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| James "D-Train" Williams |
| James Williams gave us some of the most memorable and fresh-sounding R&B/dance tracks of the early to mid-1980's. Along with Hubert Eaves III they formed the newcleus of "D-Train." James handled all the vocal duties while Eaves was the genius behind the console. Williams, like so many of the great soulsters of the 1960's and 1970's, brought a strong gospel influence to secular lyrics and wasn't afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve. But in terms of production, Eaves made sure that his distinctive keyboards were quite prominent. Williams and Eaves met while attending high school in Brooklyn, NY. Shortly after the '70s gave way to the '80s, they began recording together, using Williams' nickname — earned from his prowess on the football field — as their recording alias. They signed a contract with Prelude and released their first single, the brilliant "You're The One For Me," by the end of 1981. The song hit number one on the dance chart in early 1982 and kept that position for three weeks.Their first album for Prelude was 1982's "You're The One For Me." The album stormed the club charts and produced three powerhouse 12" singles. Besides the stunning title track it also featured "Keep On" and the much-covered "Walk On By." From Eaves' attractive production to Williams' inspired singing and the duo's first-rate songwriting, the album became an instant club classic. "Music," D-Train's second album, followed in 1983 and was supported with another batch of singles: "Keep Giving Me Love," "Are You Ready For Me," and the major club smash "Music" amongst them. "Something's On Your Mind," the third and final album from the duo, spawned a Top Five R&B chart hit in the form of the title track. A couple of other singles from the album didn't do as well, but the group bowed out in fine fashion. Williams and Eaves quit recording as D-Train in 1985. Eaves' accomplishments did not go unnoticed; he began a busy second career as a session player, working on records by Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, and Luther Vandross. James moved over to a lucrative contract with Columbia Records. The short lived union produced two albums, 1986's "In Your Eyes" and 1987's "Miracles Of The Heart." One 12" single, "Misunderstanding," enjoyed radio and club play. Then James seemed to fall from sight. In actuality he went into the background vocalist market. Since 1987 he can be heard on records by Cheryl Lynn, Patti Austin, Kirk Whalum, A.C. Kelley, Miles Davis, Judy Collins, Aaron Carter, Elton John and hundreds of others. In 1991 he did the gospel album "The Legend Lives On" with Willie Banks & The Messengers. Then it was back to more studio and concert background work. Though he may have a lower commercial profile in recent years we still respect the man that used his sultry voice to coax a generation on to the dancefloors more than two decades ago. Thanks James....... |
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