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Lester Williams (followed by 1 user)

Though little known outside of the Houston blues circuit where he made his home for several decades, vocalist/guitarist Lester Williams was a local phenomenon during the early '50s whose success even…

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Lester Williams Biography by Jason Ankeny

Though little known outside of the Houston blues circuit where he made his home for several decades, vocalist/guitarist Lester Williams was a local phenomenon during the early '50s whose success even led to an appearance at Carnegie Hall. Born in Groveton, Texas on June 24, 1920, he grew up infatuated with the sound of T-Bone Walker, whose style Williams consciously emulated; after serving in World War II, he formed his own combo, and in 1949 signed on with the Houston-based Macy's Records. The label's then-stockboy, Steve Poncio, produced Williams' debut single "Winter Time Blues"; it became a regional hit, although subsequent efforts were less successful. However, by 1951 Poncio owned and operated his own distributorship, United Distributors, and through various channels struck up a business relationship with Specialty Records owner Art Rupe; as a result, Williams joined the Specialty stable, and with Poncio again behind the boards scored his biggest hit in 1952 with "I Can't Lose with the Stuff I Use," a track later covered by B.B. King. The song was another regional smash, and was sufficiently popular on a national basis to land the singer on a February 1953 Carnegie Hall bill which also included Dinah Washington, Billy Eckstine and Nat King Cole. Williams' follow-ups failed to catch on, however, and by 1954 he was regularly performing on Houston station KLVL and touring throughout the South. He later recorded on Duke before one final date for Imperial in 1956; in the years to follow he remained a staple of the Houston club circuit, touring Europe four years prior to his death on November 13, 1990.

