John Williams was born in 1950 and raised on the family dairy farm at Torrumbarry, near Echuca, Victoria. His mother played piano in a dance band with her brother, and John was always going to sing. From the time he could talk he was singing to people. A big fan of ’60s music, he joined a band and played the hits of Normie Rowe and MPD Ltd. John idolised Johnny Chester and the Hawking Bros and became good mates with Reg Poole, travelling each month to Reg’s Woolshed Country Sundays. In 1977 with the sudden and unexpected passing of his father, he wrote ''A Tribute to My Old Dad''.
With the support of Reg Poole, he travelled to Tamworth in 1978 and recorded his first album 'Country From the Heart' at Hadley Studios. A call from John Minson and he was on the road with Rick & Thel Carey. The following year he appeared with American artist Don King and then toured NZ. He secured a guest spot at the Gore Gold Guitars Awards in New Zealand. In 1984 he recorded in Melbourne and teamed with leading producer Howard Gable and talented musician producer Peter Sullivan. From this session came his hit single, ''Lifting Me Up''. Two crossover albums were produced – 'Ride On Down This Road' and 'Two Sides of John Williams'. He had a handy group of musicians backing him including Gavin Anderson guitar and Roger McLaughlin on bass. John wrote the protest song ''Milk Blockade'' in support of struggling dairy farmers. With good mate Reg Poole he penned the very patriotic song ''I Love This Land Australia.'' After the Wimbledon win of Pat Cash, he wrote ''Pat Cash, You’re Our Hero''.
During the 1990s he released another single, the ’60s classic ''Goodbye Cruel World''. As one of his passions was football, John released a new version of all the AFL footy theme songs. He then recorded an album of old favourites with Reg Poole, 'Fireside Memories', which they marketed on television. In 1994 he was inducted into the Hands of Fame, Tamworth. Working with Nash and Bill Chambers he recorded the album, 'Back On The Border'. From that album came the country duet with Kasey, ''The Losing Side Of Love''. Williams was named Victorian Country Entertainer of the Year and became heavily involved in the growth of the Victorian & National CM Awards, acting as compere for many years. Williams was awarded an Honorary Life Govenor of the Royal Children’s Hospital for his work in organizing fund raising concerts. He has been the host of every Victoria/National Country Awards, they are broadcast live via satellite all over Australia.
During the 2000s he released the single ''Slow Motion''.Wrote a protest song, ''Who Gives a Stuff About the Farmer'', in support of rural Victoria as the government decided to take the irrigation water from the north of the state to Melbourne. Became known for his 25 years of radio, JR’s Country, on 1521 2QN that covered northern Victoria and southern NSW. Back with Bill Chambers and a group of Australia’s best country musicians and a handful of great songs were carefully selected, and a long-awaited album was released 'Mustering Time' in 2010. Another duet, this time with Bill, ''Truck Stop Girl'' was released. Over the years Williams also recorded songs with Deniese Morrison, Tracy Lee Killeen and Renee Stewart.
In 2017 the album '2015' was released including some of John’s favourites, requested songs and singles that had never made albums. Williams’s love for the land continually keeps him close to the farm and has been one of the reasons he has not been able to give what he would love to have given to music. One of his great joys was to be able to continually play and promote young Aussie artists’ music through his radio show over the years as Australian country became commercial and of excellent quality.
''Follow Me To Tennessee / I've Already Loved You In My Mind'' 1979 Homestead
''She's My Everything / Fifteen Years Of Hurt'' 1980 Homestead
''Liftin' Me Up / Love, Love, Love'' 1981 RCA Victor
''Goodbye Cruel World / My Ding-A-Ling'' 1994 WDO
'Country From The Heart' 1978 Hadley
'Music In My Veins' 1979 Homestead
'Ride On Down This Road' 1984 Larrikin
'Two Sides Of John Williams' 1986 EMI
'Back On The Border' 1996 WDO
'Kings Of Country' [with Jimmy Little and David Pincombe] Birubi
'Fireside Memories' [with Reg Poole] WDO
References
https://ehive.com/collections/200851/objects/1461245/john-r-williams-jr
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