Birth name Walter Williams Name Dootsie Williams Labels Dooto, Dootone | Years active 1940s–1975 Origin Alabama | |
Born June 17, 1911 ( 1911-06-17 ) Occupation(s) Record executive, record producer, band leader Died August 21, 1991, Los Angeles, California, United States Genres Comedy, Doo-wop, Gospel music Associated acts Redd Foxx, Papa John Creach Similar People The Medallions, Vernon Green, Curtis Williams, The Calvanes, The Penguins | ||
PENGUINS - DEVIL THAT I SEE- - 1955 Mercury 70703 B.wmv
Walter D. Williams, Jr. (June 17, 1911–August 21, 1991), known as Dootsie Williams, was an American record producer and record label owner who released early records by Redd Foxx and The Penguins.
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Life and career
Williams was born in Mobile, Alabama, in 1911, and by 1918 had moved with his family to Los Angeles. He was a leader of the Harlem Dukes band in the 1940s. While performing at gigs, he came up with the idea of recording other artists.
In 1949, Williams founded the Blue Records label. Two years later he changed the name to Dootone. One of the first artists he recorded on Dootone was a violinist named Johnny Creach, who years later would become popular at Woodstock as Papa John Creach. In 1954, he recorded a local group called The Penguins, who would have a huge hit with "Earth Angel."
While the label would record a wide variety of music, it would be best known for a series of comedy recordings by Redd Foxx. Williams saw the comedian perform at the Brass Rail, a local Los Angeles nightclub, and signed Foxx to a recording contract. Laff of the Party, the first of many albums that Foxx recorded for Williams, became a cult favorite and helped establish him as a national star.
Williams died in Los Angeles on August 21, 1991.