Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

WILLIAMS, Larry

(b 10 May '35, New Orleans; d 7 Jan. '80) R&B, rock'n'roll singer, songwriter, pianist. Learned to play piano on West Coast; worked in bands of Lloyd Price, Roy Brown, Percy Mayfield; according to one story was working as Price's valet when he first recorded for Specialty: 'Short Fat Fannie' was a great party record, a frenetic rocker in the Little Richard mould: no. 1 R&B, 5 pop hit, followed by 'Bony Maronie'/'You Bug Me, Baby', all '57, 'Dizzy Miss Lizzy' '58 (later covered by the Beatles). A good entertainer but had not much more luck in the charts; narcotics conviction '60 didn't help. Sessions '58--9 incl. 'Heeby Jeebies': he whistled the bridge taken by sax solo on Little Richard hit; band incl. Gerald Wilson, trumpet; Plas Johnson, tenor; Alvin 'Red' Tyler, baritone; Earl Palmer, drums; Ernie Freeman, piano (sometimes Williams), Barney Kessel, guitar. Came back '62 with band incl. Johnny 'Guitar' Watson; The Larry Williams Show '62 was recorded on tour in UK; On Stage '87 on Starclub reissued an LP originally on Sue UK. He had minor hits on OKeh '67--8 with Watson incl. 'Mercy, Mercy, Mercy'; made unsuccessful disco- style comeback attempt '78; he shot himself. Compilations on Specialty and Ace.