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Celebrating Joe Williams' Birthday

This week 12th Street Jump celebrates the birthday of vocalist Joe Williams with Kansas City's own David Basse.

Joe Williams was a baritone singer of blues, ballads & standards. He was known for his timing & tone. Born in Georgia, he started singing when he was 14 in Chicago with a teen-aged gospel quartet, the Jubilee Boys. In the 1950s, he sang regularly with a septet led by Count Basie and then with Basie's big band. Williams began performing his own blues repertoire with the band, including the song "Every Day (I Have the Blues)."

His successful singing career extended through the 1980s and 90s until he died in March 1999.

Read Williams' NY Times obituary.

Watch Joe Williams perform Every Day (I Have the Blues) in 1981 with the Count Basie Orchestra at Carnegie Hall:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOuCvEMZRbo

Also in this week's 12th Street Jump episode: The gang delivers the Blues in the News, Dr. Pearl serves advice to get you through the holidays & Pete gets a visit from 3 ghosts with an unusual cure for the humbug.

This week's setlist:
Hands Off
Going to Chicago Blues
Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby
Perdido
All Blues
Every Day (I Have the Blues
If I Were a Bell
Oleo
Roll 'Em Pete

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