Roger Williams (born Louis Jacob Weertz; October 1, 1924 – October 8, 2011) was an American popular music pianist. Described by the Los Angeles Times as "one of the most popular instrumentalists of the mid-20th century", and "the rare instrumental pop artist to strike a lasting commercial chord," Williams had 22 hit singlesincluding the chart-topping "Autumn Leaves" in 1955 and "Born Free" in 1966and 38 hit albums between 1955 and 1972.
He was a Navy boxing champion, played for nine U.S. Presidential administrations, and had a gold Steinway & Sons grand piano model named in his honor. In 1966 he had another Top Ten hit with the song "Born Free" from the motion picture soundtrack. His other hits include "Near You", "Till", "The Impossible Dream", "Yellow Bird", "Maria", and "The Theme from Somewhere in Time" which was part of the film's music score. Billboard magazine ranks him as the top-selling piano recording artist in history, with 21 gold and platinum albums to his credit. Williams was known as the "Pianist to the Presidents", having played for nine US Presidential administrations, beginning with Harry S. Truman – who requested Bach and Ravel, then played his own version of the Chopin waltz. This grand piano was on tour for public display and entertainment during 2007–2008. In 2010, Williams was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.
Williams' music was in movie soundtracks: More Than a Miracle (1967), Somewhere in Time (1980), Untamed Heart ("Nature Boy") (1993), Reckless and ("O Little Town of Bethlehem") (both 1995). He performed his hit song Born Free for the 1967 Oscars "Best Original - Song / Music Score."
Williams developed his caring attitude towards his public from a boyhood experience in Des Moines, Iowa. After a piano concert by Ignacy Jan Paderewski, he waited for 45 minutes outside in cold weather to meet Paderewski. When the pianist finally appeared, it was to rush to a waiting automobile. Williams was upset.
<blockquote>I didn't even get near enough to touch him or get an autograph. It was then and there that I resolved that if ever I became famous I would never disappoint anyone who wanted to talk to me.</blockquote>
Williams claimed to know 10,000 songs by heart and often took requests. Of his talent, he said: “I know I was given a gift, and once in a while I go to church and say, ‘Hey, thanks.’ I play my religion through my fingers.”
Singles discography
{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Title
! colspan="3"| Chart positions
|-
! width="60"| <small>US</small>
! width="60"| <small>CB</small>
! width="60"| <small>US – AC</small>
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1955
| align="left"| "Autumn Leaves"
| 1
| 1
|
|-
| align="left"| "Wanting You"
| 38
| 41
|
|-
| rowspan="5"| 1956
| align="left"| "La Mer (Beyond the Sea)"
| 37
| 42
|
|-
| align="left"| "Hi-lili Hi-lo"
| 85
| 41
|
|-
| align="left"| "Tumbling Tumbleweeds"
| 60
| 34
|
|-
| align="left"| "Two Different Worlds"<small>with Jane Morgan</small>
| 41
| 22
|
|-
| align="left"| "Anastasia"
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="3"| 1957
| align="left"| "Almost Paradise"
| 15
| 16
|
|-
| align="left"| "Moonlight Love"
|
| 54
|
|-
| align="left"| "Till"
| 22
| 24
|
|-
| rowspan="4"| 1958
| align="left"| "Arrivederci, Roma"
| 55
| 32
|
|-
| align="left"| "Young Warm and Wonderful"
|
| 31
|
|-
| align="left"| "Near You"
| 10
| 12
|
|-
| align="left"| "The World Outside"
| 71
| 25
|
|-
| rowspan="5"|1959
| align="left"| "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"
|
|
|
|-
| align="left"| "Winter Wonderland"
|
|
|
|-
| align="left"| "Dearer Than Dear"
|
|
|
|-
| align="left"| "Mockin' Bird Hill"
|
|
|
|-
| align="left"| "Sunrise Serenade"
| 106
| 119
|
|-
| rowspan="3"| 1960
| align="left"| "La Montana"
| 98
| 62
|
|-
| align="left"| "Riviera Concerto"
|
|
|
|-
| align="left"| "Temptation"
| 56
| 72
|
|-
| rowspan="6"| 1961
| align="left"| "Marie, Marie"
|
| 108
|
|-
