Toni Williams, Cook Islands-born New Zealand singer, Died at 77

  Music

Henry Anthony Williams died on October 1, 2016.

He was known professionally as Toni Williams or Antoni Williams.

He was a Cook Island-born New Zealand pop singer.

Williams started singing at the Ghandi Dance Hall in Auckland City where he became a local sensation.

He had cited his interest in the guitar and singing as coming from spending 13 months in hospital as a result of a football accident.

Shortly after his hospitalisation, Williams formed the Housewarmers, which was a little group that performed at small family events.

After two years, the band by William’s direction became Toni Williams and The Tremellos.

Following the change, things started happening, and he toured New Zealand under the promotor Harry M. Williams.

He releases his single, in 1960, “Cradle Of Love” bw “Brush Those Tears From Your Eyes” was released on the La Gloria label.

And in that same year, “Let The Little Girl Dance” bw “In A Mansion Stands My Love”, and “Endlessly”/”Is A Bluebird Blue” were released by La Gloria.

He toured with the Howard Morrison Quartet, and in 1965 he married the Miss Canterbury beauty pageant winner.

During 1972, his single “Tellabout” (composed by Tony McCarthy), was an APRA Silver Scroll-nominated song.

During the 2010 Queen’s Birthday Honours Williams was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to entertainment.

Toni Williams passed away at 77 years old.