Deniece "Niecy" Williams
is a Grammy Award-winning American singer, songwriter and record producer who achieved success in the 1970s and 1980s. Williams, whose music has been influenced by pop, soul, gospel, R&B and dance, is known for her hits such as "Let's Hear It for the Boy", "It's Gonna Take a Miracle", and for her many vocal duets with Johnny Mathis.
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DENIECE WILLIAMS TICKETS
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Career
Williams' career began in the 1970s when she became a
backup vocalist for
Stevie Wonder as part of "Wonderlove", along with
Minnie Riperton and
Syreeta Wright.
She left Wonder in 1975 and teamed up with producer
Maurice White of
Earth, Wind & Fire and after signing to
Columbia Records, her 1976 debut album entitled
This Is Niecy
was released. The single "
Free" reached #2 on the
Black Singles chart, #25 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #1 on the British Singles chart. The album also featured "Cause You Love Me Baby" (which charted separately on the R&B chart as the flip side of "Free") and "That's What Friends Are For". She also shared a #1 hit on the
Billboard Hot 100 chart with pop singer
Johnny Mathis in 1978 with the duet "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late". The duet also topped the Black Singles and Adult Contemporary charts. Williams also topped the dance charts with her disco single "
I've Got the Next Dance". Mathis and Williams also recorded the popular theme to the 1980s sitcom
Family Ties
, "Without Us".
Williams moved on to the
American Recording Company (ARC) in the early 1980s where she scored the top ten R&B smash hit "Silly." in 1981. The following year, famed producer
Thom Bell helped Williams score another #1 R&B chart-topper with her remake of
The Royalettes' "
It's Gonna Take a Miracle", which became a Top 10 pop hit as well, reaching #10. In 1984, Williams released the album
Let's Hear It for the Boy
, in which the title track reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was featured on the
soundtrack to
Footloose
.
Williams continued releasing
albums during the 1980s such as
Hot On The Trail
(1986),
Water Under The Bridge
(1987), and
As Good As It Gets
(1988), which featured her last Top Ten hit to date, "I Can't Wait", written by Skylark. However, in part due to a lack of promotion from her
record company, her mainstream popularity faded.
From 1996 to 2004, Williams presented her own
BBC radio show in the
UK, showcasing the best in new
gospel and inspirational music.
Denise (not Deniece) Williams
Contrary to a widespread belief, Williams is not the mother of
hip-hop and R&B
producer Phalon "Jazze Pha" Alexander. Alexander's mother is a different woman (also a singer) named Denise Williams.
[1] [2]
Vocal profile
Deniece Williams has a four-octave range and distinctive soprano voice. Her vocal range was also pointed out by
The New York Times
, "Miss Williams mounted a spectacular vocal display in which her penetrating, feline
soprano soared effortlessly to E flat above high C, and she worked various vowel sounds into prolonged feats of vocal gymnastics".
[3]
In pointing to Williams's similar vocal ability as her former musical icon and colleague (
Minnie Riperton), Mark Anthony Neal in referencing
Jill Scott's agility in displaying vocal acrobatics, states, "Scott draws on her upper register recalling the artistry of the late "songbird" Minnie Riperton and Deniece Williams".
[4] According to Monica Haynes of Post-Gazette.com, Williams
"has the kind of range that would make Mariah Carey quiver"
.
[5]
Current Projects
In December 2005, Deniece Williams appeared on the reality-dating show
Elimidate
as part of their "Celebrity Week". Other participants included fellow 1970s icons
Leif Garrett and
Jimmie Walker.
After more than a decade Williams' new R&B album, titled
Love, Niecy Style
, was released on April 24, 2007 on Shanachie Records. The disc was produced by veteran "Sound of Philly" man Bobby Eli. It has received positive review from
Starpulse [6], soultracks.com,
[7] and
Jet
. The disc charted at #41 on Billboard R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart.
Williams returned to Gospel music, charting again in October 2007. The song, "Grateful-The Redication", recorded with Wanda Vaughn of
The Emotions and Sherree Brown debuted at #40 debut on the Billboard Adult R&B Singles chart. This was Williams' first entry on the singles chart since 1989.
On April 29, 2008 Williams announced that she is preparing a proposal to establish a program called KOP—Kids of Promise—in her hometown of
Gary, Indiana. Williams said the program will include a center with classes and programs dedicated to education and the performing arts.
[8]
On August 27, 2008 a new song/video entitled "
One Kiss"
was posted on
YouTube. The song is produced by the Haven Media Group and the video directed by noted director Dabling Harward (Idlewild, When We Were Kings). Also posted on same date was an inspirational
Barack Obama anthem entitled '"A Change We Can Believe In"' . The song is written by Williams, percussionist Jerry Peters and songwriter
Harvey Mason. To date there are three versions of "A Change We Can Believe In," a "universal" version which features a 160-voice chorus (currently being viewed); a second R&B/Gospel-infused version featuring Williams on lead vocal; and the final, orchestral/instrumental arrangement for a variety of post-production applications.
Discography
Grammy Awards
The
Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the
National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Deniece Williams has received 4 awards out of 12 nominations.
| Year
| Nominated work
| Award
| Result
|
| 1983
| "It's Gonna Take a Miracle"
| Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
| Nominated
|
| 1984
| "I'm So Proud"
| Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
| Nominated
|
| 1985
| "Let's Hear It for the Boy"
| Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
| Nominated
|
| Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
| Nominated
|
| "Whiter Than Snow"
| Best Inspirational Performance
| Nominated
|
| 1987
| "So Glad I Know"
| Best Female Gospel Performance
| Nominated
|
| "I Surrender All"
| Best Female Soul Gospel Performance
| Won
|
| "They Say"
| Best Duo or Group Gospel Performance
| Won
|
| 1988
| | Best Female Gospel Performance
| Won
|
| 1989
| | Best Female Gospel Performance
| Won
|
| 1990
| | Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group
| Nominated
|
| "Healing"
| Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album
Best Female Gospel Performance
| Nominated
|
| 1999
| "This Is My Song"
| Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album
| Won
|
References
-
Let's Hear It For The Girl, April 14, 2007, ''Billboard''
- Urban Network.com
- Pop-Soul: Deniece Williams In Concert, ''New York Times''
- Jill Scott review in comparison with Deniece Williams
- Music Review: Time just can't stop energized O'Jays train
- Deniece Williams Returns After A Decade With 'Love, Niecy Style,' Out April 24 - Starpulse Entertainment News Blog
- Williams' SoulTracks - Soul Music Bio
- Kids of Promise