| align="left"| "A Lover's Symphony"
|
|
|
|-
| align="left"| "Yellow Bird"
|
|
|
|-
| align="left"| "Clair De Lune (Moonlight Love)"
|
|
|
|-
| align="left"| "Maria"
| 48
| 40
| 11
|-
| align="left"| "Santa Claus-Santa Claus"
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="5"|1962
| align="left"| "Intermezzo"
|
|
|
|-
| align="left"| "Amor"
| 88
| 89
| 16
|-
| align="left"| "On Top of Old Smokey"<br><small>(with The Lincolns and Rich Dehr)</small>
|
|
|
|-
| align="left"| "Niagara Theme"
|
|
|
|-
| align="left"| "Theme From 'Mutiny on the Bounty'"
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="6"| 1963
| align="left"| "Cold, Cold Heart"
|
|
|
|-
| align="left"| "Theme From 'Ben Casey'"
|
|
|
|-
| align="left"| "On the Trail"
| 113
| 140
|
|-
| align="left"| "Janie Is Her Name"
|
| 118
|
|-
| align="left"| "Look Again"
|
| 127
|
|-
| align="left"| "Theme from 'The Cardinal'"
| 109
| 120
|
|-
| rowspan="3"|1964
| align="left"| "Felicia"
|
|
|
|-
| align="left"| "This Is My Prayer"
|
|
|
|-
| align="left"| "Whistl'n"
|
| 140
|
|-
| rowspan="5"| 1965
| align="left"| "Vaya con Dios"
|
|
|
|-
| align="left"| "High Noon"
|
|
|
|-
| align="left"| "Try to Remember"
| 97
| 97
|
|-
| align="left"| "Summer Wind"
| 109
| 97
| 20
|-
| align="left"| "Autumn Leaves '65"
| 92
| 110
| 10
|-
| rowspan="2"| 1966
| align="left"| "Lara's Theme"
| 65
| 90
| 5
|-
| align="left"| "Born Free"
| 7
| 7
| 1
|-
| rowspan="3"| 1967
| align="left"| "Sunrise, Sunset"
| 84
| 65
| 5
|-
| align="left"| "Love Me Forever"
| 60
| 63
| 3
|-
| align="left"| "More Than a Miracle"
| 108
| 100
| 2
|-
| rowspan="4"| 1968
| align="left"| "The Spinning Song"
|
|
|
|-
| align="left"| "The Impossible Dream"
| 55
| 52
| 5
|-
| align="left"| "If You Go"
|
|
| 37
|-
| align="left"| "Only for Lovers"
| 119
| 123
| 31
|-
| rowspan="4"| 1969
| align="left"| "Love Theme From 'La Strada'"
|
| 122
|
|-
| align="left"| "White Christmas"
|
|
|
|-
| align="left"| "Galveston"
| 99
| 99
| 21
|-
| align="left"| "Fill the World with Love"
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="3"|1970
| align="left"| "Song From 'M*A*S*H' (Suicide Is Painless)"
|
|
|
|-
| align="left"| "Butterflies"<br><small>(By Laura and Roger Williams)</small>
|
|
|
|-
| align="left"| "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="3"|1971
| align="left"| "Theme From 'Love Story'"
|
|
|
|-
| align="left"| "Theme from Summer of '42 (The Summer Knows)"
|
| 118
|
|-
| align="left"| "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart"
|
|
|
|-
| rowspan="2"|1972
| align="left"| "Lady Sings The Blues"
|
|
|
|-
| align="left"| "Love Theme From 'The Godfather'"
| 116
| 115
|
|-
| 1974
| align="left"| "Theme From 'Murder on the Orient Express'"
|
|
|
|-
| 1975
| align="left"| "Theme From 'Rollerball'"
|
|
|
|-
| 1976
| align="left"| "Cast Your Fate to the Wind"
|
|
| 39
|-
| rowspan="2"|1977
| align="left"| "Main Theme from King Kong"
|
|
| 32
|-
| align="left"| "Theme From 'Airport 77'"
|
|
|
|-
| 1980
| align="left"| "Somewhere in Time"
|
|
|
|-
|}
Discography
- The Boy Next Door (Kapp KL-1003) – 1957
- It's a Big Wide Wonderful World (Kapp KL-1008) – 1958
- Roger Williams with Orchestra (Kapp KL-1012) – 1955
- Daydreams (Kapp KL-1031) – 1955
- Roger Williams Plays the Wonderful Music of the Masters (Kapp KL-1040) – 1956
- Roger Williams Plays Christmas Songs (Kapp KL-1042) – 1956
- Roger Williams Plays Beautiful Waltzes (Kapp KL-1062, KS-3000) – 1957
- Almost Paradise (Kapp KL-1063) – 1957
- Songs of the Fabulous Fifties (Kapp KXL-5000) (2-record set) – 1957
- Songs of the Fabulous Forties (Kapp KXL-5003) (2-record set) – 1957
- Songs of the Fabulous Century (Kapp KXL-5005) (2-record set) – 1958
- Till (Kapp KL-1081) – 1958
- Roger Williams Plays Gershwin (Kapp KL-1088) – 1958
- Near You (Kapp KL-1112) – 1959
- More Songs of the Fabulous Fifties (Kapp KL-1130, KS-3013) – 1959
- With These Hands (Kapp KL-1147, KS-3030) – 1959
- Christmas Time (Kapp KL-1164, KS-3048, MCA-536, MCA-15005) – 1959
