Skinny Williams

After waking up behind the wheel of his car in the wrong lane, driving towards oncoming traffic during rush hour, Skinny Williams realized he would have to make a choice between his day job, teacher, and his night job, music. This was the second near fatal car accident he had survived. A few years earlier, while touring the West Coast, an accident took the life of one of his fellow band members who was not wearing his seat belt and was thrown from the vehicle.

“I just remember standing there in the darkness as the paramedics put him in a body bag after unsuccessfully trying to revive him. I survived with only a few scratches and a memory of an accident that would haunt me for many years… somebody was tryin’ to tell me something.”

At the time he was playing seven nights a week with various bands including his own. The teaching job was the back-up plan in case the music didn’t work out. Since the music was “working out,” it was time to make a switch.

A Chicago native, Williams embarked on his music career while still in his teens. Being 6’4” and 180 pounds, he was often referred to as “that skinny sax player,” thus earning him his nickname “Skinny”. And putting his first name William as his last name, hence Skinny Williams.

Williams performed with some of the biggest names in the business- from comedian Bernie Mac, Chaka Khan, Brian McKnight, George Duke and Sheila E to jazz and blues legends Buddy Guy, BB King and Bo Diddley. He performed all over the world with blues great Junior Wells, the Chicago Storm Horns, and as part of the old-school funk band The Ohio Players. He did a McDonalds television commercial for the then NBA champions The Chicago Bulls. Supplementing his income from live performances Williams recorded often for Chicago’s best blues and jazz legends.

Williams is one of the industry’s most respected and in-demand players, with critics comparing him to such greats as Stanley Turrentine, Ben Webster, Von Freeman and Boney James.

"I never liked to be labeled this or that type of musician. The last word is ... Can you feel what I feel when I play?"

— Skinny Williams

Find out more about Skinny on his official website.
Visit www.SkinnyWilliams.com