R.I.P. Andre Williams (Mr Rhythm)

We’ve lost another one. Andre Williams was one of the great musical characters of the last 60 years.

Born in Detroit on November 1, 1936, Williams began recording in the mid-1950s for Fortune Records, resulting in a string of r&b singles with names like Bacon Fat, Greasy Chicken and Cadillac Jack.

From there he moved to Motown Records in the early 1960s, writing and producing for the likes of Stevie Wonder, The Contours and Edwin Starr. It was during this time that he wrote his most well-known song, Shake A Tail Feather, a hit for the Five Du-Tones and later recorded by Ike & Tina Turner.

By the 1980s Williams was drug addicted and homeless, but he made a resurgence in the late 90s, recording first with The Sadies and then with The Dirtbombs.

Williams passed away on March 17th in Chicago. No other details are available at this time.

Click here to listen to an interview with Andre Williams recorded in May of 2010 as he discusses his then new album, That’s All I Need with the 13th Floor’s Marty Duda: