terminated. Joe had been with Eagle Records since 1985 but hasn't released an album with Eagle or at all since 1990.
On July 1, 2020, he became a centenarian.
Discography
Six-Shooter Recordings: 1954 – 1974
- 1954 – Joe Williams
- 1955 – These Songs
- 1956 – From Missouri to Tennessee
- 1957 – The Road
- 1958 – Yesterday's News
- 1959 – Joe Sings Hank
- 1960 – Gospel Songs For Mama
- 1961 – My Songs
- 1963 – My Friends & Family
- 1964 – Them Old Songs I Love
- 1966 – Songs by Joe
- 1967 – Joe Williams' Greatest Hits, Vol. 1
- 1969 – Joe of 1969
- 1972 – Then & Now
- 1974 – Here I'am, Vol. 1 (best selling album)
Nashville Records: 1974 – 1984
- 1975 – Guitars and Girls
- 1976 – Maybe Next Time
- 1978 – Joe Sings Hank...Again!
- 1979 – Well Here I'am, Vol. 2
- 1980 – Just Me & My Songs
- 1982 – Songs I Wrote
- 1984 – Joe: Live
Eagle Records: 1984 – 1990
- 1985 – I Might Be Wrong This Time
- 1987 – Time and Time Again
- 1988 – Joe Williams' Greatest Hits, Vol. 2
- 1989 – Here I'am, Vol 3: The Last Time
- 1990 – That's All (final album)
External links
- Official Website (website suspended)