Year Credit AllMusic Rating User Rating
Mary Lou
Mary Lou
Mary Lou
Blue Playa Records
(0)
Hey Jack
Hey Jack
Hey Jack
Jazz Elite S.P.
(0)
All Credits
Year Credit
2024 Trill Bill Kodak Black Composer
2024 More Fun with Rockin' Dopsie, Jr. and the Zydeco Twisters Rockin' Dopsie Jr. / Rockin' Dopsie, Jr. & the Zydeco Twisters Composer
2024 Gift for the Streets Kodak Black Composer
2024 Dieuson Octave Kodak Black Composer
2024 Catch Fire Kodak Black Composer
2023 When I Was Dead Kodak Black Composer
2023 Pistolz & Pearlz Kodak Black Composer
2023 No Love for a Thug Kodak Black Composer
2023 Hope You Know Kodak Black Composer
2021 Metejoor Metejoor Composer, Lyricist, Producer
2021 Every Balmain Kodak Black Composer
2020 Vergeet de tijd Regi Primary Artist
2020 Don't Look Back The Starlings Composer
2020 Bill Israel Kodak Black Composer
2019 The Treasure Dub Albums Collection Errol Brown / The Supersonics Trumpet
2019 Spreading Love/Happy Feet Al Hudson / Al Hudson & the Soul Partners Keyboards
2017 The Complete Releases 1957-62 Larry Williams Composer
2017 D5R [De Muziek Uit De Film] Primary Artist
2011 Jumping the Shuffle Blues: Jamaican Sound System Classics 1946-1960 Composer, Primary Artist
2010 Let Me Tell You About the Blues Texas: The Evolution of Texas Blues Composer, Primary Artist
2007 An Introduction to Texas Blues Primary Artist
2006 Mighty Close to Heaven Chuck Wagon Gang Composer
2006 Cool Cool Blues: The Classic Sides 1951-1954 Sonny Boy Williamson II Guitar
2006 Boogie Uproar: Texas Blues and R&B 1947-1954 Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown Vocals, Guitar, Composer, Primary Artist
2005 Ham Hocks and Cornbread Vocals, Guitar, Primary Artist
2005 Dance Party Byron Lee Trumpet
2005 Blowing the Fuse: 29 R&B Classics That Rocked the Jukebox in 1952 Primary Artist
2004 The Complete Recordings, Vol. 2: 1950-1954 Goree Carter Primary Artist
2004 Galactic Ass Creatures from Uranus Detroit Grand Pubahs Additional Personnel, Vocals (Background)
2004 1951-1953 Sonny Boy Williamson II Guitar
2004 100 Hot Rhythm & Blues Tunes from...the R&B Years 1952 Composer, Primary Artist
2004 100 Hot Rhythm & Blues Tunes from...the R&B Years 1950 Primary Artist
2003 The R'N'B Hits of 1952 Primary Artist
2003 Queen of Hits: The Macy's Recordings Story Primary Artist
2002 Trumpet Records: The Best of Blues & R&B Guitar
2002 T for Texas: Texas Blues Masters, Vol. 1 Composer, Primary Artist
2002 Merry Blue Christmas Composer, Primary Artist
2001 Voodoo Pinata Cabaret Diosa Producer, Engineer, Mixing
2001 The Roots Of Rock 'n' Roll Vol.6 1950 Vocals, Guitar, Composer, Primary Artist
2001 Rock & Roll, Vol. 5: 1949 Vocals, Guitar, Composer, Primary Artist
2001 New Beginnings/Face to Face The Dells Composer
2001 Jump the Boogie: Rhythm & Blues All Stars, Vol. 4 Performer, Composer, Primary Artist
2000 I Ain't Beggin' Nobody Sonny Boy Williamson II Guitar
2000 Greenville Smokin' Willie Love Guitar
2000 Blues from River City Ron Kraemer Composer
1999 Hash Brown's Texas Blues Revue Hash Brown Composer
1998 Rock Steady Intensified Byron Lee Trumpet
1998 Reggae Hot Shots 1971-1973 Byron Lee Trumpet
1998 Only a Fool Byron Lee / Mighty Sparrow Trumpet
1998 Mulan [Original Disney Soundtrack] Jerry Goldsmith Choir/Chorus
1998 Gospel Radio Gems Doyle Lawson / Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver Composer
1997 Boppin' with Sonny Sonny Boy Williamson II Guitar
1996 Reggae Hot Shots, Vol. 1 Byron Lee / Byron Lee & the Dragonaires Trumpet
1996 Baba Boom Time The Jamaicans Trumpet
1995 Texas Troubadour Lester Williams Primary Artist, Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Composer
1995 Reggay Eyes Byron Lee Trumpet
1995 B.B. King & Friends [Allegro] B.B. King Guitar
1994 The Specialty Story [Box] Performer, Composer, Guitar, Primary Artist, Vocals
1994 Texas Music, Vol. 1: Postwar Blues Combos Vocals, Guitar, Guitar (Acoustic), Performer, Composer, Primary Artist
1994 Specialty Legends of Jump Blues, Vol. 1 Performer, Composer, Primary Artist
1994 Shout, Brother, Shout! Guitar
1994 Goin' in Your Direction Sonny Boy Williamson II Guest Artist, Guitar
1994 Classic Bluegrass Dave Evans Guest Artist, Mandolin
1993 Young & Able: Macy's Records Story Performer, Composer, Primary Artist
1993 Time for Love Bill Watrous Engineer
1993 The Godfather of Blues Lester Williams Primary Artist, Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Composer
1993 I Can't Lose with the Stuff I Use Lester Williams Primary Artist, Vocals, Guitar, Piano, Composer
1992 Que Paso? Little Joe y la Familia Mixing, Mezcla
1992 Grey Ghost Grey Ghost Composer
1992 Bone-Ified Bill Watrous Engineer
1991 Trumpet Masters, Vol. 5: From the Bottom Sonny Boy Williamson II Guitar
1991 Trumpet Masters, Vol. 4: Crazy 'Bout That Mess Guitar
1991 Trumpet Masters, Vol. 1: Lonesome World Blues Willie Love & His Three Aces Guitar
1991 Llevame Contigo Johnny Hernandez Engineer, Vocals (Background)
1989 Clownin' with the World Sonny Boy Williamson II Guitar
1989 Aunque Pasen Los Anos Little Joe y la Familia Engineer, Mixing
1986 Ambassador of the Blues B.B. King Composer
1981 Slingshot Michael Henderson Keyboards
1979 Face to Face The Dells Composer
1976 Gold Connection Harold Butler Trumpet
1975 Reggae Blast Off Byron Lee & the Dragonaires Trumpet
1974 Staircase to the Day Gravy Train Vocals, Bass
1973 Second Birth Gravy Train Vocals, Bass
1973 Bottom of the Top Phillip Walker Composer
1971 Groovin' Out on Life Hopeton Lewis Trumpet
1971 (A Ballad of) A Peaceful Man Gravy Train Vocals, Bass
1970 Oh, What a Night The Dells Composer
1970 Gravy Train Gravy Train Vocals, Bass
1964 Rock Me Baby [Kent] B.B. King Composer
1960 King of the Blues B.B. King Composer
When It Comes to Love Regi / Lester Williams Primary Artist, Vocals, Remix Engineer
Southern Bred: Texas R&B Rockers, Vol. 2 Primary Artist
Southern Bred: Texas R&B Rockers, Vol. 12 Composer, Primary Artist
Southern Bred: Texas R&B Rockers, Vol. 10 Composer, Primary Artist
Round Trip Round Trip Composer
Rhythm & Blues Classics Primary Artist
Ordinary Milo Meskens Composer
Onderweg Tourist LeMC Composer
Mary Lou Lester Williams Primary Artist
Let's Party Clarence Henry Primary Artist
Jookin: 27 Black Rock 'n' Roll Pounders Primary Artist
Honey [Live Uit Liefde Voor Muziek] The Starlings Composer
Hey Jack Lester Williams Primary Artist
Het Beste Uit: Liefde Voor Muziek The Starlings Composer
Grandes Temazos Acústicos Composer
Future Star Sins of Satan Vocals, Piano, Clavinet, Keyboards, Synthesizer, Vocals (Background), Organ (Hammond)
Essential Texas Blues [Not Now] Primary Artist
En Acústico Composer
De Wereld Draait Voor Mij [Uit Liefde Voor Muziek] Tourist LeMC Composer
Dance Hits 2018 Composer, Lyricist
Catch That Swingtrain Live: The Moulin Blues 2007 Recordings Electrophonics Composer
Blues, Blues Christmas Volume 2: 1926-1958 Composer, Primary Artist, Vocals
Blues With a Rhythm, Vol. 3: My Man's Coming Home Primary Artist
Blues Christmas Songs, Vol. 2 Composer, Primary Artist
Best of 2019 [2020] Composer
Acoustic Greatest Hits Composer
Acoustic Covers Composer
Acoustic Chill Music Composer

Similar To

Big Walter Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown Frankie Lee Sims Goree Carter Johnny Copeland Pee Wee Crayton

Collaborated With

Sonny Boy Williamson II