The Burt Bacharach Discussion Forum

84 years young, from 1967, "The Look of Love":

http://youtu.be/GV56ZfVD_EI

God bless Andy......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czihQxSFhwY

"blue"

Priceless YouTube clip from 1975 Grammy Awards: Andy Williams, Paul Simon, John Lennon and a surprise guest. Look at the songs that were nominated, and the song that won!:

http://youtu.be/hUlR8jWUKd8

To a first-wave "baby-boomer" such as myself, Andy was always just...there. Like Miles Davis and Leonard Bernstein, he was a huge part of one segment of American music. While perhaps not as widely celebrated as Sinatra or Bennett, his voice was fully equal to theirs. This is really sad news.

Yes Blair, it is. He had one of the purest tones of anyone I've ever heard.

A truly undervalued artist, who may have suffered from being a bit too mainstream (if that's really bad?!).

May he rest in peace and condolences to his loved ones...

An artist who remained true to himself throughout his career. One of two names most closely associated with Christmas Music: Andy Williams along with Johnny Mathis! .... Fond memories of all those Christmas Specials! ...... R.I.P.

I'm so glad to see that I'm not the only one who feels the way you all do, as stated here, about Andy Williams and his most beautiful voice, and his TV variety show and TV Christmas specials. The news of his passing leaves me very sad.

It may sound trite, but when some of these folks leave us, It's as though a part of our own personal history goes with them.

Andy Williams was an icon and I agree that he is the artist aside from Johnny Mathis that I most associate with Christmas music. Andy was a generation before Dionne Warwick and her generation of entertainers is the last in the line of the type of entertainers who achieve such great fame and recognition which crosses several generations. Andy's hit Can't Get Over Losing You, Moon River etc. shared the charts with R & B, Rock etc. and his television show was popular with teens to geriatrics! On variety television programming, Andy appeared alongside The Stones, Dionne, Ella Fitzgerald, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and something in entertainment died when variety television died. The same with Dionne; her concerts in the 1960s were packed with preteens to old folks. We are losing these entertainers and there is no one behind them coming up to replace them as the entire entertainment industry has changed so much. Beyonce may be among the most popular singers in the world these days and she's good but she never had the type of talent nor has achieved the type of fame and recognition across generations that Andy, Dionne, Aretha, Ella, Nat King Cole, The Beatles, Elvis Presley did. Dionne is one in the last of a long line and the death of Andy Williams demonstrates that it's a list that grows shorter each day. When singers such as Miley Cyrus, Beyonce, etc. are programmed through Auto Tune or Vocoder to correct problems with pitch and tone, as is the custom these days for many singers, and you get a homogenized product on the first take, gone is what made these old school vocalists so special, true vocal talent. So long Andy and rest in peace.

Hi BachtoBacharach, I agree with EVERY word you just stated! When I'm in Arby's, etc. and they're playing today's new "artists", I immediately change my order from "dine-in" to "to go, please". These so-called "artists", complete with sets of crutches such as Vo-coders, sound like a cow farting in a tin barn. That is why I cherish every note sung by the likes of Dionne, Johnny, Tony, Gladys, Patti, and the late, great Andy Williams. My condolences to his family, friends, and many, many fans. Long live the CD!

What wonderful words from this group! Two now gone, great, one-of-a-kind voices, Andy Williams and Cass Elliot. How hard must have this been to sing? Impeccable timing, musical and comedic. Here's a medley of songs: "Words of Love"/"Words":

http://youtu.be/IDfD2LO8bMo

Although posted some time ago, surely it`s appropriate to revisit this http://youtu.be/czihQxSFhwY version of "If I Could Go Back." It appeared on his `72 album, Alone Again Naturally before the soundtrack (or movie) of Lost Horizon was released. It would be interesting to know how Andy came to record this song, especially since it was cut from the film.