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{{short description|American gospel singer (
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{{for|the Barbadian economist and diplomat|Marion Williams (economist)}}
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'''Marion Williams''' (August 29, 1927 – July 2, 1994) was an American [[Gospel music|gospel]] singer.
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== Early years ==
{{Onesource|section|date=January 2022}}
Marion Williams was born in [[Miami
Poverty caused Williams to leave school at fourteen to work with her mother at a laundry,<ref name=BlackPast_MarionWilliams /> although she eventually graduated from [[Pacific Union College]] in 1987. She sang at church and on street corners, inspired by a wide range of musicians, including [[Sister Rosetta Tharpe]] and the Smith Jubilee Singers.
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=== The Ward Singers ===
Williams was invited to join the Ward Singers when they heard her singing during a visit to a close friend in [[Philadelphia]] in 1946. Williams
=== Stars of Faith ===
Dissatisfied with the low pay she was receiving while starring for the group, Williams left the Ward Singers in 1958, followed by most of the rest of the group, to form the Stars of Faith. The
=== Solo career ===
In 1965, Williams began a solo career. While in Miami for her mother's funeral, she felt re-inspired to continue her career and began touring college campuses across the country. The
=== Discography ===
==== Albums ====
* ''[[Can't Keep It to Myself]]'' (1993, Shanachie Entertainment Corp.)
* ''Standing Here Wondering Which Way to Go'' (1971, Atlantic Recording Corp.)
=== Filmography ===
==== Film appearances ====
Williams opens the 1990 video ''Amazing Grace with Bill Moyers'' singing the signature song. Later in the [[PBS]] production, she stylized the song in her own way. In 1991, she performed as a gospel singer in the film ''[[Fried Green Tomatoes (film)|Fried Green Tomatoes]]'', though her scene is available only in the director's cut. The movie was dedicated to her.
==== Television appearances ====
On ''[[Hootenanny]]'', a [[variety show|musical variety]] television show, she performed
=== Music ===
A powerful singer with a preternaturally broad range, able to reach the highest registers of the soprano range without losing either purity or volume, she could also swoop down to growling low notes in the style of a country preacher.
===
Williams' singing helped make the Ward Singers nationally popular when they began recording in 1948, and also inspired [[rock and roll]] pioneer [[Little Richard]]'s signature wail.<ref name="Rolling Stone 041990">{{cite journal|title=Little Richard|date=April 19, 1990|publisher=Rolling Stone}}</ref>
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== Personal life ==
Williams was an esteemed member and Church Mother at the BM Oakley Memorial [[Church of God in Christ]] in Philadelphia under the pastorate of the late Mother Irene A. Oakley.<ref name=BlackPast_MarionWilliams>{{cite web|url=http://www.blackpast.org/aah/williams-marion-1927-1994|title=Williams, Marion (1927–1994) – The Black Past: Remembered and Children Reclaimed, Robin Williams Sr. Grandchildren, Robin Williams Jr, Ryan Williams, Dominique Williams Reclaimed|website=www.blackpast.org|date=December 2013 |access-date=October 14, 2020}}</ref>
Williams died at the Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia on July 2, 1994, aged 66.<ref name="NYT 19940704">{{cite news |first1=Jon |last1=Pareles |title=Marion Williams Is Dead at 66; Influential Pioneer of Gospel |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/07/04/obituaries/marion-williams-is-dead-at-66-influential-pioneer-of-gospel.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=July 4, 1994 |issn=0362-4331 |access-date=September 16, 2014}}</ref> She was interred at [[Ivy Hill Cemetery (Philadelphia)|Ivy Hill Cemetery]] in Philadelphia.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Newall |first1=Mike |title=Philadelphia cemetery struggles with coronavirus victims, a Philadelphia cemetery aims to preserve the dignity of the dead |url=https://www.inquirer.com/news/philadelphia-ivy-hill-cemetery-crematory-20200505.html |website=www.inquirer.com |date=May 5, 2020 |publisher=Philadelphia Inquirer |access-date=July 3, 2022}}</ref>
== References ==
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[[Category:1994 deaths]]
[[Category:American gospel singers]]
[[Category:
[[Category:African-American Christians]]
[[Category:American performers of Christian music]]
[[Category:Burials at Ivy Hill Cemetery (Philadelphia)]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American women singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American women singers]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:Kennedy Center honorees]]
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