The Soulful Songbird - Deniece Williams
November 27, 2008 by admin
Filed under Featured Artists
Deniece Williams is a renowned and highly acknowledged songwriter, singer and record producer. She has also won a Grammy Award and was quite successful between 1970 to 1980.She was born on 4th June 1950 in Gary, Indiana and is a successful soul, R&B and Gospel singer. She has worked with labels like Columbia Records and American Recording Company.
Deniece began her career as a backup vocalist in 1970 when she sang for Stevie Wonder along Minnie Ripperton a famous soul music singer. She soon left Wonder and tied up with Maurice White who was the producer and leader for Earth Wind & Fire. She released her debut album “This Is Niecy” in 1976 after signing with Columbia Records.
The album gave the hit single “Free” which reached No1 on the British Singles chart, No 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No 2 on the Black Singles chart. “The hit single “Cause You Love Me Baby” from the album also did well on the R&B chart. Another Hit Single That’s What Friends Are For” was again a hit on the R&B chart. Deniece shared “Too Much, Too Little, Too Late” with Johnny Mathis as the No1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1978. This duet topped the Adult Contemporary Chart and Black Singles. Later Deniece saw her release “I’ve Got The Next Dance” top the dance charts.
After this Deniece shifted to American Recording Company and gave the top ten R&B hit “Silly”. Another hit “It’s Gonna Take a Miracle” rocked the charts when Deniece came out with it along Thom Bell who helped her with this hit and it reached No 10 on the Top 10 pop hit. Deniece gave “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” in 1984 which again rocked the charts and reached No 1 on the Billboard Hit 100. It also got featured in the soundtrack “Footloose”.
Williams gave several hit albums in the 1980’s which included “Hot On The Trail” in 1986, “Water Under the Bridge” in 1987 and “As Good As It Gets” in 1988. The last album included the hit single “I Can’t Wait”. From 1996 to 2004 she presented on her show in the UK on BBC radio and presented the best inspirational and gospel music.
Deniece is well known for her birdlike voice and her four-octave range makes her a great singer.
Deniece released her latest album “Love, Niecy Style” on 24th April 2007 which went on No 41 on the Billboard R&B chart. She released the gospel recording “Grateful-The Redication” in October 2007 and this song reached No 40 on Billboard Adult R&B Singles chart.
Her Grammy Nominations include “Healing” in 1990 where she was nominated for the Best Female Gospel Performance, “We Sing Praises” in 1990 which was nominated for the Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group, “Do You What I Hear” in 1989 which was nominated for the Best Female Gospel Performance, “So Glad I Know” in 1987 which was nominated for the Best Female Gospel Performance, “Whiter Than Snow” in 1985 which was nominated for Best Inspirational Performance, “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” in 1985 which was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance to name a few.
She also won the Grammy Award for “This Is My Song” for The Best Pop/ Contemporary Gospel Album in 1999, “I Believe In You” for the Best Female Gospel Performance in 1988, “They Say” for the Best Duo or Group Gospel Performance in 1987 and “I Surrender All” in 1987.
She has a vast experience and has much music to her score.
TJ Grooves
Rare Soul Grooves & Soul Music TV
Yes, I remember Let’s Hear it for the Boy, and sadly, yes, I do remember it from Footloose! And her duet with Johnny Mathis was fabulous. I am not surprised to hear she has a four-octave range. It’s great to hear about someone of her talent and skill doing well - I can’t imagine how she ended up on British radio, but she sounds like a hard-working lady so all power to her.
Maybe he’s no Romeo,
But he’s my love and one man show.
Whoawhoawhoawhoa
Let’s hear it for the boy.
The great Deneice Williams - started out alongside Stevie Wonder and Earth Wind and Fire - wow! What a start in a career.
Yeah 1970 to 1980 was the best phase of her career, possibly of her life as well. She had some of the greatest hits at that time. Prestigious record names like American Recording Company and Columbia Records are not something you can ignore. She deserved working with high profile labels.
Tying up with Maurice White, was a significant career move for Deniece> she did the right thing by leaving Wonder, other wise she would have never seen success in her career. “This Is Niecy”, her first album really proved to the world that she was someone who could not be left unnoticed.
