Ken Williams

Sweet Music, Soft Lights & You

Sweet Music, Soft Lights & You was a hit for Millie Jackson & Isaac Hayes on Polydor in 1979. This version from 1976 is very similar and by co-writer of the song Ken Williams. Just love the Isaac Hayes type fuzz guitar reminiscent of Walk On By classic.

I'm a big fan of the works of these guys; Ken Williams & JR Bailey in particular. Bailey put out an album on himself , that's to my mind one of the best albums of the 70's, titled Just Me 'N You and it has just been issued on CD buy it without question. If you want the vinyl let me know.

Ken's other singles that I can find are the Northern stomper Come Back on Okeh Records from 1967, collectors/dj's will pay many hundreds of pounds for, Old Fashioned Christmas on Ben Mor Records (as Kenny Williams), The Shoes On The Other Foot & If You Were Gone. He also had a hit-jingle: You're Fabulous Bake for a purfume add that came out on UK (HMV 015) backed with Give My Heart Back in 1977.

But it's his writing skills that he'll be remembered for especially with hits for Northern Soul classics; The Superiors What Would I Do (also as lead singer) Bobby Treetop's Wait Till I Get To Know Ya & Total Eclipse's You Took A Heart, then the hits for The Main Ingredient; Just Don't Want To Be Lonely and Everybody Plays The Fool (Sometimes), and Donny Hathaway's Love, Love, Love also recorded on Bailey's one album.

He's produced some nice things as well; The Spellbinders Help Me; Peaches Herb Let's Fall In Love; The Reflections She's My Summer Breeze and Love On Delivery.

More recently he is connected to the monster hit by Alicia Keys You Don't Know My Name using the groove from a 1972 Main Ingredient Track Let me Prove My Love To You. Williams has recently been given the Keys To The City at Fernandina Beach where he now lives by Mayer Joe Gerrity.