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Singer Andy Williams passes away

Singer Andy Williams passes away

THE singer Andy Williams has passed away at the age of 84.

Mr. Williams became an international star thanks to his long-running television show, which was broadcast in a number of countries

Born in Iowa, he had started his singing career as a boy in a quartet with his brothers. They had provided backing for Bing Crosby’s Swinging On A Star, which became a hit in 1944.

Mr. Williams went on to pursue a solo career becoming one of the most popular singers of the 1960s and 1970s and was once described by President Ronald Reagan as a “national treasure”.

His television show was first broadcast in 1962 and was to run for nine years.  During that time a number of soon-to-be stars were introduced to the public, including the Osmonds.

One of the songs which is closely associated with him is Moon River (see below), which was sung by Audrey Hepburn in the film Breakfast At Tiffany’s (1961), but became Mr. Williams’s signature tune after including it on an LP and then singing it at the Academy Awards in 1962.

He had hits with a number of other songs, including Days Of Wine And Roses, Love Story, Can’t Get Used To Losing You (see below) and Music To Watch Girls By which charted again in 1999 after being used in an advertisement in the United Kingdom.

He sold millions of records worldwide and won three Emmys during his career.

Mr. Williams had revealed in November 2011 that he was suffering from bladder cancer.

To see Andy Williams perform his signature song, Moon River, click here.

To see Andy Williams perform Can’t Get Used To Losing You, click here.

 

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