JOE WILLIAMS (vocalist) was born Joseph Goreed on December 12, 1918 in Cordele, Georgia and passed away on March 29, 1999 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Chicago raised the elegant baritone singer who was equally at ease with jazz, pop or blues began performing professionally as a teen in Chicago clubs, changing his surname to Williams. Continually successful through his storied career his best known association was with Count Basie as lead vocalist. Their first recording “Count Basie Swings/Joe Williams Sings” produced Joe’s definitive versions of “Every Day I Have the Blues” and “Alright, Okay, You Win”. Williams’s solo work after leaving the Basie Band included collaborations with Thad Jones-Mel Lewis band and George Shearing. The much celebrated singer includes two Grammy Awards among his many honours.