BY MR.TROLL
Sunday, March 26, 2006
“Jerry
was an interesting character with a contrasting blend of qualities. He
was blunt and forceful, yet warmhearted and sensitive; close and
personal, yet distant; highly talented and demanding, yet smooth as
glass; wild and crazy, yet graceful and in control. He was a
free-spirited, independent, and extremely confident artist with a
captivating personality, but he was also a loner with an insatiable
desire to connect with people.”
- Gary Wimmer in a letter to the Austin
Chronicle, Feb. 10, 2006.
In
a telephone conversation, Gary also described Williams as a big guy
with a strong presence and plenty of confidence in his talent and
ability. For more of Gary’s personal insights and experiences, go to: www.garywimmer.com
Readers
may never have heard the name Jerry Lynn Williams, but I can guarantee
you’ve heard at least one of his songs. Born in Dallas or Grand Prairie
on October 30,1948 and raised in Fort Worth. Williams hit the road at
the age of fourteen, playing guitar on the roadhouse circuit.
Authorities discovered his young age and sent him back home, where he
played with Little Richard and Jimmy Reed. He supposedly learned to
play lead guitar from Little Richard’s guitar player, Jimmy James. You
may recognize that name, used by Jimi Hendrix at that time.
After
moving to the West Cost in the late 60’s, Williams played in a trio
called High Mountain, which released one album, High Mountain Hoedown,
produced by Charles Greene who had previously worked with Buffalo
Springfield. Apparently a single was released off this album, the song
“Pickin’ Berries, backed with “My Thoughts”. A single promo copy wass
offered for sale at http://www.classic45s.com, but the TMM quickly
purchased it and it is shown at right.
There
followed several solo albums, none of which sold very well. The last of
these, “Peacemaker”, featured guest appearances by Eric Clapton, Mick
Fleetwood, Nicky Hopkins, John Oates, and the last session work of
Stevie Ray Vaughan.
All the songs listed below were written by or with Jerry Lynn Williams:
Recorded by: The Doobie Brothers - Is Love Enough
Our Love
Excited
Delbert McClinton - Go On
Givin’ It Up For Your Love
Sending Me Angels
Baggage Claim
Desperation
Read Me My Rights
Watchin’ the Rain
Great White - Run Away
Waiting For Your Love
Save Your Love (appears on eight albums)
Bonnie Tyler - What You Got
Johnny Winter - Anything For Your Love
Jonny Lang - Walking Away
Right Back
Ringo Starr - All in the Name of Love
Rick Cua (former bass player with the Outlaws turned gospel singer) - Do It
I Believe
Loving You Has Made It Right
The Way Love Is
Bonnie Raitt - I Will Not Be Denied
Real Man
Clint Black - The Hard Way
Brooks and Dunn - It Won’t Be Christmas Without You
Eric Clapton - See What Love Can Do
Something’s Happening
Forever Man
Pretending
Running On Faith
Anything For Your Love
No Alibis
Breaking Point
BB King - Good Man Gone Bad
I Can’t Lose
Standing On the Edge Of Love
Nicky Hopkins - Banana Anna
Speed On
Lawyer’s Lament
Shout It Out Dolly
Williams’
songs were also covered by Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Dave Mason, Robert
Plant, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Colin James, Louise Hoffsten, The
Bellamy Brothers, Danish artist Hanne Boel, Paul Rogers, Wendi Slaton,
Taj Mahal, Dion, Bobby Womack, Ron Wood, Johnny Diesel, Roy Orbison,
and Wilson Pickett.
His
songs won The W.C. Handy Award (Blues Song of the Year for “Living in
the House of Blues”), received six Grammy nominations for “Eric Clapton
Unplugged”, six more Grammy nominations for Bonnie Raitt’s “Nick of
Time”, won Songwriter/Album of the Year NAAS for “Nick of Time”, and
Grammy/Songwriter of the Year with Hanne Boel in 1991.
Williams
also worked with John Elefante, a former lead singer of the group
Kansas, who recorded three gospel albums, and was a co-writer of Stevie
Ray and Jimmie Vaughan’s “Tick Tock”.
He moved to the Carribean Island of St Martin’s in 2003, and passed away on November 25, 2005 of kidney and liver failure.
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