Damn Don Williams has passed

[Va Lefty]

Sadly wishing you safe passage

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/don-williams-country-dead-78_us_59b30c38e4b0dfaafcf80957?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009

[shenmue]

1. Rest in peace

[voteearlyvoteoften]

2. Always loved his music

RIP

[Miles Archer]

3. My Don Williams story

This is from the late 70s or early 80s.

He was performing at the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, CA. My brother in law and I were hanging out at the Howard Johnson's in Redwood City, adjacent to the freeway onramps / offramps. They had a bar...entertainers from the Circle Star as well as many professional athletes used to show up there.

As we're sitting there nursing our free coffee refills, Don emerged from the bar with two blonde women, one on each arm. They were dressed full country...think a slightly toned-down Dolly Parton look. As Don got a couple of tables away from us, and older couple looked up and smiled at him. The wife gave him some kind of greeting like "Hi Don, we love your music"...

...and without unhooking either of the women from his arm, he reached up, bowed his head slightly, tipped his hat and in a soft voice said "Thank you, M'am," and Don and his entourage proceeded to the cash register.

I thought it was so cool, so "country gentlemanly," so understated, so Don.

I collected a few of his albums after that. Always thought he was cool. Still do. R.I.P., Don.

[GoCubsGo]

4. :-(

[teezy]

5. Really sad about this.

My mother tells me she used to play his music when she was pregnant with me. He was a constant figure in my childhood. My parents listened to him all the time and I grew up with his music. All my life I turned to Don Williams when I needed a little comfort or wanted to reflect on old memories. Every time my parents had friends over and would have a few drinks, Don Williams was blasted over the stereo. When they owned a restaurant on Lake Superior in Northern Ontario, they would pop his cassette in after they closed for the day and clean the place while his gentle bellowing voice lulled through the speakers. He has always been one of my favourite musicians - albeit polar opposite of everything else I listen to.

This news tonight brought a tear to my eye. My lifelong favourite DW song is "Good Old Boys Like Me." Always made me emotional and now it'll make me cry. What a bummer.

[Tanuki]

7. That is a fantastic, deeply evocative song (written by Bob McDill)

[Tanuki]

6. One of the great ones

https://m.

[Paka]

8. Such a soothing beautiful voice.

We lose all the good ones.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

9. For some reason, I couldn't make the connection about who Don Williams was.

Then I saw that a video of "I Believe in Love" was posted over in the V&M Forum. I am watching it now.

Of course, that guy. It's such a lovely song.

Thanks for posting.

[flygal]

11. I don't believe that heaven waits, for only those who congregate...

He had some great lyrics.

"I'm just a country boy, money have I none
but I've got silver in the sky, gold in the morning sun"

rest in peace gentle giant.

[lillypaddle]

10. The "Gentle Giant"

RIP

[fishwax]

12. man, that voice

I loved his music, though it's not my preferred genre. My parents listened to him all the time. Never had a road trip as a kid without some Don Williams playing in the pickup at some point. He was my dad's favorite singer, and at his best my dad had a soothing and gentle voice like that.