The Gentle Giant

Don Williams

Don Williams's mellow, amiable baritone and easygoing approach made him one of the biggest country stars of the 1970s. With simple arrangements, straightforward songs, and an emotionally honest but endearingly laconic delivery, Williams had an instantly appealing signature sound. He rarely strayed far from that template, but there was little reason to, especially with the outpouring of hits he scored throughout the '70s. The artist's laidback sound was surprisingly influential in the rock world--much of Eric Clapton's '70s work was modeled after Williams's style.