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, Tex

(b Sol Williams, 23 Aug. '17, Ramsey IL; d 11 Oct. '85, Newhall CA) Singing cowboy who began as one- man band on local radio at 13, playing banjo, harmonica and singing. Joined Spade Cooley band '46, sang on huge hit 'Shame On You'; formed his own twelve-piece Western Caravan, recorded for Capitol: first release 'The Rose Of The Alamo' said to have sold 250,000 copies, but record of Tex Ritter/Merle Travis song 'Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)' was no. 1 pop hit '47, said to be Capitol's first million-seller. More hits same year incl. 'Don't Telephone, Don't Telegraph, Tell A Woman'; 'Bluebird On Your Windowsill' was no. 12 country hit '49: band remained popular act, appeared with stars like Dinah Shore, Jo Stafford; he returned to country charts on Boone label with hits '65--8, biggest of which was top 20 'Bottom Of A Mountain' '66; two more on Monument incl. 'It Ain't No Big Thing' and 'The Night Miss Nancy Ann's Hotel For Single Girls Burned Down' '70--71. He made scores of films '35--55 with Ritter, Buster Crabbe, Charles Starrett.