Sept. 8 (UPI) — Country’s “Gentle Giant,” Don Williams, died Friday, the Country Music Hall of Fame said. He was 78.
The nature of the singers’ illness was not disclosed.
Williams, popular internationally and a member of the hall of fame, was known for his hit songs “Tulsa Time” and “It Must Be Love.”
“In giving voice to songs like ‘Good Ole Boys Like Me,’ ‘Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good,’ and ‘Amanda,’ Don Williams offered calm, beauty, and a sense of wistful peace that is in short supply these days,” said Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young in a statement. “His music will forever be a balm in troublesome times. Everyone who makes country music with grace, intelligence, and ageless intent will do so while standing on the shoulders of this gentle giant.”
Williams was born May 27, 1939, in Floydada, Texas. He learned to play guitar from his mother and as a teenager performed in country, folk and rock bands, according to the hall of fame’s “Encyclopedia of Country Music.” His first professional success was with the Pozo-Seco Singers in the 1960s.
He later had a solo career and in the 1970s, had a 15-straight Top 10 hits. He ultimately released more than 35 albums.
