Today we’d like to introduce you to Gerry Williams.
Hi Gerry, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’m a Florida native. I grew up in small-town Winter Haven, Florida. I was always surrounded by music. My mom, my dad and my uncle are all singers, as well as several older cousins who sang, so I got an early start on learning how to perform. At age five, I heard a sound in the neighborhood and I was compelled to go toward it. I remember seeing two or three older kids playing on pots and pans. A feeling came over me that I couldn’t explain. They invited me to join them and I picked up junkyard drumming very quickly. That lead to so many things. In junior high school, I had a wonderful band director named Lynn Putnam, who really cared about her students. I learned how to read percussion music of instruments like snare drum, bass drum, timpani, mallets (glockenspiel, xylophone, vibraphone and all the noisemakers you’d use to create musical moments. Along with her teachings, I knew a kid name Doug Creekmore who was one year older. He helped me get through a couple of percussion books, and a high school kid name Richie Mathis helped prepare me for the high school drumline by teaching me the exercises and drum cadences.
At the same time, I joined the church choir as a vocalist and a musician. The church I attended already had a drummer so I decided to pick up piano/keyboard. It seemed as if I had a natural ability to pick up these instruments. I began to realize that this was truly a gift from the heavens so I decided to audition for everything and anything possible, which included all state band, all county band, all county orchestra and jazz band, you name it! I did the same thing on the choir end in several churches. At this time I met a gentleman who later became my vocal coach, the late Joseph DeRosa. He introduced me to barbershop and that’s when I fell in love with voice. He taught me how to really hear harmonies and also how to build them. This is when I started working with church ensembles in church choirs and everything that he’d teach me I teach them. My mom bought me a drum machine, a drum set and a keyboard and at that time I started arranging music (age 13). At first I would reproduce the songs that were out at the time, then I began producing music for rap artists and local singers. I remember we’d have family gatherings and we didn’t have a DJ, so I’d bring my keyboard and drum machine and re-create the current hits of the time. 🎶
When I got into high school, things began to get more serious. I had another great band director, David Fultz. He encouraged me to write and arrange music even more. I auditioned for the high school drumline, and later Mr. Fultz allowed me to write for the drumline. At the high school, I joined the high school marching band staff where I was able to write for the drumline and write some music for the band, while arranging music for the high school band, the church, other vocal ensembles, and producing music for artists. I was completely engulfed in music. I formed a vocal group at this time and we performed in churches and also in talent shows and other live events. Managers of other groups saw my work and hired me to work with their groups!
I moved to New York because I figured this is the place where I had to meet big producers and record label executives. My dad also lived in New York, so I had a place to stay. I met a few songwriters and teamed up with them. We decided to write every major record label in NYC because back then, we didn’t have the technology. After we sent letters out, I began to work with some record labels, small artists, no names. Then I got a call from Johnny Wright to work with groups in Florida. This was around 1996-2003. At this time, Lou Perlman, Johnny Wright and Donna Wright had groups like Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC. I began working with C-Note, LFO, Aaron Carter, Natural, Stilo and later worked with a couple of guys from *NSYNC. Because of Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC, there were roughly 1,000 other artists, both female and male, who formed groups. I remember having 300 vocal students at one time lol. You guessed it, I was super tired working 16/18 hour days. My title quickly became pop vocal coach/artist developer. I also worked with artists overseas, like Solid Harmonie, 3rd wish, and Us5. I also worked with Mandy Moore (This Is Us), Jordan Knight (New Kids on the Block), PYT (out of Tampa), Francesca Battistelli and Candice King, just to name a few. At this time, I was doing a ton of things simultaneously- I was producing music, I was doing remixes for artists like Justin Timberlake, Celine Dion Craig David, Carlos Santana, Jlo and Thalia. I’ve also worked with some incredible Grammy award-winning engineers over the last 20 something years (SuperJeff Villanueva, Joe Smith, Tommy Tools, Dan Fontana, Adam Barber). Orlando was like a pop music empire! I’m always ready to go when Johnny calls. While I was doing all the Pop Boy Band/Girl Band work, I was also in the underground scene in a band of great musicians in the 90s! 🎶
Even though I was doing all this artist developing, my favorite thing in the world to do is arrange music for film and TV. I remember as a child I used to turn down the TV and make up my own music to the TV shows. I linked up with Heavy Hitters Music out in LA and I licensed songs to them and they placed my songs on multiple TV shows (Young in the restless, A Good Wife, the movie Mama‘s Boy with Diane Keaton).
Currently, I still produce music for artists, mostly overseas, and I’m scoring music for commercials film and TV, and I do boot camps for artists around the world. I just simply love music and music has saved my life over and over again so I thank God for giving me the greatest gift.
I have a few projects going on now. We have my band, which is called the Gerry Williams Band (Neo Funk and Soul). We have the Stevie Wonder Tribute Band, the Diana Ross tribute band, the Lionel Richie Tribute Band, the Martha Reeves and Gladys Knight Tribute Bands. So I’ve been very busy lol. I’m also working on my 2nd album. I have a lot more to tell but it would take too long. As I get older, I realize my main purpose in life is to spread love through my music. 🎶 I love Orlando but I currently living in St. Petersburg, Florida where I don’t know anyone lol. I love the water here. 🙂 I still work out of studios in Orlando.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It has not all been smooth for me. There’s been ups and downs ever since I decided to focus on music as my sole career since 1993, but I really enjoy my job in the art! This industry has sharks in it just other industries but you have to stay grounded. Let God guide you. 🙏🏾
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a music composer/arranger vocal coach music producer and artist developer. 🎶 I’m mostly known for being one of the top go-to vocal coaches when groups are preparing to go on tour or when they have performances. Vocal coach is exactly what it sounds like! Just like a football coach and a basketball coach, a vocal coach motivates the artist. This is to get them mentally prepared (for a radio show, live performance, in the studio, or on tour).
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters to me is that what and how I teach really sinks in deep with the hope that it changes an artist’s life forever, also that the artist continues to passionately pursue knowledge in music. Because I want them to a spread the love music to everyone they come in contact with!
Contact Info:
- Email: Vocalcoachgerrywilliams@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vocalcoachgerrywilliams/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Vocal-Coach-Gerry-Williams-374277710087035/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=gerry+williams+band
Image Credits
Black and White photo taken by Constantin Preda
