Researching Johnny Williams

Williams learned to play violin as a child, and switched to tuba as a teenager; he played both this instrument and the stand-up bass while playing in regional territory bands in the southern states. He relocated to New York City in 1936, where he worked with Red Allen, Buster Bailey, Sidney Bechet, Benny Carter, J.C. Higginbotham, Billie Holiday, Harry James, James P. Johnson, the Mills Blue Rhythm Band, Frankie Newton, and Teddy Wilson. He also played in the bands of Coleman Hawkins and Louis Armstrong in the early 1940s before joining Teddy Wilson's band once again. He and Edmond Hall recorded together in 1944, and worked together until 1947; following this, Williams played with Tab Smith and then with Johnny Hodges in the mid-1950s.

From the 1960s onward, Williams was less active, though he worked occasionally with musicians such as Buddy Tate (1968), Red Richards (intermittently, 1970s), and Bob Greene (1978-82). He played with the Harlem Blues and Jazz Band from 1978-1998, when he had a stroke; he died later that year.

Williams was born in Orangeburg, South Carolina. He began playing piano as a young child and started playing saxophone at age twelve. He acquired a bachelor's degree in music education at South Carolina State College and then enrolled in a graduate program in music at Indiana University, but because the school did not have a saxophone performance concentration, he left after three semesters. Williams then relocated to Los Angeles, and soon after enlisted in the United States Army. He also studied at the Naval School of Music. In the late 1960s he did extensive work as a session musician in the horn sections of soul and blues groups, including Ike and Tina Turner and many Motown Records artists (The Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight and the Pips, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Gerald Wilson, Louis Bellson, and The Frank Capp/Nat Pierce Juggernaut (Big Band). John also appears on several movie soundtracks with Quincy Jones including Cactus Flower. From 1970 to 1975 he was the baritone saxophonist in The Count Basie Orchestra, taking over for Cecil Payne, and then joined the group again in 1980 after the death of Charlie Fowlkes . Williams remained with The Count Basie Orchestra until his retirement in May 2013, continuing with the group after Basie died and leadership passed on to Thad Jones, Frank Foster, Grover Mitchell, Bill Hughes, and Dennis Mackrel, and Scotty Barnhart as of September 2013.

John resides in South Carolina and continues to be a mentor to members of the Count Basie Orchestra and other musicians who seek his advice and experiences counsel.