(Intersound) Don Williams started his country music career in 1972 after he signed with JMI, as first a songwriter, and shortly afterwards as a solo artist. An imposing figure who stands at 6'1", Don had a simple, laid back style that JMI told him would never sell. His first single, "Don't You Believe" went nowhere, but his second one, "The Shelter of Your Eyes" reached #14 at the beginning of 1973. For the next year he scored a string of minor hits, with his breakthrough coming in 1974 when "We Should Be Together" reached the Top 5. He then signed with ABC/Dot and in the summer of 1974, his first single for them, "I Wouldn't Want to Live If You Didn't Love Me" hit #1. And so started Don Williams' country music career and a string of hits that lasted from 1974 until his last Top 10 hit in 1992 with "Lord Have Mercy on a Country Boy." During the height of his career he achieved 17 #1s and only 4 of his 46 charting songs failed to make the Top 10. Don's philosophy has always been that country music is built on real emotions, real songs and real moments in people's lives. He felt that if he was able to convey that, people would respond. And respond they did, thus proving JMI wrong about his style not working and Don connected with the country music audience in a big way, not only in America, but with audiences abroad. Don Williams' gentle, laid back style, warm baritone and imposing figure earned him the endearing nickname 'The Gentle Giant.' After his last hit in 1992, although he continued to perform, Don took several years off from recording and didn't cut another album until 1998's I Turn The Page.

Don Williams now returns with his first album of all new material in 5 years with My Heart To You. True to the album's title, My Heart To You showcases Don's romantic side. His trademark tender ballads of love are represented with the title track, "My Heart To You" a heartfelt declaration to his lady of all the reasons for his love for her. The lovely "One Like Me," speaks of his wonder at how an imperfect man had gotten so lucky to have the woman he fell in love with, return that love and stay by his side despite his imperfections. "When I'm With You" finds Don confessing that everything in his life is better when with the one he loves. On the beautiful waltz "Years From Now," he professes that his love will remain forever and always through all of life's ups and downs.  

The mid-tempo, western flavored "Get Away" finds a man who's found the woman he wants to spend his life with determined not to let her get away. "Running In The Fast Lane" is a slinky, soulful mid-tempo tale of a man on the road in a hurry to get back home to his woman. In the ballad "I'll Be Faithful To You," Don tenderly reassures a new love who's heart was broken that he would never do that and will be waiting for her when she's ready. He doesn't entirely avoid heartache on My Heart To You. In the deceptively pretty mid-tempo melody of "Fly Away," he asks a lover who's made the decision to leave to just go quickly without warning, sparing them both a painful ending. "Oh Misery" is a mournfully aching song about unreturned love. Don delivers a lovely, understated cover of "The Rose," far more of a reflective rendition than the melodramatic original. He also covers Eric Clapton's "You Look Wonderful Tonight," that perhaps might be a nod to Eric for recording one of Don's songs, "We're All The Way," years ago on his Slowhand album. It's faithful to Eric's original version down to the arrangement, and not to take anything away from Clapton's own version, Eric was never known as a strong vocalist- so Don has the edge there.

Both vocally and in delivery, Don Williams has lost nothing over the years. Perhaps the only thing that can be said is that his choice of material has become somewhat mellower of late. But then My Heart To You revolves around love and romance and is meant as a soundtrack for a lights turned down evening with the one you love, in which case, the album succeeds wonderfully.          

Standout Tracks: "Fly Away," "I'll Be Faithful To You," "Oh Misery," "One Like Me," "Get Away," "Years From Now"

On The Net:  www.don-williams.com

AnnMarie Harrington TakeCountryBack May 2004