Joe Williams, a smooth baritone and the last great singer of big-band music, was a charismatic performer who graced the Count Basie Orchestra in the 1950s. He also captivated audiences into the ’90s. He was born in Georgia and moved to Chicago at three years old with his grandmother. He was reunited with his grandmother, who taught him how to play the piano and took the youngster to the symphony. Williams started performing at social events as a teenager despite the fact that he had tuberculosis. He also formed his own gospel vocal group, the Jubilee Boys. He was able to make the transition from the Chicago club scene by the end of his ’30s and performed with orchestras that included Les Hite and Jimmie Noone during the late 1930s. He performed with Coleman Hawkins during the early 1940s, as well as with Lionel Hampton and Andy Kirk.
