World Singles Zone

Another Seventies soul classic from Deniece Williams. The Maurice White produced "Free". A smash hit for her in 1976. Williams' career began in the 1970s when she became a backup vocalist for Stevie Wonder as part of "Wonderlove", along with Minnie Riperton and Syreeta Wright. She left Wonder in 1975 and teamed up with producer Maurice White of Earth, Wind & Fire and after signing to Columbia Records, her 1976 debut album entitled This Is Niecy was released. The single "Free" reached #2 on the Black Singles chart, #25 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #1 on the British Singles chart. The album also featured "Cause You Love Me Baby" (which charted separately on the R&B chart as the flip side of "Free") and "That's What Friends Are For". She also shared a #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with pop singer Johnny Mathis in 1978 with the duet "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late". The duet also topped the Black Singles and Adult Contemporary charts. Williams also topped the dance charts with her disco single "I've Got the Next Dance". Mathis and Williams also recorded the popular theme to the 1980s sitcom Family Ties, "Without Us". Williams moved on to the American Recording Company (ARC) in the early 1980s where she scored the top ten R&B smash hit "Silly." in 1981. The following year, famed producer Thom Bell helped Williams score another #1 R&B chart-topper with her remake of The Royalettes' "It's Gonna Take a Miracle", which became a Top 10 pop hit as well, reaching #10. In 1984, Williams released the album Let's Hear It for the Boy, in which the title track reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was featured on the soundtrack to Footloose. Williams continued releasing albums during the 1980s such as Hot On The Trail (1986), Water Under The Bridge (1987), and As Good As It Gets (1988), which featured her last Top Ten hit to date, "I Can't Wait", written by Skylark. However, in part due to a lack of promotion from her record company, her mainstream popularity faded. In 2003, Williams appreared in the holiday movie Christmas Child. From 1996 to 2004, Williams presented her own BBC radio show in the UK, showcasing the best in new gospel and inspirational music.

Deniece Williams Free Earth Wind Fire Maurice White Soul R&B Seventies Mellow Quiet storm