LifeNotes: Local Rock ‘n’ Roll Pioneer Richard Williams Passes

Richard Williams

Pianist-singer Richard Williams, who co-founded Nashville’s first rock ‘n’ roll band, has died at age 75 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

Williams was a high-school student in Music City when he formed The Casuals with singer-songwriter Buzz Cason in 1956. Nashville’s pioneering rock group toured for many years with Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame member Brenda Lee.

Born in Nashville in 1939, Richard Williams was raised by his grandparents and graduated from East High. He formed The Richard Williams Trio in 1955. When Cason joined the group, the name was changed to The Casuals and the repertoire shifted to rockabilly and rock ‘n’ roll.

The group’s debut performance was at Lebanon High School in March 1956. Its high-energy stage act made it a popular attraction at Vanderbilt frat parties, local TV teen shows, skating rinks, drive-in movie theaters and high-school dances.

Williams and Cason co-wrote “My Love Song for You,” which became a regional hit for The Casuals in 1957 on Dot Records. It put the group on the road with such early rockers as Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Eddie Cochran as well as country stars such as Mel Tillis, Minnie Pearl and Kitty Wells.

In 1958, The Casuals were hired to join Brenda Lee’s road show. The largest selling female recording artist of the 1960s, Lee sang both rockabilly tunes and torchy ballads. The Casuals backed her in both styles and hit the road with her and such other teen stars as Fabian, Duane Eddy, Fats Domino, Roy Orbison, The Big Bopper, Buddy Knox, Jimmy Bowen, Bobby Darin and Chubby Checker.
They starred at The Brooklyn Paramount Theater at a legendary 1960 Christmas extravaganza with The Drifters, The Shirelles, The Coasters, Dion, Little Anthony & The Imperials, Bo Diddley, Neil Sedaka, Freddy Cannon and Bobby Vee.

Richard Williams and Buzz Cason joined Hugh Jarrett to form a studio-only vocal trio called The Statues, who made the charts with “Blue Velvet” in 1960 on Liberty Records. But they continued to be Casuals members as well.

In 1961 at Alan Freed’s Spectacular at The Hollywood Bowl, they headlined with The Ventures, B.B. King, Gene McDaniels, The Fleetwoods, Etta James and more. Cason left the group in 1962 and eventually became a successful Nashville producer, songwriter, publisher and recording artist. Williams assumed leadership of The Casuals. As Brenda Lee graduated from teen stardom to headlining supper clubs and Las Vegas showrooms, the band evolved with her.

The Casuals continued to record, as well, notably “Mustang 2+2” in 1964 on Sound Stage 7 Records and several songs for the Monument label in 1966. They also toured as a top “show band” when not on the road with Brenda Lee.

When Richard Williams departed the group in 1975, the Casuals name was retired. He subsequently moved to Ft. Lauderdale and became one of that city’s most popular solo nightclub entertainers.
Richard Williams died on Sept. 8. He is survived by his wife Vanessa, daughter Angela McCoy of Louisville, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren of Louisville and by aunt Jean Carroll of Madison, TN.

There will be a celebration of Richard Williams’ life on Sunday, Oct. 11 at Chef’s Market in Goodlettsville, TN, 4-7 p.m.