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Samuel Edward "Tony" Williams (April 5, 1928 – August 14, 1992) was an American singer. From 1953 to 1960, he was the lead vocalist of the Platters. Life and career. Williams was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, the son of Bertha and Edward Williams.
Aug 15, 1992 · Tony Williams, the original lead singer of the Platters whose renditions of "Only You" and "The Great Pretender" propelled the R&B group to stardom in the 1950s, died yesterday at age 64.
Convinced by Jean Bennett and Tony Williams that "Only You" had potential, Ram had The Platters re-record the song during their first session for Mercury. Released in the summer of 1955, it became the group's first Top Ten hit on the pop charts and topped the R&B charts for seven weeks.
- Lance Bernard Bryant, Omar Ross, Jovian K. Ford, Candace C. Culcleasure
- Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- 1952–present
Aug 16, 1992 · Tony Williams, a former parking-lot attendant who crooned the 1950's hit songs "Only You" and "The Great Pretender" as the lead singer of the Platters, died on Friday at his Manhattan...
Aug 18, 1992 · TONY WILLIAMS was the original lead singer of The Platters, the most successful black rhythm-and-blues doo-wop group to emerge in the Fifties.
In 1959, Tony Williams stopped making appearances and performing on-stage with The Platters after being arrested with Lynch, Robi, and Reed for violating Ohio’s “Jim Crow race laws” during an appearance in the Buckeye state.
