Known for No. 1 hits such as “Tulsa Time” and “Some Broken Hearts Never Mend”, Don Williams’ warm baritone and straightforward lyrics served him well throughout his 60-plus years in country music. From 1974 to 1991, he didn’t go one year without a major country music hit. Ten years ago on this day (March 1, 2016), Williams finally hung it up for good after 50 Top 20 hits—45 of which cracked the Top 10, with 17 of those climbing all the way to No. 1.
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Announcing his retirement, Williams said, “It’s time to hang my hat up and enjoy some quiet time at home. I’m so thankful for my fans, my friends and my family for their everlasting love and support.”
It wasn’t Williams’ first official retirement announcement. In 2006, he stepped away from the stage after embarking on one final international tour. However, that one didn’t stick, and Williams ended up releasing two more albums: And So It Goes (2012) and 2014’s Reflections.
[RELATED: 4 Don Williams Songs That Have Already Stood the Test of Time]
This time, though, the “Gentle Giant” walked away for good, canceling all scheduled shows. On Sept. 8, 2017, Don Williams died of emphysema in Mobile, Alabama. He was 78 years old.
A Look at Don Williams’ Life and Career
Many of Don Williams’ songs ran counter to the tales of infidelity that became a hallmark of 1950 and ’60s honky-tonk music. For example, on his 1976 No. 1 hit “Till the Rivers All Run Dry,” he sang, Till the rivers all run dry / Till the sun falls from the sky / Till life on earth is through / I’ll be needing you.
In that regard, Williams practiced what he preached, marrying Joy Janene Bucher in April 1960.
Born May 27, 1939, in Floydada, Texas, Don Williams eventually settled with his family in Portland, Texas, on the Gulf Coast. In 1964, after serving in the U.S. Army, he formed the Pozo-Seco Singers, a folk-pop trio, in Corpus Christi.
After several albums and two top 40 hits, the group split up, and Williams moved to Nashville in the early 1970s. Releasing his debut album, Don Williams Volume One, in 1973, his solo career took off. Recording more than 40 albums, only four of his 46 singles failed to reach the top 10 between 1974 and 1991.
Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2010, Don Williams’ song “Tulsa Time” won the ACM Award for Single of the Year in 1979. He also won two CMA Awards, including 1978’s Male Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year in 1981 for I Believe in You.
Featured image by Erika Goldring/WireImage
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