- Always – Melodies That Will Live Forever (Kapp KL-1172, KS-3056) – 1960
- Songs of the Fabulous Forties – Part 1 (Kapp KL-1207, KS-3207) – 1960
- Songs of the Fabulous Forties – Part 2 (Kapp KL-1208, KS-3208) – 1960
- Songs of the Fabulous Fifties – Part 1 (Kapp KL-1209, KS-3209) – 1960
- Songs of the Fabulous Fifties – Part 2 (Kapp KL-1210, KS-3210) – 1960
- Songs of the Fabulous Century – Part 1 (Kapp KL-1211, KS-3211) – 1960
- Songs of the Fabulous Century – Part 2 (Kapp KL-1212, KS-3212) – 1960
- Temptation (Kapp KL-1217, KS-3217) – 1960
- Roger Williams Invites You to Dance (Kapp KL-1222, KS-3222) – 1961
- Yellow Bird (Kapp KL-1244, KS-3244) – 1961
- Songs of the Soaring '60s – Vol. 1 (Kapp KL-1251, KS-3251) – 1961
- Roger Williams at Town Hall (Kapp KXL-5008) (2-record set) – 1961
- Greatest Hits (Kapp KL-1260, KS-3260) – 1962
- Maria (Kapp KL-1266, KS-3266) – 1962
- Mr. Piano (Kapp KL-1290, KS-3290) – 1962
- Country Style (Kapp KL-1305) – 1963
- For You (Kapp KL-1336, KS-3336) – 1963
- The Solid Gold Steinway (Kapp KL-1354, KS-3354) – 1964
- By Special Request (Kapp KL-3. KS-3) – 1964
- Roger Williams Family Album of Hymns (Kapp KS-3395)
- Academy Award Winners (Kapp KL-1406, KL-3406) – 1964
- Roger Williams Plays the Hits (Kapp KL-1414, KS-3414) – 1965
- Summer Wind and Your Special Requests (Kapp KL-1434, KS-3434) – 1965
- Autumn Leaves – 1965 (Kapp KL-1452, KS-3452) – 1965
- I'll Remember You (Kapp KL-1470, KS-3470) – 1967
- Somewhere My Love (Kapp KS-3470) – 1967
- Academy Award Winners – Vol. 2 (Kapp KL-1483)
- Born Free (Kapp KL-1501, KS-3501, KTL-3501) – 1966
- Roger! (Kapp KL-1512, KS-3512) – 1967
- Golden Hits (Kapp KL-1530, KS-3530) – 1967
- By Special Request – Vol. 2 (Kapp KL-4, KS-4) – 1967
- Amor (Kapp KS-3549) – 1968
- The Impossible Dream (Kapp KS-3550) – 1968
- More Than a Miracle (Kapp KS-3550)
- Only for Lovers (Kapp KS-3565) – 1968
- Happy Heart (Kapp KS-3595) – 1969
- The Piano Magic of Roger Williams (Columbia Musical Treasuries P2S-5306, P3S-5314) – 1969
- Roger Williams Plays Love Theme from Romeo & Juliet and Other Great Movie Themes (Kapp KS-3610, L3610)
- Themes from Great Movies (Kapp KS-3629) – 1970
- Golden Hits – Vol. 2 (Kapp KS-3638) – 1970
- Magic Moods – Roger Williams/Bert Kaempfert (MCA Special Markets DL-734729) – 1970
- Love Story (Kapp KS-3645) – 1971
- Summer of '42 (The Summer Knows) (Kapp KS-3650) – 1971
- Twilight Themes: 10 All-Time Favorites (Longines Symphonette Society – SYS5329, LS206C, LWS 640) – 1971
- Love Theme from "The Godfather" (Kapp KS-3665) – 1972
- Play Me: Love Themes from "Lady Sings the Blues" (Kapp KS-3671) – 1972
- The Roger Williams Showcase (Kapp KW-900)
- Roger Williams (MCA-324) – 1973
- Roger Williams Live (MCA-378) – 1973
- The Way We Were (MCA-403) – 1974
- I Honestly Love You (MCA-438) – 1975
- Virtuoso (MCA-2175) – 1976
- Nadia's Theme (MCA-2237) – 1976
- The Best of Roger Williams (MCA2-4106, RCA Music Service R-243835) (2-record set) – 1976
- Evergreen (MCA-2279) – 1977
- Autumn Leaves: The Best of Roger Williams (Reader's Digest RDA-187) (8-record set) – 1979
- Golden Christmas (Holiday HDY-1927) – 1981
- Ivory Impact (Bainbridge BT-8002) – 1982
- 1970's (MCA2-4180) – 1983
- The Best of the Beautiful (MCAD-5571) – 1985
- To Amadeus with Love (MCAD-5574) – 1985
- Somewhere in Time (Bainbridge BT-6265) – 1986
- Today, My Way (Priority (Capitol) Records SL9323) – 1986
- The Great Love Songs (MCA Special Products 15074) (3-CD set) – 1993
- Golden Christmas (Special Music Company SCD-4607) – 1993
- Sunrise Sunset (MCA, Pickwick SPC-3511)
- Spanish Eyes (MCA, Pickwick SPC-3367)
- Roger Williams & Ferrante and Teicher (Metro M-484)
- Born Free ... and Other Great Romantic Melodies (Longines Symphonette Society LS 206-A) (5-record box set)
References
External links
- Text of resolution of Iowa legislature honoring Roger Williams
- Roger Williams page on Nebraska Music Hall of Fame site
- Roger Williams Interview at NAMM Oral History Collection (2006)