Friends recall singer’s gift

Wednesday, April 7, 1999 | 10:26 a.m.

Singing legend Joe Williams was memorialized today as fans and friends remembered him as a performer who enjoyed passing on the gift of music to the young and a man who loved the jazz nightlife he helped popularize.

"Joe enjoyed the (UNLV jazz) band so much that many times, to my amazement, he would just stop by during the afternoon rehearsal," said Frank Gagliardi, a former drummer at the old Sands hotel-casino who 21 years ago founded the UNLV jazz program.

"He loved youth so much that he would smile from ear to ear when the band was really swinging. Many times I would have him come up and rehearse them. You could hear a pin drop. I can still see the attentive smiles on the students' faces."

Services for Williams, who died March 29 at age 80 while walking home from Sunrise Hospital where he had been treated for a respiratory ailment, were today at the First Church of Religious Science, near UNLV.

In addition to his work with UNLV students, Williams also had a scholarship program at Community College of Southern Nevada and performed annual concerts there, which helped introduce his music to new generations. Many UNLV and community college students yearned to follow in his footsteps, and some did.

"When my drummer, Dennis Mackrel, graduated, Joe told Count Basie about Dennis and Basie hired him," Gagliardi said.

"Dennis appeared on many TV shows with the Count and stayed with the band while Frank Foster led it. Today, Dennis is one of the most sought-after drummers-composers-arrangers in New York City."

Longtime Sun entertainment columnist Joe Delaney, a friend of Williams dating to the mid-1950s, remembered the smooth baritone performer as a man who loved the jazz nightlife, especially his Gibson martinis.

"Joe's favorite martini story was about a guy who goes into a bar and orders a martini, telling the bartender to pour the gin and just whisper the word 'vermouth' over the glass," Delaney said.

"The bartender does as he is told. He later asks the guy, 'How was it?' The guy says, 'OK, only next time, not so loud.' "

Joe also recalled how other entertainers deeply respected Williams: "B.B. King and Joe were competitors. They both had hits with the song 'Every Day I Have the Blues.' I recently interviewed B.B. and asked who won -- who did the better job with the song. B.B. said Joe won easily."

At today's service, longtime friend Bob Udkoff was to deliver the eulogy, entertainer Robert Goulet was to read a letter to Williams and noted jazz singers Nancy Wilson and Dianne Schuur were to sing tributes. The Rev. Richard Walter was to be the officiant for the service.

In accordance with his wishes, Williams was cremated. It also was his wish that his service be kept small, so it was held in a church seating just 350 people.

Williams' loyal fans, while thankful that he lived so long and left them so many musical memories, bemoan how he died.

"It truly saddens me that we've lost perhaps this nation's most definitive blues/jazz singer," Steven McCormick wrote in an e-mail received at the Sun in the days following Williams' death.

"What a tragic irony that a treasure such as this should die in the street."

Investigators said Williams walked about three miles from the hospital after leaving against doctors' orders and collapsed just blocks from his home.

Williams, a Grammy Award-winning performer who lived in Las Vegas for 31 years, performed alongside such jazz greats as Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie and Lena Horne. He was with the Count Basie Orchestra from 1954 to 1961.

During his storied career, Williams appeared in many of the major Las Vegas lounges and six years ago performed at the White House for President Clinton.

The Williams family suggests that donations be made to the Joe Williams Scholarship Fund, Community College of Southern Nevada, 3200 E. Cheyenne Ave., North Las Vegas, NV 89030.