Legendary Lenny Williams Returns with The Smooth ‘Weekday Blues’

Legendary Lenny Williams has returned with the smooth “Weekday Blues” via Bridle Ridge.

Lenny possesses one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary music. Lenny Williams began his musical career making records that have subsequently become R&B and Pop classics, tunes like the mega-hit “Cause I love You” (recorded on his solo album) and “So Very Hard To Go,” which he recorded as the lead singer for Tower of Power.

Lenny’s style has transcended into the new millennium, influencing many of today’s newest R&B and Pop vocalists.

UB Spoke to Lenny Williams in 2012 for our Black Music Month Interview Series and the release of his single “Still.” ReVisit our Favorite Quotes from the R&B Legend!

UrbanBridgez.com: How did you get your start in the industry?
Lenny Williams: I was in college, a friend of mine talked me into going down to a nightclub and be in a talent show. I was kind of hesitant about doing it, but he talked me into it. I won and I went back a couple of more times and I won everytime. One night I was there singing and this record company executive named Ray Shanklin, he was an A&R for a small record label called Fantasy Records in the Bay Area. He asked me if I wanted to make a record and I said of course! I use to dream about it every night, he then introduced me to the owner of the company Sal Zaentz. Who went on to produce a movie called Amadeus and some others, he was real successful. Then they had a young kid working in the stock room by the name of John Fogerty who went on to form a group called Creedence Clearwater Revival. So that’s how I got my start and watching John write songs with him teaching me helped me get into songwriting.

UrbanBridgez.com: Alot of people know you from Tower of Power, what would you say was your biggest achievement when you were in that group?
Lenny Williams: I would say having a #1 record with So Very Hard to Go, then a top 10 with Don’t Change Horses (In The Middle Of A Stream) which I was honored to write that with Johnny “Guitar” Watson. Just the chance to travel around and do music and travel to Europe, to make music that people love and also music that musicians love. I listen to some of that stuff now and I’ll be like man, this stuff is 40 years old and still sounds good (laughs).

UrbanBridgez.com: You were once signed to Motown, tell us about that experience of being signed to such a legendary label?
Lenny Williams: Yeah, it was interesting. Just growing up in that whole era of Motown and when I signed the contract and saw my name on that beautiful blue label, I was just so excited. I loved being on Motown, I wasn’t there very long I did one album. Actually I had done that album even before I got to Motown, I was in Tower of Power and on Warner Bros. when I did that album. I left Warner and they let me take it to Motown. Actually the first rendition of Because I Love You was on that album. It didn’t have the talking in it and it was faster. We did it later on subsequently and that record became the big hit.

UrbanBridgez.com: You’ve worked with so many artists, who are some you have yet to work with that you would like to?
Lenny Williams: I would love to work with will.i.am or somebody like Jay-Z, No I.D. the producer, just people like that. Timbaland and I wouldn’t mind doing something with Mary J. Blige which I’ve always loved. I would love to do a duet with her, she’s so soulful. I was in Aruba once and opened up a show for Alicia Keys and Anthony Hamilton was there. I was singing Because I Love You and he performed the night before and somebody said come on Anthony sing with Lenny. So I sang it with him and oh boy he sounded so great. So I would love to do something with him. Kind of like a Sam & Dave type of thing or something like that.

UrbanBridgez.com: Any last words for your fans?
Lenny Williams: I just want them to know I appreciate all of the support I’ve had, I’ve been out here for 40 something years and people buy my records and come to see me when I do shows and things like that. When I do a play they come, I just want them to know I appreciate it and I don’t take their support for granted. And I’ll try my best to not do anything to ever disappoint them!