Donnie
Williams - Biography
Donnie Williams, a 21 years old vocalist from Livermore California
and an American Idol top finalist, spent his formative years in Baton
Rouge Louisiana. His greatest influences are his mother, Gladys Williams
who was a professional R&B and Blues singer and his older brother
Mitchell Williams, who Donnie practiced singing with as a boy growing
up. His favorite recording artists during his formative years were
Donnie Hathaway, Stevie Wonder and Whitney Houston. Even though Donnie
has his own unique style, you can easily hear the influences of his
favorite artists in his overall sound. In 2005, Donnie met and joined
forces with bandleader and record producer Paul Tillman Smith and
began performing with the band Park Place. The decision was made that
Park Place would become Donnie’s Band and from that situation
Donnie’s 14 track “Just Like Magic” CD was born.
Donnie characterizes his music as “Music of the Soul”.
Donnie has performed with Norman Connors, Jean Carn and Randy Crawford
and has opened for the Toni’s and E-40 just to name a few. Also
several songs from Donnie’s “Just Like Magic” CD
are featured in the not yet released movie “Tears of a Clown”
which was nominated for the best feature film of the year at the Pan
African Film Festival. The film was produced by Tony Spires and features
BET comedian D.C. Curry. Donnie says his most memorable performance
was singing the national anthem at a NBA Warriors game.
Norman Connors, who co-produced five songs on the “Just Like
Magic ” CD, has called Donnie one of those rare vocalists who
comes along maybe every thirty years. Bassist Nelson Braxton of the
“Braxton Brothers”, who co-produced eight of the Park
Place songs, calls Donnie the LeBron James of R&B”. The
CD also features Donnie’s eighteen year old sister Terrell Williams
who has been compared to a young Denise Williams. Donnie’s nineteen
year old sister Aleesha is also in the group. Other special guests
include vocalist Latoya London, who Donnie met while on the 2004 American
Idol TV Show where he was one of the top 32 finalist, and vocalist
Avis Nixon who was discovered by Norman Connors.
Donnie’s CD’s other supporting cast reads like a who’s
who from the annals of R&B and Pop lore: Vocalists Rosie Gaines
and Bonnie Boyer from Prince. Keyboardists Michael Stanton, Rodney
Franklin and Herman Jackson from Stevie Wonder, the Isley Brothers
and Marvin Gaye, Donald Tavi from Lakeside, Eric Daniels from Mariah
Carey and Janet Jackson and Saundra Manning from Ledisi and Prince.
Sax men Scott Mayo from Earth, Wind and Fire, and Vince Lars from
Toni Tony Tone. Also Guitarists Tommy Oregon from Janet Jackson, Wilton
Rabb from Larry Graham, Carl Lockett from Chuck Mangione and Charlie
Spikes from the Toni’s, plus the Oak Town Horns, consisting
of some of the Bay Area’s finest horn players. The list goes
on too enumerable to mention. Donnie also has a four song Maxi Single
entitled “Higher Power” which features legendary tenor
saxophonist Pharaoh Sanders, vocalist Freddie Hughes and Ahmad Jamal
Guitarist Calvin Keys. The CD is dedicated to long time Prince vocalist
and pianist Bonnie Boyer who died while making the Park Place CD.
Most who have heard Donnie’s CD are calling it a record for
the ages. With his phenomenal supporting cast of musical artists one
would think why not? All that is left is to let the masses hear the
music of Donnie Williams and Park Place. |
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AVAILABLE
NOW!
DONNIE WILLIAMS:
JUST LIKE MAGIC
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COMING
SOON!
DONNIE WILLIAMS:
HIGHER POWER
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