Fleming Williams
BornDecember 26,[1] 1943
Flint, Michigan, US
Died1992[2]/February 15, 1998[2] (disputed)
GenresR&B, Soul, Pop, Jazz, Disco
Occupation(s)Singer, song writer, session musician
Years active1970s
LabelsRCA Records, Better World

Fleming Williams (December 26, 1943 – 1992 or February 15, 1998) was an American singer known as a member of the group The Hues Corporation and as the lead singer on their hit "Rock the Boat".[3]

Background

Williams was a tenor from Flint, Michigan.[4] An early group he was a member of was called the 21st Generation, a group that also featured James Cobbin and Ron Murray.[5] The group recorded a single, "I Need Love" / "Hey James" that was released in 1970 on the Tri-City label. It was arranged by alto saxophonist and arranger Willie "Face" Smith and produced by Choker Smith.[6][7] In the same year, he had his own composition "Poverty Child" released as the A side of a single released on the Better World record label. It was also arranged by Smith and produced by Campbell.[8]

Williams wasn't the original lead singer of the Hues Corporation.[9] For the first years of existence the group had Karl Russell but after their participation in the Blacula-film project he was replaced by Williams.[10] Williams was actually discovered by Hues Corp member H. Ann Kelley.[11] The group had a no 1 hit with "Rock The Boat" which was the first disco hit to have that distinction.[12]

According to fellow Hues Corp bandmate St. Clair Lee, Williams initially left the group after they recorded the first album, Freedom for the Stallion, which featured "Rock the Boat," and was replaced by Tommy Brown.[11][13][14] However, after things did not work out with Tommy, Williams was brought back on board.[13] But around 1975, Karl Russell rejoined the band taking over the role of lead singer after Fleming Williams had left for good.[15][13]

Session work

In 1972, along with former 21st Century bandmate James Cobbin, he provided background vocals for David Axelrod's The Auction album.[5][16] He had also recorded with Cannonball Adderley and George Duke on Adderley's Soul of the Bible album.[17] He provided background vocals for Lee Garrett's Heat For The Feets album.[18] Along with Jim Gilstrap he provided background vocals for Candi Staton's Young Hearts Run Free album.[19]

Death

Williams died at some point in the 1990s. While several early Internet sources listed September 1992 as a possible date of death, none of them have remained definitive in this assertion (in addition to inaccurately listing his year of birth as 1953),[2][20] and most other sources, including the Social Security Death Index, list his death as February 15, 1998.[21][22] Anecdotal comments and speculation on the web have attributed his death to causes ranging from a "long illness" to "suicide."[2] In the context of a musical on Williams' life (see next section) The New McCree Theatre stated that Fleming Williams actually committed suicide in 1998.[23] Regardless of the actual cause of death, most sources agree that a major contributing factor was a lengthy battle with drug abuse.[2][13][22]

Musical

A musical based on his life called Rock the Boat: The Fleming Williams Story and co-written by Williams' mother ran at The New McCree Theatre in Williams' home town Flint. There was a message about the dangers of drugs in the musical production. Williams as a young man was played by a local actor Marquawan Burnett and Carl Williams played him as an older man.[23]

Compositions

  • "Poverty Child", Appears on the Fleming Williams solo single of the same name
  • "This Love", Appears on the Barry White & Glodean White – Barry & Glodean album[24]
  • "Oooo....Ahhh....", (Co-written with Barry White & Jakki Milligan), Appears on the Barry White – Beware! album[25]
  • "A Special Love Song", Appears on the Positive Express – Changin' Times album[26]

Discography

Solo

  • Fleming Williams - Poverty Child / Shades Of Time - Can You Dig It - Better World – 4357 (1970)[27]

Lead vocal

Guest

  • David Axelrod - "The Auction" and "Freedom", appears on album: David Axelrod – The Auction Decca – DL 75355 (1972)[28]
  • Cannonball Adderley - "Fun In The Church", Appears on album: Cannonball Adderley Presents Nat Adderley Sextet, The* Plus Rick Holmes – Soul Of The Bible - Capitol Records – SABB-11120 (1972)[29]

