Hitmaking soul music songwriter Ken Williams dies at 83

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(June 27, 2022) He was the pen behind some all time classics that we will be listening to for decades to come. We have belatedly learned of the passing of R&B songwriter supreme, Ken Williams, at age 83, after a long illness.

The writer of more than 500 songs, Williams was probably best known for two #1 hits that were spaced three decades apart: 1972’s “Everybody Plays The Fool” by the Main Ingredient and 2004 Grammy Winner “You Don’t Know My Name” by Alicia Keys, which sampled from Williams’ 1975 song “Let Me Prove My Love To You. The Florida native packed dozens of recorded songs in between those monsters, including Donny Hathaway’s “Love, Love, Love” and The Four Tops’ “Seven Lonely Nights.”

Friends on social media had been praying for Williams since he had surgery earlier this month, and since his passing the tributes from friends, family and artists alike has been touching. According to the Associated Press, Williams is survived by his wife; a sister, Dorothy Jones; sons Kenny Williams Jr., Kevin D. Williams and Kalvin Williams; a daughter, Cheryl Nicholson; a stepson, Kenny J. Seymour; grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

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