By DF (24.168.8.162) on Saturday, February 08, 2003 - 06:10 am:

One of the most underrated tenors in the business is Walter Williams of the O'Jays. Everyone knows Eddie Levert (I'm sure not puttin' down Eddie, either). Walter's has one of the coolest phrasings, especially that signature "Awwwwwwoh". A lot of folks don't know Walter as well as Eddie. I've got my favorites with Walter at lead.

1) Cry Together.
2) Desire Me. "Your every thought you think. Let it be of me."
3) Message in the Music. "We gonna talk about all the things that's been goin' down. Goin' down. Goin' down. Get your information. From this means of communication." 4) I Sing My Heart Out. I picture myself on the street singing this song to a woman looking out of a third floor balcony.
5) Work Me Over.
6) Darling, Darling Baby.
7) Brandy.
8) Use Ta Be My Girl. "Ask me how I know. And I'll tell you so..."

Anyone got any thoughts? Maybe Eli can give us a rundown of Walter and the O'Jays. Yes, I'm an O'Jays fanatic. Them cats can sing (in tune!!!), and can put on a show. Peace.

By DF (24.168.8.162) on Saturday, February 08, 2003 - 06:12 am:

Oh, yeah, the song, "Desire Me"? One of the best use of brushes (Charles Collins on drums?) in the history of R&B.

By Eli (151.197.41.234) on Saturday, February 08, 2003 - 09:22 am:

D.F., on Desire me the rhythm section is Charles Collins on drums, Jimmy Wiliams on Bass, Dennis Harris and myself on guitars, Huff on piano and other keys and Vince Montana on vibes.

By dvdmike (12.84.7.175) on Saturday, February 08, 2003 - 10:35 am:

Going back a bit, Walter was the lead voice on:
"Lipstick Traces (On A Cigarette") - 1965
"Whip It On Me, Baby" - 1965
"Hold On" - 1967

By yoyoshep (152.163.213.54) on Sunday, February 09, 2003 - 03:07 pm:

What about his lead on Let's Spend Some Time Together? Smooth.

By Sly Fan (67.115.74.242) on Thursday, March 20, 2003 - 09:59 pm:

that's is a too smooth cat, I agree!!

Especially "Lets Spend Some Time".

cant forget "Where Did We Go Wrong".

By stephanie (64.63.221.90) on Thursday, March 20, 2003 - 11:33 pm:

How come the one who had the brain tumor I cant think of his name right now didnt sing some leads?
Stephanie

By Lance (205.188.209.38) on Thursday, March 20, 2003 - 11:49 pm:

He did Stephanie. You're talking about William Powell. He led some songs when the O'Jays were a quintet and recorded for Imperial Records. Powell led "Oh How You Hurt Me Girl," "Let It All Out" and "Working On Your Case."

By dvdmike (65.208.234.61) on Friday, March 21, 2003 - 07:10 am:

Isn't Walter a baritone?

By R&B (138.238.41.118) on Friday, March 21, 2003 - 08:23 am:

HEY LANCE,I ALWAYS HAVE FUN ASKING FOLKS ABOUT..OH HOW YOU HURT ME WHICH IS ONE OF THE GREAT EARLY SONGS BY THE O'JAYS AND A GREAT LEAD BY WILLIAM POWELL,BECAUSE UNLESS YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THEIR EARLY WORK YOU WON'T RECOGNIZE THOSE SONGS,ALSO AFTER THE MID 60'S THEY NEVER USED A FIRST TENOR ON LEAD,AS FOR WALTER WILLIAMS,IF HE EVER WENT SOLO HE WOULD BE JUST A GREAT AS HE IS WITH THE O'JAYS!DF I AGREE 1000%THE O'JAYS ARE ONE OF THE GREATEST GROUPS EVER,AND I'M FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE SEEN THEM WHEN WILLIAM WAS STILL IN THE GROUP.

