June
Deniece
Williams
    June Deniece Chandler was born in Gary, Indiana on June 3, 1950. She had a rather uneventful childhood and grew up singing in a pentacostal church, which was strict on the congregation listening only to Gospel music. Singing with the church choir led to her earliest recordings for the Chicago-based Toddlin' Town label in the late 1960's. After high school Niecy took a job as a candy-striper in a Chicago hospital and outside of wanting a 1959 Thunderbird, she had no serious ambitions.
     In need of employment and with college on the back-burner, the fledgling singer was introduced to Stevie Wonder by her cousin (John Harris) from Detroit, who happened to be on tour as a valet for Wonder (and was also his childhood friend). Her cousin arranged for Williams to meet Wonder backstage at a concert. Six months later, the gifted vocalist was flown into Detroit by Wonder for an audition. Among the 26 who auditioned, Williams, who sang "Teach Me Tonight, " was only one of three who was hired by Wonder. The three became known as Wonderlove.
    Williams being hired by Wonder was a big surprise. Soon after the audition, she toured with Wonder who was the opening act for The Rolling Stones at the time. Her work with Stevie Wonder lasted for several years. Though her stint with Wonder was a great experience and opportunity, it was also difficult considering Williams had to make many adjustments professionally and personally (she had two sons prior to taking the gig: a 4 month-old and 18 month-old).
     During her tenure with Wonder she contributed to four of his albums and built an impressive resume as an in-demand session singer for David Batteau, G.C. Cameron, Valerie Carter, Gene Harris, Roberta Flack and Joe Cocker among others.
     After five Stevie Wonder-ful years Williams left Wonderlove in 1975. She teamed up with producer Maurice White, the leader of Earth, Wind & Fire. Under White's direction, Williams learned the business of music and was able to unwind and express herself musically. Under the Columbia banner, Williams released her first album entitled "This Is Niecy" in 1976. It featured the Billboard R&B number two single "Free, " which also hit 25 on the pop charts and the 12" single scaled the club charts and became an instant late-night favorite. The song was personal to Williams, who felt restricted while with Wonderlove.
     In 1977 the album "Song Bird" was released, and it featured the number 13 single "Baby, Baby My Love's All For You." The song did receive some club play but suffered from the lack of a 12" single.
     The following year the dynamic singer made a surprising career move. She describes how she and Mathis became a recording team: "I remember my manager saying the record company wants to know if you're interested in singing with Johnny Mathis and I said, 'Are you kidding? Do I want to sing with Johnny Mathis?'......I was devastated. I couldn't believe that I was going to get a chance to sing with Johnny. And then I didn't believe that they would use the record. I thought well, they probably won't use this, so I said, 'Can I have a tape for me?' " Deniece was on tour when she turned on the radio in her hotel room one day and heard "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late." The song and it's flipside, "Emotion" (a Gibb Brothers hit for Samantha Sang), were featured on Johnny's album "You Light Up My Life."
     To follow the single, the first chart-topper for both artists, and the first duet Mathis had ever recorded, an entire album was produced. 1978's "That's What Friends Are For" was a mix of old classics and new standards and yielded only one hit. "You're All I Need To Get By" hit 47 in September of that year.
     Still under Maurice White's tutelage, Williams moved over to White's American Recording Company (ARC) for her third solo effort. With disco music in full swing, producers David Foster and Ray Parker Jr. took heed and tailored 1979's "When Love Comes Calling" to include a saucy little number that would become one of the key songs of the disco-era. "I've Got The Next Dance" shot straight to the top of the club charts thanks to a commercial 12" single release. Ironically it didn't hit the Top 40 though? And a second 12" single failed miserably, "I Found Love" was too down-tempo to follow her previous upbeat smash.
     By 1981 Niecy had taken more control of her career and decided to enlist Thom Bell, who had produced a string of hits for The Stylistics in the early 1970's, to co-produce her senior outting. "My Melody" captured her in a more sophisticated and contemporary light. It produced an R&B top ten hit with "Silly" but contained no danceable tracks.
     In 1982 Bell returned to continue the lush balladry they had forged in the previous year. Vocally, Williams is in top shape here and seems completely in sync with the material and arrangements. "Niecy" also gave the songbird her second Top Ten pop hit in a cover of the Royalettes' 1962 hit "It's Gonna Take A Miracle," which she delivers capably, but not as intuitively as the original selections (all of which she co-wrote).
