Carol Williams

In 1976 Carol Williams broke through by delivering a dance rendition of Kai Winding’s 1963 success “More,” the theme from the film Mondo Cane. At that early stage of disco’s commercial ascent, the Montclaire, NJ, native stood out among the genre’s few female vocalists who exercised control over aspects of production beyond the microphone. Teaming with producer Vince Montana Jr., she chose much of the repertoire for her Salsoul debut ‘Lectric Lady, co-wrote three tracks, and shared publishing credit on those selections. The strategy proved effective when “Come Back,” the follow-up she co-authored, established itself as a lasting club favorite. Before emerging as a disco figure, the singer-songwriter had already logged more than ten years on the road, fronting her own Top 40 ensemble and singing with the female soul trio the Geminis. That group placed a modest R&B single, “Get It on Home,” on RCA in 1966 and later cut “I Hired the Girl” and “You Put a Hurting On” before moving to Brunswick. While working six nights a week on the New Jersey hotel circuit, she attracted the attention that led to a solo contract. Her husband Daverne served as Wilson Pickett’s bandleader; when Salsoul contacted his assistant in search of a female singer styled after Gloria Gaynor—then riding the momentum of “Honey Bee” and “Never Can Say Goodbye”—Williams auditioned and secured the role. Impressed by her prior experience and standing, the label extended an album deal. Feeling confined once Salsoul committed fully to disco through acts such as Loleatta Holloway and Double Exposure, she sought broader stylistic range and left the roster after her first release. Her initial outside project placed her on producer Tony Valor’s 1978 album Love Has Come My Way, where she featured on the title track that registered strongly in Canada. The collaboration yielded a contract with independent Roy-B Records, resulting in the 1980 album Reflections of Carol Williams. That same year she realized a long-held goal by issuing the ballad “One More Time” on Atlantic’s Emerald subsidiary, backed by “Gotta Catch the Sun,” a song initially slated for Phyllis Hyman. Subsequent dance singles appeared on Vanguard, among them “Can’t Get Away (From Your Love),” which crossed from clubs to radio and earned her a spot at New York’s Paradise Garage. The track itself arose from an unplanned turn of events: after Williams declined producer Darryl Payne’s suggestion to cover “Over Like a Fat Rat” as the follow-up to her earlier “No One Can Do It (Like You),” Payne offered it to Fonda Rae, who scored a major hit. When he returned with “Can’t Get Away,” Williams accepted immediately. Alongside her solo work in the early ’80s she contributed to studio outfits Komiko on SAM and Lady Ritz on World Artists. Additional dance releases followed later in the decade, including “What’s the Deal” on New Image, which gained traction across Europe. By the late ’90s she had begun exploring jazz-tinged, easy-listening material while maintaining an active performance schedule at disco retrospectives and reunion events, among them Brooklyn’s Arena Production: Music in Motion series at venues such as Casa Calamari. Hot Productions later reissued Reflections on CD, and many of her singles remain available on compilations from Vanguard, Salsoul, and Castle.