Williams & Watson

• Genres: Rhythm & Blues

Biography

Williams (famous for his Little Richard-esque late-'50s hits) and guitarist Watson (who had some R&B hits) were young, well-traveled veterans of rock and R&B when they teamed up in the mid-'60s, with memorable results. The partnership began in 1965, when Williams -- whose "Slow Down," "Bad Boy," and "Dizzy Miss Lizzie" had recently been recorded by the Beatles -- toured with Watson in the U.K., where they released a couple of live albums. In 1967, they had a small R&B hit with a version of Cannonball Adderley's "Mercy Mercy Mercy"; they had an even smaller R&B chart item with "Nobody," a mini-landmark fusion of soul and psychedelia on which the duo were backed by the California acid/folk-rock band Kaleidoscope. In 1967, they also recorded an album for Okeh which found them adapted to contemporary soul trends with surprising natural ease. This was the peak of their collaboration, although they would continue to work together at times until Williams' death in 1980. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide