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Excerpts of an Interview by Joy I. Lee
June 22, 2009
JL: So let’s go back to the beginning, when did you realize you had a gift for music?
HW: Hmm, I dunno maybe 6 or 7. It started with me singing around the house. Soon my family began encouraging me to sing all the time, especially once I began singing in church. I remember singing lots of solos in church.
JL: When did you decide you wanted to try to make a career in music?
HW: I always knew I wanted to do music, make records etc but I knew that it was extremely difficult trying to make it big so I focused on the next best thing, just being in the industry in general.
JL: How have you sustained this long in an industry that is very difficult to be successful in and often leads to burn out?
HW: First and foremost, I don’t party. I have never been a drinker or smoker socially or otherwise. Most importantly, I have never done drugs. My philosophy has been to remain professional no matter what. I show up to the gig on time and perform for the crowd no matter what else is going. I always live up to any commitments or engagements I agree to, regardless of what I have going on in my personal life. I think this has a lot to do with it. I also never tied myself down to one style of music so I never got type casted or boxed in. Being able to appeal to all types of audiences has definitely helped me stay busy all of these years.
JL: I have your CD Da Goody Love, released several years ago, which has some great tracks I must say. Have you released any others over the years?
HW: No. That was produced by an independent local label out of Atlanta. It was localized and played more overseas than it did here in the U.S.
JL: You have worked with a number of well known artists in your career. Who were they and whatwas the nature of the relationship?
HW: I’ll keep it real with you; the only capacity where I have worked with known artists is opening up for them or following their show. I’ve been on the stage with Sinbad, Toby Keith, The Knack, Don Williams, Bill Cosby, Vanilla Ice, Tone Loc, O’Jays, Kool and the Gang, Otown, Peabo Bryson, Freddie Jackson, Commodores, Michael Buble and Black Eyed Peas to name a few. I also did some background singing with Keith Sweat back in the day. When the American Idol folks come to Universal we typically open up for them. We have opened or closed shows for so many artists that I can’t even remember them all to be honest.
JL: Getting back to your music. The breadth of artists you and your band cover is extremely wide ranging. I imagine many people are quite surprised by this when they hear you perform, would you agree?
HW: Yes, typically the makeup on my band is very diverse. With my lineup now, people probably assume we’re a specific genre of music, mainly R&B, but we do it all.
JL: What song, aside from your own, do you enjoy performing time and time again?
HW: Phil Collins “In the Air Tonight”
JL: Do you have a genre of music that appeals to you the most?
HW: Nope I just like good music.
©2010 Herb L. Williams and The Herb Williams Band. All rights reserved.
June 22, 2009
JL: So let’s go back to the beginning, when did you realize you had a gift for music?
HW: Hmm, I dunno maybe 6 or 7. It started with me singing around the house. Soon my family began encouraging me to sing all the time, especially once I began singing in church. I remember singing lots of solos in church.
JL: When did you decide you wanted to try to make a career in music?
HW: I always knew I wanted to do music, make records etc but I knew that it was extremely difficult trying to make it big so I focused on the next best thing, just being in the industry in general.
JL: How have you sustained this long in an industry that is very difficult to be successful in and often leads to burn out?
HW: First and foremost, I don’t party. I have never been a drinker or smoker socially or otherwise. Most importantly, I have never done drugs. My philosophy has been to remain professional no matter what. I show up to the gig on time and perform for the crowd no matter what else is going. I always live up to any commitments or engagements I agree to, regardless of what I have going on in my personal life. I think this has a lot to do with it. I also never tied myself down to one style of music so I never got type casted or boxed in. Being able to appeal to all types of audiences has definitely helped me stay busy all of these years.
JL: I have your CD Da Goody Love, released several years ago, which has some great tracks I must say. Have you released any others over the years?
HW: No. That was produced by an independent local label out of Atlanta. It was localized and played more overseas than it did here in the U.S.
JL: You have worked with a number of well known artists in your career. Who were they and whatwas the nature of the relationship?
HW: I’ll keep it real with you; the only capacity where I have worked with known artists is opening up for them or following their show. I’ve been on the stage with Sinbad, Toby Keith, The Knack, Don Williams, Bill Cosby, Vanilla Ice, Tone Loc, O’Jays, Kool and the Gang, Otown, Peabo Bryson, Freddie Jackson, Commodores, Michael Buble and Black Eyed Peas to name a few. I also did some background singing with Keith Sweat back in the day. When the American Idol folks come to Universal we typically open up for them. We have opened or closed shows for so many artists that I can’t even remember them all to be honest.
JL: Getting back to your music. The breadth of artists you and your band cover is extremely wide ranging. I imagine many people are quite surprised by this when they hear you perform, would you agree?
HW: Yes, typically the makeup on my band is very diverse. With my lineup now, people probably assume we’re a specific genre of music, mainly R&B, but we do it all.
JL: What song, aside from your own, do you enjoy performing time and time again?
HW: Phil Collins “In the Air Tonight”
JL: Do you have a genre of music that appeals to you the most?
HW: Nope I just like good music.
©2010 Herb L. Williams and The Herb Williams Band. All rights reserved.
