"Moon River" Singer Andy Williams Dies at 84
Andy Williams
"Moon River" singer and 1960s TV variety show host Andy Williams has died in his Branson, Mo., home, People reports. He was 84.
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Williams, born Howard Andrew Williams in Iowa, first started singing with his brothers in the late '30s. Together the quartet joined entertainer Kay Thompson in her nightclub act. After breaking up in 1952, Williams launched his solo career where he eventually landed a spot on The Tonight Show and a Columbia Records contract. His rendition of the Breakfast at Tiffany's theme "Moon River" became his signature hit.
Andy Williams suffering from bladder cancer
In 1962, Williams launched The Andy Williams Show, a variety series that aired on NBC until 1971. The show is credited with introducing The Osmond Brothers (pre-Marie) to the world.
Last year, Williams announced at his Branson, Mo., Moon River Theatre that he was being treated for bladder cancer. "This is no longer a death sentence," he told concertgoers. "People with cancer are getting through this thing. They're kicking it, and they're winning more and more every year. And I'm going to be one of them."
Williams is survived by his second wife Debbie Williams and his three children from his first marriage to Claudine Longet.