Williams, Gene (Band director)

found: Claude Thornhill & his orchestra, 1996:insert (Claude Thornhill & his orchestra; vocals by Fran Warren & Gene Williams; Gene Williams joined Sam Fletcher and his Duke Ambassadors in 1942 at age 16 as a singer; later sang with Claude Thornhill's band for 18 months, then formed own band featuring Stan Getz, which broke up in late 1951)

found: allmusic.com, 20 December 2018(Gene Williams; born in the USA; throughout 1940s worked with many dance bands; two-year stint in army; worked with the Claude Thornhill Orchestra, mainly as vocalist; formed his own dance band in New York City in 1949, known first as the Gene Williams And The Junior Thornhill Band, and then the Gene Williams Orchestra; jukebox hit "Just Goofin''; disbanded around 1952)

found: Revolvy, via WWW, January 4, 2018(Gene Williams (musician); Eugene "Gene" Williams was an American jazz vocalist and bandleader; Williams began his career in 1942 as a member of the Duke Ambassadors under Sammy Fletcher, then worked in Johnny Long's orchestra while serving in the United States Army; after the war he sang with Vincent Lopez and worked with Les Elgart, George Paxton, and Bobby Sherwood; he also sang on the recording "Sorta Kinda" made by the Claude Thornhill Orchestra in 1947; he founded his own band, Gene Williams and the Junior Thornhill Band, in New York City in 1949; he later simplified the name to the Gene Williams Orchestra; his sidemen included Stan Getz, Teddy Napoleon, and Mel Zelnick, and featured singers included Adele Castle. Gil Evans, Chico O'Farrill, Hubie Wheeler, and Joe Reisman all arranged for this ensemble; the group played college campuses and took an engagement at the Glen Island casino in 1952, also recording for Mercury Records)

notfound: Internat'l ww of music, 1985, 1980, and 1976;Baker's biog. dict. of musicians, 1984;Biographical dict. of jazz, 1982.