Lead singer

Backing vocals

  • Nat Adderley Sextet– Soul of The Bible - Capitol – (1972)
  • Cannonball Adderley – Big Man: The Legend Of John Henry - Fantasy – F-79006 (1975)[32]
  • David Axelrod – The Auction - Decca – DL 75355 (1972)[28]
  • Candi Staton - Young Hearts Run Free - Warner Bros. Records – BS 2948 (1976)[33]
  • Lee Garrett - Heat For The Feets - Chrysalis – CHR 1109 (1976)[34]
  • Millington - Ladies On The Stage - United Artists Records – UA-LA821-G (1977)[35]
  • Ned Doheny - Prone - CBS/Sony – 25AP 1359 (1979)[36]
  • Jeff Porcaro – Session Works II - Sony Music Japan International Inc. – SICP-20388 (2012) (CD Compilation[37]

References

  1. ↑ Chester Cat The Hues Corporation, Remember Rock The Boat?
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Fleming Williams". DiscoMusic.com. Archived from the original on 21 January 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  3. ↑ Daily News August 6, 1974 3 of 8
  4. ↑ Rhythm and Blues, Rap, and Hip-hop by Frank Hoffmann Page 127 Hues Corporation
  5. 1 2 Flint Area Theatres May 7, 2011 Musical Based on Local Singer’s Life Rounds Out McCree Season Reviewed by Kathleen Kirby
  6. ↑ Jazz Times 12/09/09 Willie "Face" Smith, Alto Saxophonist and Arranger, Dies in Cleveland By Joe Lovano Archived 2013-05-30 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ↑ Discogs 21st Generations – I Need Love / Hey James
  8. ↑ Discogs Fleming Williams / Shades Of Time (2) – Poverty Child / Can You Dig It
  9. ↑ Disco Museum Fleming Williams Born: 12-26-1943 Died: 2-15-1998 undisclosed)
  10. ↑ Footage of The Hues Corporation appearing in Blacula. youtube.com. Retrieved 12 Juli 2018.
  11. 1 2 The Wall Street Journal April 2, 2014 Anatomy of a Song: 'Rock The Boat' By Marc Myers
  12. ↑ Song Facts Rock The Boat by Hues Corporation
  13. 1 2 3 4 James, Gary. Interview with St. Clair Lee of The Hues Corporation Retrieved 8-22-2015.
  14. ↑ The Washington Afro American May 27, 1975 Page 11 The McKenzie Report Sell-out crowds for the Spinners
  15. ↑ Mental Itch The Hues Corporation – “Rock the Boat”
  16. ↑ John Guerin Discography David Axelrod - The Auction
  17. ↑ Walk Tall: The Music and Life of Julian "Cannonball" Adderley By Cary Ginel
  18. ↑ Allmusic Fleming Williams
  19. ↑ Chartsurfer.de Young Hearts Run Free von Candi Staton
  20. ↑ "The Dead Rock Stars Club 1992 - 1993". Thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  21. ↑ "RootsWeb: Database Index". Ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  22. 1 2 Fleming Williams @Discogs.com Retrieved 8-22-2015.
  23. 1 2 The Flint Journal July 07, 2011 McCree revives story of hit-maker Fleming Williams by Jessica Strachan
  24. ↑ Discogs Barry White & Glodean White – Barry & Glodean
  25. ↑ Discogs Barry White – Beware!
  26. ↑ Discogs Positive Express – Changin' Times
  27. ↑ Discogs Fleming Williams / Shades Of Time (2) – Poverty Child / Can You Dig It
  28. 1 2 Discogs David Axelrod – The Auction
  29. ↑ Discogs Cannonball Adderley Presents Nat Adderley Sextet, The* Plus Rick Holmes – Soul Of The Bible
  30. ↑ Discogs Hues Corporation, The – Freedom For The Stallion
  31. ↑ Discogs Hues Corporation, The – Rockin' Soul
  32. ↑ Discogs Cannonball Adderley – Big Man: The Legend Of John Henry
  33. ↑ Discogs Candi Staton – Young Hearts Run Free
  34. ↑ Artist Direct Heat for the Feets Heat For The Feets
  35. ↑ Artist Direct Ladies on the Stage
  36. ↑ Discogs Ned Doheny – Prone
  37. ↑ Discogs Jeff Porcaro – Session Works II
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