BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS
Birth name: Lawrence Eugene Williams
Origin: New Orleans, Louisiana, US
Instrument: Vocalist
Genre: Rock and roll
Born: May 10, 1935
New Orleans, Louisiana, US
Died: January 7, 1980 (aged 44)
Los Angeles, California, US
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BIOGRAPHICAL PROFILE
Lawrence Eugene “Larry” Williams (May 10, 1935 – January 7, 1980) was an American rhythm and blues and rock and roll singer, songwriter, producer, and pianist from New Orleans, Louisiana. Williams is best known for writing and recording some rock and roll classics from 1957 to 1959 for Specialty Records, including “Bony Moronie”, “Short Fat Fannie”, “High School Dance” (1957), “Slow Down”, “Dizzy Miss Lizzy” (1958), “Bad Boy” and “She Said Yeah” (1959). John Lennon was a fan, and the Beatles and several other British Invasion groups covered several of his songs.
Williams’ life mixed tremendous success with violence and drug addiction. He was a long-time friend of Little Richard.
Williams learned how to play piano at a young age. The family moved to Oakland, California when he was a teen, and there he joined the Lemon Drops, a R&B group. Williams returned to New Orleans in 1954 and began working as Lloyd Price’s valet and played in the bands of Price, Roy Brown and Percy Mayfield. In 1955, Williams met and developed a friendship with Little Richard, who was recording at the time in New Orleans. Price and Penniman were both recording for Specialty Records. Williams was introduced to Specialty’s house producer, Robert Blackwell, and was signed to record.
In 1957, Little Richard was Specialty’s biggest star, but bolted from rock and roll to pursue the ministry. Williams was quickly groomed by Blackwell to try to replicate his success. Using the same raw, shouting vocals and piano-driven intensity, Williams scored with a number of hit singles.
Williams’ three biggest successes were “Short Fat Fannie”, which was his biggest seller, reaching #5 in Billboard’s pop chart, “Bony Moronie”, which peaked at #14, and its flip “You Bug Me Baby” which made it to #45. “Dizzy Miss Lizzy” charted at #69 on Billboard the following year. Both “Short Fat Fannie” and “Bony Moronie” sold over one million copies, gaining gold discs.
Several of his songs achieved later success as revivals, by The Beatles (“Bad Boy”, “Slow Down”, and “Dizzy Miss Lizzy”), The Rolling Stones (“She Said Yeah”) and John Lennon (“Bony Moronie” and “Dizzy Miss Lizzy”).
A native of Kenner, Louisiana and cousin of Kenner native Lloyd Price, Williams was inducted into The Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame in a ceremony held on February 9, 2014. The date was the 50th Anniversary of the Beatles first American appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. The Beatles recorded three of Larry’s songs: Bad Boy, Slow Down and Dizzy Miss Lizzy.
In the 1970s, there was also a brief dalliance with disco, but Williams’ wild lifestyle continued. By the middle of the decade, the drug abuse and violence were taking their toll. In 1977, Williams pulled a gun on and threatened to kill his long-time friend, Little Richard, over a drug debt. They were both living in Los Angeles and addicted to cocaine and heroin. Little Richard had bought drugs from Williams, arranged to pay him later, but did not show up because he was high. Williams was furious. He hunted him down but ended up showing compassion for his long-time friend after Little Richard repaid the debt. This, along with other factors, led to Little Richard’s return to born again Christianity and the ministry, but Williams did not escape LA’s seedy underworld.
Death
Williams died in his Los Angeles, California home of a gunshot wound to the head on January 7, 1980. He was 44 years old. The death was deemed suicide, though there was much speculation otherwise. No suspects were ever arrested or charged.