Williams puts street smarts punk roots music
Jim Clark | Tupelo, MS | 07/21/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)
"By Jim Clark
Publisher, Lee County Courier, Tupelo, MS
Andre Williams sings he "just needs one step above the ghetto, that's all I need."
He should know. Twenty years ago if you were on a Chicago bridge you would found Andre, homeless, drug addicted and begging for money.
And that wasn't the first time the 74-year-old R&Bblues artist had hit bottom. He hit it early when his mama died when he was six and raised by his "aunties."
All that's in the past. Andre now over dresses in three piece lavender suits, with a zoot hat and large Turquoise ring and brings audiences, young and old, to their feet with his scanting lyrics of street life delivered over hollow drums and fuzz guitars. His latest CD, That's All I Need, recently released on Bloodshot Records.
Andre had previous high-points too. He co-wrote Stevie Wonder's first song "Thank You for Loving Me," "Shake a Tail Feather,"for the Five Du-Tones and "Twine Time" for Ike and Tina Turner.
After kicking the crack habit in the late 90s he released Silky considered one of the most over-the-top street CDs ever.
That's All I Need picks up from there.
Pay attention to the cuts "When Love Shoots You In the Foot,""Cigarettes and My Old Lady" and "There Ain't No Such Thing As Good Dope." Cow punk is back."