By Scratcher (65.132.77.125) on Friday, March 21, 2003 - 09:12 am:

William Powell starts off a '70s O'Jays' song prior to their signing with Philadelphia International entitled "Peace." "Let It All Out" is a great but forgotten Van McCoy composition. The best O'Jays lineup was the original quintet with Eddie Levert, Walter Williams, William Powell, Bobby Massey and Bill Isles (who left around 1966 or '67). I was always suprised that George Kerr never used Powell's falsetto since he went on to produce so many other groups with falsetto leads (the Whatnauts, the Escorts, the Moments, etc.)

By R&B (138.238.41.118) on Friday, March 21, 2003 - 09:28 am:

HEY SCRATCHER,RIGHT ON ABOUT THE ORIGINAL LINEUP,I REMEMBER SEEING THEM WHEN..ONE NIGHT AFFAIR WAS A HIT AND THEY HAD A LITTLE DANCE CALLED THE HIT AN RUN THAT THEY DID AS PART OF THEIR ACT AND IT WAS SOMETHING TO SEE.

By Scratcher (65.132.77.125) on Friday, March 21, 2003 - 09:44 am:

R&B you saw the four man line up, Bill Isles had left, unless he rejoined temporarily for a few shows, anything is possible. I preferred the O'Jays as a quintet or a quartet and never got use to seeing three O'Jays on stage. They had a nice routine to "One Night Affair," sadly--they rarely, if ever, sing the song live anymore.

By stephanie (64.63.221.206) on Friday, March 21, 2003 - 09:44 am:

I did some research and you all are right William Powell did do some leads. I need to get the old stuff so I can hear it. I see that there are some CD's on them of the early stuff before Philly International. I always thought that might have been William Powell doing that bass in You Got Your Hooks in Me.
Steph

By MEL&THEN SOME (195.219.7.32) on Friday, March 21, 2003 - 09:56 am:

Werent they known as The Triumphs when they first formed as a group in Canton,Ohio around 1958 and even recorded as The Mascot's for King records around 1961.
Until they were then re-named by Cleveland Disc-jockey Eddie O'Jay.
Great group always,but prefer the original line-up of Levert,Williams,Powell.Massey and Isles.
I also like there great vocals on 'now that I found you','That's alright'and there version of Williams and Watsons,2 for the price of 1,called,4 for the price of 1.
Mel.

By Scratcher (65.132.77.125) on Friday, March 21, 2003 - 09:57 am:

William Powell sang falsetto, the O'Jays never had a legitimate bass, though Walter Williams could get close. It was believed Williams did the bassing on an early O'Jays tune: "Lonely Drifter," but it was actually the bass singer for the Viceroys doing the part.

Powell was a fantastic falsetto singer. Your guess is as good as mine as to why Gamble & Huff or any of the other Philly producers (or George Kerr or the Poindexter Brothers) never used him (at least on nothing that's been released). He sounded as good live as he did on record.

When you saw the O'Jays live in the sixties you heard three lead singers: Eddie Levert (the most) with William Powell doing two or three songs and Walter williams one or two. Their harmony blend was unbelievable.

By R&B (138.238.41.118) on Friday, March 21, 2003 - 10:00 am:

HEY SCRATCHER,YOU'RE RIGHT,IT WAS THE FOUR MAN LINEUP,I WORDED IT WRONG.IT IS SAD THAT SOME GROUPS DON'T SING THEIR EARLY STUFF LIVE,FOR INSTANCE I DON'T REMEMBER THEM SINGING..I'LL BE SWEETER AFTER THE SIXTIES.

By dvdmike (12.84.140.110) on Friday, March 21, 2003 - 05:50 pm:

Walter had a brief lead on "How Time Flies"

By dvdmike (12.84.140.110) on Friday, March 21, 2003 - 05:51 pm:

I'm sorry, I meant William had a couple of brief leads on "How Time Flies". Sorry for the typo.

By b.soul (205.188.209.109) on Saturday, July 26, 2003 - 08:28 am:

I read somewhere that William Powell(while being terminally ill with cancer) was attacked and robbed in 1977 shortly after leaving the O'Jays, which only worsened his condition and caused his death. Is this true, and does anyone have any information about the Late William Powell.