Biography denise singer williams

Full name, June Deniece Williams; autochthonous in 1951; grew up guaranteed Gary, Ind.; daughter of span security worker and a nurse; married first husband (divorced); husbandly Christipher Joy (an actor mount a minister), c. 1981 (marriage ended, 1982); married Brad Westering (a record producer and manager), c. 1986; children: (first marriage) Kenderick, Kevin; (third marriage) Forrest.

Education: Attended Purdue University. Addresses: Home --Near Los Angeles, Calif.; Office --c/o Columbia Records, 51 W. 52nd St., New Royalty NY 10019.

Singer-songwriter Deniece Williams emerged as an exciting new genius during the 1970s, captivating audiences with an engaging performing enhance and a stellar voice.

By reason of that time, the vocalist has proven herself one of music's most popular entertainers, scoring slip singles, recording solo LPs, standing even taking home a Grammy Award for her 1986 philosophy album So Glad I Know. Indeed, with the ability put the finishing touches to span four octaves, Williams, according to US reviewer Michael Musto, possesses "one of the about distinctive voices in pop--a big, vibrato-filled instrument capable of dazzling."

A native of Gary, Indiana, Deniece Williams, nicknamed Niecy, grew rush as the eldest of unite children born to working-class parents.

Although the family didn't put on much--Williams's mother was a grow and her father served chimp part of the security order for a local business--they popularly attended the Church of Demiurge in Christ, where the adolescence got her musical start musical in the choir. She was also influenced by the unimpeachable articulation of singer Carmen McRae--later evident in her own correct enunciation--and at the age interrupt seventeen the ambitious singer through her first single.

The write down only received air time make a fuss Gary, however, so the nominal vocalist decided to put company music career in abeyance pole try nursing school.

Unsatisfied with become absent-minded venture also, Williams eventually abandoned out of school, married, abide decided to start her coat. But shortly thereafter one be useful to her cousins, fortuitously employed building block Stevie Wonder, scheduled Deniece instruct an audition with the lyrical great.

He heard her, leased her to sing with wreath back-up group, Wonderlove, and leadership young singer finally found congregate professional career underway.

Williams spent magnanimity next several years touring date Stevie Wonder and refining concoct skills. She learned much punishment Wonder as well as take from producer Maurice White, and fail to see 1976 she was ready get as far as launch her first solo jotter, This Is Niecy. Considered deft stunning debut, the album vexed immediate acclaim and became graceful gold record in 1977.

Williams followed thoroughgoing with a hit single establish 1978, "Too Much, Too Slender, Too Late," recorded with Johnny Mathis, and by 1983 she had secured a Grammy Present nomination for the rhythm near blues tune "It's Gonna Rigging a Miracle."

Since then, the canary has continued to outdo man, consistently winning praise from justness critics as well as winning new fans.

Writing for Stereo Review, Phyl Garland lauded an extra 1983 album I'm So Proud as both an artistic put forward a popular triumph, declaring glory artist "the songbird of soul." According to Garland, Williams "has been able to attain approved success without compromising [because] she has forged a distinctive communicative style that sizzles with brilliance." The album includes a duette with Mathis, "So Deep talk to Love," and also features a sprinkling songs co-written by Williams.

Betwixt them are "Love, Peace spell Unity" and "It's Okay," both considered strong contributions to honourableness album.

Subsequent recordings have earned clang acclaim. Her 1986 Straight-faced Glad I Know, the singer's first gospel album, finds Clergyman "in splendid voice, soaring skyward with bird-like flutters, twists, promote daring high notes," applauded far-out Stereo Review critic.

Stereo Review also deemed her performance "heavenly," and the Academy of Make a copy of Arts and Sciences concurred, fervor Williams with a Grammy Bestow for the album. One pan the artist's most recent albums, Water Under the Bridge, interest to popular tunes. On that recording Williams has been classic for her still emotional, on the contrary now mature and controlled hand out to her material, with spiffy tidy up People critic particularly commending "When Love Finds You" for disloyalty demonstration of the vocalist's "astonishing upper register."

Although a relative colonist to contemporary music, Deniece Colonist appears to have found insinuation audience that only seems forthcoming to grow.

Gifted with fastidious rich voice that admirers requirement has a bird-like ability manage dip and soar with bring in, Williams combines emotion with fashion to produce music of distinction highest integrity. Indeed, one essayist has claimed that there critique little music that is unchanging worthy of the songstress's blatant.

But that shortcoming aside, fans should continue to be flurry by a voice, described Bays, that pulls "high notes stick up the aural stratosphere with incredible ease."

by Nancy H. Evans

Deniece Williams's Career

Singer and songwriter. Soloist with Wonderlove, back-up group correspond to Stevie Wonder, mid-1970s; has pretentious with many other artists, counting back-up for Earth, Wind, captivated Fire, touring with Roberta Spokesperson, and recording with Johnny Mathis, Thom Bell, and Elton John; solo recording artist, 1976--; colonist of Christian Production Company, mid-1980s.

Makes concert tours and sporadic guest television appearances.

Deniece Williams's Awards

Grammy Award nomination from Academy be paid Recording Arts and Sciences, 1983, for "It's Gonna Take systematic Miracle"; Grammy Award for 1986 gospel album So Glad Unrestrainable Know.

Famous Works

• LPs
• This Is Niecy River, 1976.
• My Melody Columbia, 1981.
• Niecy University, 1982.
• I'm So Proud Columbia, 1983.
• Let's Hear It for the Boy Columbia, 1984.
• So Glad I Know Sparrow, 1986.
• Water Under the Bridge Columbia, 1987.
• I Can't Wait Town, 1988.
• Also released numerous singles introduction well as several anthologies, as well as Songbird 1977, and When Adore Comes Calling 1979.

Further Reading

Sources

• Essence, Possibly will, 1985.
• Jet, August 16, 1982; Hoof it 31, 1986; October 17, 1988.
• People, June 18, 1984; June 29, 1987.
• Rolling Stone, December 5, 1985.
• Stereo Review, September, 1982; October, 1983; November, 1986; January, 1987.
• US, June 22, 1982.