"Big" Paul Williams (Paul Humphrey) is an American
bluegrass and
gospel
Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...
musician. He took the surname Williams when he began his musical career in the early 1950s.
[Goldsmith, Thomas. The Bluegrass Reader. 2004. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, .] He was guitarist and lead singer for the
Lonesome Pine Fiddlers
The Lonesome Pine Fiddlers (1938- 1966) were an early bluegrass band. Throughout their formations, they included notable "first generation" bluegrass musicians such as Ezra Cline, Bobby Osborne, Paul Williams, Melvin Goins, Charlie Cline, Curl ...
before replacing
Earl Taylor
Earl Taylor (born 22 July 1932) is a Jamaican sailor. He competed in the Dragon event at the 1964 Summer Olympics
The , officially the and commonly known as Tokyo 1964 ( ja, 東京1964), were an international multi-sport event held from ...
in the Sunny Mountain Boys in 1957, playing mandolin and being featured regularly as a lead singer.
He played with
Jimmy Martin
James Henry Martin (August 10, 1927 – May 14, 2005) was an American bluegrass musician, known as the "King of Bluegrass".
Early years
Martin was born in Sneedville, Tennessee, United States, and was raised in the hard farming life of rural ...
at the height of the
Sunny Mountain Boys
Sunny is a daytime weather condition. It may refer to:
People
* Sunny (name), including a list of people and characters with the name
* Sunny (singer), member of Girls' Generation
* Sunny, of Sue and Sunny, who also recorded as a solo artist
...
career, recording steadily through 1962 and at times competing for popularity with
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
.
[Willis, Barry R.,xz America's Music: Bluegrass. 1997. Pine Valley Music, .] Williams is said to have helped shape Martin's sound.
He was present in the recording process for what Martin has said were the "biggest selling records I've ever done." Williams co-wrote the perennially popular hit "Hold Watcha Got."
[Piazza, Tom. True Adventures With the King of Bluegrass. 1999. Vanderbilt University Press & Country Music Foundation Press, .]
During William’s career he managed to write many iconic bluegrass songs that are now held highly with significant historical value. Songs such as ''Mr. Engineer'', ''My Walkin’ Shoes Don’t Fit Me Anymore, Steppin’ Stones, Hold Watcha Got, Don’t Cry To Me, Prayer Bells Of Heaven and I Like To Hear Them Preach It, Brown Eyed Darling,'' Just to name a few.
Williams left from Jimmy Martin and the Sunny Mountain Boys in 1962. He married Jimmy Martin's half sister who told him that "he couldn't play bluegrass music and live for the Lord." He went on to play gospel music with the Northside Quartet and later on achieved some success and a Grammy nomination with the Victory Trio, based out of his hometown, Morristown, Tennessee.
Williams started his own band the Victory Trio in 1995 with Banjo player Jerry Keys, Bass player Susie Keys along with Dan Moneyhun and Adam Winstead. His band has alway been considered a vessel to spread the Christian faith for Williams.
Shortly after retiring from touring with the victory trio Williams teamed up again with Bluegrass legends JD Crowe and Doyle Lawson and recorded a series of albums full of original Jimmy Martin Songs, some of which Williams helped write.
References
Bibliography
* Donaghey, Bob (1999)
Bluegrass Yearbook: Your Favorite Bluegrass Festival Performers, p. 3-4', .
* Willis, Barry R. &
Dick Weissman
Richard Weissman (born January 21, 1935) is an American singer, composer, banjo player, author and teacher.
Life and career
He was born in Philadelphia, and studied at Goddard College in Vermont. After learning to play banjo, he moved to New Y ...
(1989)
America's Music: Bluegrass: A history of bluegrass music in the words of its pioneers, p. 162, 217, 268, 272, 458, 519', .
* Rice, Wayne (1999)
Bluegrass Bios: Profiles of the Stars of Bluegrass, p. 118', no ISBN .
* Rice, Wayne (2002)
Bluegrass Bios: Profiles of the Stars of Bluegrass, p. 137', no ISBN .
* Lawless, John. "Paul Williams Hangs up His Walkin' Shoes." Bluegrass Today, December 13, 2016.
https://bluegrasstoday.com/paul-williams-hangs-up-his-walkin-shoes/.
* Thompson, Richard. "On This Day #37 - Paul Williams." Bluegrass Today, December 13, 2016.
https://bluegrasstoday.com/on-this-day-37-paul-williams/.
* Thompson, Richard. "Don't Give Your Heart to a Rambler – Barbara Martin Stephens." Bluegrass Today, August 9, 2018.
https://bluegrasstoday.com/dont-give-your-heart-to-a-rambler-barbara-martin-stephens/.
External links
Paul Williams' Rebel Records Artist Page* Rice, Wayne,
BluegrassBios.com, Profiles of the Stars of Bluegrass', Retrieved August 3, 2017 .
{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Paul
American bluegrass guitarists
American male guitarists
Living people
Year of birth missing (living people)
American bluegrass mandolinists