Gospel Legend Huey P. Williams Of The Jackson Southernaires Dies At 80

He died at his home in Smithdale, Mississippi, on March 24.

Huey P. Williams, gospel star and frontman of the legendary Jackson Southernaires, died peacefully at his Smithdale, Mississippi, home on March 24. He was 80 years old.

“My big brother Huey, in my eyes, was in a league of his own,” Doug Williams said, according to Billboard. “He possessed a signature voice that was unmistakably his own.”

A pioneer in gospel music, particularly in quartet gospel, Huey P. Williams is considered a cornerstone of the genre. His family is regarded as gospel royalty, with Williams being the older brother of Frank Williams, who founded the Mississippi Mass Choir, and of Melvin, Doug, and Leonard Williams, members of the Grammy-nominated Williams Brothers. The Williams family is widely recognized for its significant influence in shaping the sound of modern gospel.

“His music ministry touched so many lives in such a positive way over the years,” Doug Williams continued. “He had a big personality, but such a humble spirit. Huey was the epitome of a people’s person, a man that loved everybody and never met a stranger. He would literally give you the shirt off his back. That’s why so many people from across the country gravitated to him and loved him dearly. His presence will be sorely missed, but his undeniable legacy will live on forever.”

The Jackson Southernaires, founded in 1940 in Jackson, Mississippi, rose to national prominence in the 1960s with the breakout single, “The Greatest Creator,” released in 1963. “Too Late” (1968) became a major success, leading to the release of the group’s first full-length album. Other fan favorites include “Don’t Let Him Catch You (With Your Work Undone)” and “How Long Will It Last.”

In 1975, the group became the first gospel act to sign with Malaco Records, where it released projects that charted on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums list, such as Down Home (1975), Legendary Gentlemen (1979), and Lord We Need Your Blessing (1985). The group has been recognized among Billboard’s Top Gospel/Soul Artists of the Year.

A musical ceremony to celebrate Williams’s life and legacy will take place March 28 at 6 p.m. at Fernwood MB Church in McComb, Mississippi. A celebration of life will follow on March 29 at 1 p.m., with a viewing from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.