CHARADE
ANDY WILLIAMS
SONGWRITERS:
HENRY MANCINI
& JOHNNY
MERCER
COUNTRY: U. S.
A.
ALBUM: THE
COLLECTION
LABEL: SONY
MUSIC
STAMP: MÉLODIE
GENRE: POP
YEAR: 2005
Howard Andrew Williams (December 3, 1927 –
September 25, 2012) was an American singer. He recorded 43 albums in his
career, of which 15 have been gold-certified and 3 platinum-certified. He was
also nominated for six Grammy Awards.
He hosted The
Andy Williams Show, a television variety show, from
1962 to 1971, and numerous TV specials. The Andy Williams Show won three Emmy
awards. The Moon River Theatre in Branson,
Missouri, is named after the song for which he is
best known—Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini's
"Moon River".
He sold more than 100 million records worldwide, including more than 10 million
certified units in the United States.
Williams
was active in the music industry for over 70 years until his death in 2012.
Williams was born in Wall Lake, Iowa,
to Florence (née Finley) and Jay Emerson Williams, who worked in insurance and
the post office. While living in Cheviot,
Ohio, Williams attended Western Hills High School in Cincinnati, Ohio.
He finished high school at University High School,
in West Los Angeles,
because of his family's move to California.
When we played our
charade
We were like children posing
Playing at games, acting out names
Guessing the parts we played
Oh what a hit we made
We came on next to closing
Best on the bill, lovers until
Love left the masquerade
Fate seemed to pull
the strings
I turned and you were gone
While from the darkened wings
The music box played on
Sad little serenade
Song of my heart's composing
I hear it still, I always will
Best on the bill, charade.