Don Williams dies at 78

Country singer, Don Williams, America’s award winning ballad meastro, has died.

Donald Ray Williams, according to a statement credited to his publicist, Kirt Webster, died on Friday, 8th September after a brief illness.

He was 78 years old.

Don Williams attained global fame for numerous hits including “I Believe in You,” ″Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good,” ″You’re My Best Friend,” ″Some Broken Hearts Never Mend,” ″Till the Rivers All Run Dry” and “Back in My Younger Days,” If I Needed You,  his  duet with Emmylou Harris which made the charts in 1981.

Williams recorded over seventeen (17) hits before retiring in 2016. His mellow sound influenced a later generation of singers including Joe Nichols and Josh Turner and Keith Urban has said Williams drew him to country music.

Born in Floydada, Texas, Williams began his solo career, singing popular ballads with smooth semibaritone voice in 1971. He won the Country Music Association’s awards for best male vocalist and best single for “Tulsa Time” in 1978 and was in 2010 inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Williams’ subtle voice, gentle delivery and storytelling technique earned him the name “The Gentle Giant”.

He will be sorely missed. May his soul rest in peace!