Danny Williams

Danny Williams acquired the moniker "Britain's Johnny Mathis" through his refined and silky delivery of ballads. Nearly every chart entry materialized inside the United Kingdom, the lone exception being the 1964 single "White on White," which climbed into the American Top 10 yet registered no comparable response on home soil. Born in South Africa, the vocalist first distinguished himself inside his church choir at age six after being chosen to perform as soloist. At fourteen he auditioned for a place in the Johannesburg-based production Golden City Dixies, then preparing to tour England and further territories; he won the competition outright and embarked on the road with the troupe. Another opportunity arose in 1959 when producer Norman Newell observed one of his performances. Before the year closed, Williams had signed to HMV Records, released the debut single "Tall a Tree," and appeared on the television program Drumbeat. More singles preceded his breakthrough with "Moon River," the Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer composition that reached the top of the British charts only two years after he began recording. The following year American crooner Andy Williams issued his own version of the Breakfast at Tiffany's theme, after which the song became permanently associated with him. In 1962 Danny Williams sustained his British momentum by entering the Top 10 with "Jeannie" and "Wonderful World of the Young," the latter having been introduced earlier by Andy Williams. During the 1970s he kept releasing material, though the Philips and Deram sides attracted little attention, while he also worked the club circuit. A modest return to the charts occurred in 1977 when the Ensign single "Dancing Easy" reached the U.K. Top 40. Additional recordings appeared on EMI/Columbia and Piccadilly. In the early 1990s he began cutting sides for Prestige Records and, starting in 1994, performed in the Nat King Cole Tribute Show.