Andy Williams Passes Away at Age 84

According to People.com, 84 year old Andy Williams, performer extraordinaire, passed away yesterday morning in his Branson, MO. home. His family announced that he was a victim of his fight with bladder cancer. He announced his diagnosis last year in concert but assured that he would survive the disease as it was not fatal as it used to be. He now leaves behind his second wife, Debbie, and their three children, Christian, Robert, and Noelle.

Andy Williams had a long, fruitful career with many gold and platinum albums. In the 60s he was a premier easy listening artist with multiple hits like 'Days of Wine and Roses'. He was best known for his song, Moon River, of which he named a theatre after in Branson, MO where he has entertained audiences since the early 90's. In the 30's his career started with his brothers but he became a solo act, adopted rock hits, and soon became a star in his own right. His signature, Moon River, was an Oscar-winning song though it was never officially released as a single. His famed show, The Andy Williams Show, was a multiple Emmy-winning program that stayed on the air for nearly a decade and introduced the world to the Osmond brothers.

Williams was an international superstar as he completely sold out tours in the United Kingdom and Asia as well as in the United States. Songs like his Elvis Cover, 'Can't Help Falling in Love' were hits in America and in the United Kingdom. He was in charge of Barnaby records which released the first album of singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffet and handled music of the Everly Brothers and Ray Stevens. He was also a defender of John Lennon when the Nixon Administration tried to deport him. At the present time, Williams had been taking it easy dividing his time between his homes in California and Branson, MO. He had planned to take the stage in Branson this month at his famed Moon River Theatre.