Joe Williams on starting with Duke Ellington.

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Joe Williams on accepting success.

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Joe Williams discusses his knowledge of Duke Ellington compositions.

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Q: “How hard was it for you to accept the success that came with every day?”

A: “Oh, easy. Because I also had to decide if that was really what I wanted to do, what I am doing. You know, what I was going to get involved in sports or in physical education. Or what I … which direction … or teaching or which direction that I really want to go in? Did I really want to get into music and get into performing arts and after I realized that what I do comes through me and it's just up to me to make it as good as I possibly could as it comes through me, you know. Then it was easy for me to decide to just be myself, especially when I'm not performing. It's so much easier on you.”