     By 1983 Deniece had shaken up her musical tree. Leaving ARC and moving back to parent company Columbia Records, she recorded another duet with Mathis ("So Deep In Love") for inclusion on "I'm So Proud." Perhaps feeling fiesty she approached dance music once again with "Heaven In Your Eyes" and utilized George Duke to produce the album. Gone was the lushness of her prior two releases, instead replaced with an urbane funky feel. Never one to worry about chart success, Deniece was more happy with the product than it's commerciality.
    Songwriter Dean Pitchford had almost worked with Williams on the title song for Tom Selleck's film "High Road To China," except in the final print there was no title song. He invited her and producer George Duke to hear a song he had prepared for his next film, "Footloose."
     The first recording of the track did not match Dean's expectations for it. "Deniece sang it very girlishly. I think she took the 'boy' seriously. I called her and said, 'Deniece, this is not a girl, this is a woman!' " Deniece, who was now in New York, had to fly back to L.A. and re-record the song. Because of deadlines, she was rushed from the airport, without having time to pick up her luggage, to the recording studio. It was 11:00 pm. on the west coast, but Niecy was still on east coast time. "In 20 minutes, she recut it brilliantly," said Pitchford. "When she finished we knew this was what it was meant to be."
    But Deniece had to wait for the premiere of the film to know where her song was placed. "I sat there the whole time on pins and needles," she laughed. "By the time they got to my song, I thought it was incredible. If I had come to the film without the music in it and they asked me what segment I wanted my song to be in , I would have chosen that segment." Her performance garnered her a second number one hit and the recording went Platinum. The album "Let's Hear It For The Boy" spawned another dance floor hit with the 12" single re-mix of "Next Love" and also featured "Black Butterfly."
     From an African-American perspective, Williams immediately bonded with the song. The song would become a prelude to the uplifting Gospel material Williams would become closely associated with a few years later. With her label (Columbia) uninterested, Williams released the Gospel album "So Glad I Know" on Sparrow Records in 1986. The album featured the Grammy-award winning single "They Say" (a duet with Sandi Patti). That same year she also won a Grammy award for "I Surrender."
     Still under contract to Columbia, the secular side of Niecy released 1986's "Hot On The Trail" to fabulous reviews. Producer Greg Mathieson brought her back to the club scene and dance charts with the smoldering "Wiser And Weaker." This album was to be her most 'pop-oriented' to date.
     By 1987's "Water Under The Bridge" Niecy had matured into a full fledged vocalist of the highest caliber. Her incredible high-octane soprano soars over the ten tracks. Songs like "Never Say Never" (another club favorite), will keep every nerve on red alert. And "I Believe in You" earned her another Grammy award. The album also produce another 12" single of "I Confess."
     By 1988 Deniece had grown tired of the secular music world and released "As Good As It Gets" to finish her contractual obligations to Columbia Records. Re-teaming with producer George Duke spawned yet another power packed compilation. The powerful 12" single of "I Can't Wait" would be her last stab at the dance floor. The album received critical acclaim and would do well in sales but not produce any further hits. Approaching 40 years of age, Niecy was ready to devote her talents to the Gospel world from which she had grown up in.
     By the 1990's Williams was in a quandry. She was torn between Gospel and Secular music both of which she loved and enjoyed performing.
     Her next several releases bounce between Gospel, Children's Music and Secular Pop. 1989's "Special Love" 1991's "Lullabies To Dreamland" 1994's "Greatest Gospel Hits" 1996's "Love Solves It All" and 1998's "This Is My Song" may be musically diverse, but all showcase those incredible vocals that have made her a legend in the R&B/Pop recording world.
     Although her last studio album was in 1998, she has seen re-issues in 2000 (:"Love Songs") and 2001 ("17 Greatest Hits: Collection") besides numerous appearances on soundtracks and other artist albums, most notably songwriter Jeff Barry's "And Friends" album in 2002.
    Never a big fan of touring, Deniece Williams remains a homebody. She enjoys the creative side of music (writing and singing), her family (now four boys), her church  and her home. On the rare occasion she may perform or make a public appearance. And perhaps anyday now she'll once again storm the dance-floors with another classic. Never count the lady out...for she is a talent to be reckoned with!
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