Andre Williams (American R&B singer and songwriter)

Career and musical style

Williams' recordings of the 1950s and 1960s combined elements of blues, early soul and rhythm and blues. Backed by small combos that emphasized strong backbeats and prominent horns, his singles such as "Bacon Fat" (1957), "Jail Bait," "Greasy Chicken" and later "Cadillac Jack" (1966) found audiences for their energetic performances and memorable hooks. His rendering of the dance tune often associated with him, "Shake a Tail Feather," also contributed to his reputation as a performer whose records were meant to move listeners on the floor.

Development and later work

After his initial commercial successes, Williams continued to record and perform across subsequent decades. Like many artists who began on independent labels, his career had periods of lesser visibility followed by renewed interest from collectors, reissue programs and live festival circuits. In later years he appeared on stage with a variety of bands and musicians, and his work was reissued and anthologized for new audiences.

Legacy and recognition

Enthusiasts and historians cite Williams for his candid vocal persona and his role in the transition from jump blues into soul and rock-influenced styles. His often-humorous narratives and unvarnished delivery have been noted as influential on later performers who drew on gritty vocal character and storytelling. In recognition of his impact on the local scene, he was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame in 2012.

Williams died in Chicago, Illinois, on March 17, 2019, after a battle with colorectal cancer. He was 82. His recorded catalogue remains a point of reference for students of mid-20th-century American R&B and the independent-record company culture that shaped much popular music of the era.

Selected recordings

• "Bacon Fat" (1957) — one of his best-known early singles
• "Jail Bait" — noted for its narrative lyric and memorable hook
• "Greasy Chicken" — a playful, dance-oriented track
• "Cadillac Jack" (1966) — example of his later single releases
• "Shake a Tail Feather" — dance number long associated with his performances

For more on Williams' recordings, career chronology and reissue history, see specialist sources and label discographies that document Fortune Records and other independent companies that released his work.