Andre Williams....The Black Godfather


Andre Williams lived in a housing project with his mother until she dide when he was six years of age. A sly and smart young boy, his "aunties" raised him until he was around 16. He then set out on his own and moved to the motor city, Detroit. There, he bacame friends with Jack and Devora Brown, owners of Fortune Records located in the back of a barber shop.

In 1955 he became lead singer for the 5 Dollars vocal group, which already had a contract with Fortune. Though most of the songs were billed as Andre 'Mr. Rhythm' Williams and the Don Juans. One of their songs was such a big hit [Bacon Fat] that Fortune sold the song to Epic Records which had a much larger distributor. Another song that was a hit by Williams at the time was "Jailbait". Both of these bore the name Andre Williams & Orchestra. Since both were successes, Williams figured that "talking instead of singing" was a better idea for him, for he didn't have a good a voice as some other singers from the 1950's. In 1960 Fortune released a complete LP, of all of his singles with the Don Juans, which was titled JAIL BAIT [rereleased in 1986]. This was the start of Williams nationwide fame.

Just before "The Black Godfather" inked a contract with Chess
Records [1968] he released two records on the Avin Record Label, then two records were released on Detroit's Wingate label [1966]:"Loose Juice" and "Do it".

Download the B-side of "Loose Juice"....and purrrrrr!!!!

Andre Williams Sweet Little Pussycat

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