She sings like a nightingale! That sounds like a very silly comparison for a singer like Deniece Williams. However, it is true that her voice has a bird-like quality and it really has a soothing effect on her listeners. That is one of the reasons that makes her so popular.
And you must remember this:
Too much, too little, too late to lie again with you
Too much, too little, too late to try again with you
We’re in the middle of ending something that we knew
That song came out around the time my best friend was splitting up with her husband - and it was just too true! Deneice was spot on!
Apparently, on April 29 this year Deneice 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 centre with classes and programmes dedicated to education and the performing arts. I hope this project got off the ground.
Deniece Williams has a four-octave range and distinctive soprano voice that has often been described as birdlike and angelic.
Williams mounted a spectacular vocal display in which her penetrating, feline soprano and she worked various vowel sounds into prolonged feats of vocal gymnastics.
The distinctive-sounding soprano singing backup for James Taylor in his song, “That’s Why I’m Here” is Williams’.
She sings “Dance Site”, a translated version of their 8th single, “Koi no Dance Site”.
I think her fans love her especially for her bird like voice. With her four-octave range, she really sings like magic and the effect is wonderful. Her latest album “Love, Niecy Style” was great. I bought a copy and I really admire all her songs. All her fans should possess a copy of the album.
Saw her on TOTP performing Free and she was singing like a blue jay, all dressed in blue satin! Introduced by the master of uncool Tony Blackburn. But you gotta admire her sassy style - I’ve been a fan ever since.
If you are a young black female and ever need an anthem, Deneicy has it. Black Butterfly.
“Black Butterfly, Sail across the waters, tell your sons and daughters,
what the struggle brings
Black Butterfly, set the skies on fire
rise up even higher
so the ageless winds of time can catch your wings”
Fantastic.
“Let’s Hear It for the Boy” takes me back to those years when things were light and fun and oh-so-sexy. I’m talking about Kevin Bacon. I hold backup singers in high regard and I think that it’s only a matter of time before they break through on their own.
Earth, Wind and Fire trusted her. So did Stevie Wonder and Rolling Stones. And she didn’t let them down. In fact, she proved all her detractors wrong. Deniece was darn successful. My fave of all time, “That’s What Friends Are For.”
‘Black Butterfly’ is simply delicious. She does gospel best. Her soaring rich vocals warms your heart like no other songstress can. She was under the tutelage of the greats….and she is now one of the greats herself. Tremendous achievement.
I remember my mom listening to Deniece Williams and I loved it then…as much as I love it now. Thank you raresoulgrooves for bringing it all back. My mom was a lounge singer and she sung “I Can’t Wait” and “Whiter Than Snow.”
She’s a 4-Time Grammy Award Winner! Amazing voice…it has a silky quality to it. In an interview, I read that she would be participating in writing film, television and theater projects. I can’t wait.
In the early 1990’s, Deniece worked on a children’s CD and book entitled “Lullabies to Dreamland”. I say that if it’s for the children, it’s God-sent. This woman is too. She has a huge heart and my family and I love her for it.
Deniece has plenty of duets with the endearing Johnny Mathis where her distinctive soprano blends perfectly with Mathis’ own operatic voice. Her upper register is so high, I doubt that even Mariah Carey or Christina Aguilera can reach those notes with confidence.
Did you know that she helped write Barack Obama’s anthem entitled ‘”A Change We Can Believe In”? She’s a genius. And as I’m a strong supporter of Obama, I love her even more. She sang her own version of the song though. This time, displaying her R&B and gospel influences.
Deniece wasn’t just a common backup singer, she was the best. A bit of trivia…if you listen closely, she sang the high notes to Minnie Riperton’s “Every Time He Comes Around” and James Taylor’s “That’s Why I’m Here”.
She’s a 1970’s icon whose career flourishes up to this day. She’s one of the very few in Hollywood who is adept at vocal acrobatics. More than that however, she has passion in her voice.
Stevie Wonder really had the pick of backing singers, didn’t he? Deneiece Williams had a four octave range and Minnie Rippertons range was about five and a half octaves. These ladies were clearly stars in their own right and I’m glad they made careers for themselves.