orig. Joseph Goreed
born Dec. 12, 1918, Cordele, Ga., U.S.
died March 29, 1999, Las Vegas, Nev.
U.S. singer and actor.
Williams worked with Coleman Hawkins and Lionel Hampton before joining Count Basie 's band in 1954. The success of "Every Day I Have the Blues" established Williams as a sophisticated blues singer with a powerful bass-baritone voice. After leaving the Basie band in 1961, Williams led small ensembles singing popular songs, ballads, and blues. During the 1980s he played the role of Grandpa Al on the television series The Cosby Show . His album Nothin' but the Blues (1984) won a Grammy Award.