{{about||the math teacher|Vern S. Williams}} '''Vern Williams''' (born '''Delbert Lavern Williams)''' (December 9, 1930 – June 6, 2006) was a singer and mandolin player who was instrumental in introducing bluegrass music to the West Coast of the United States.

== Early life == Williams was born on December 9, 1930, in Newton County, Arkansas<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Vern-Williams-helped-bring-bluegrass-to-2533246.php|title=Vern Williams -- helped bring bluegrass to California|work=SFGate|access-date=2018-01-25}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xR7MdpuSlAEC&dq=Vern+Williams&pg=PT723|title=All Music Guide: The Definitive Guide to Popular Music|last1=Bogdanov|first1=Vladimir|last2=Woodstra|first2=Chris|last3=Erlewine|first3=Stephen Thomas|date=2001|publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation|isbn=9780879306274|language=en}}</ref> (or Bullfrog Valley, Pope County, Arkansas<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2006/jul/17/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries1|title=Obituary: Vern Williams|last=Russell|first=Tony|date=2006-07-16|website=the Guardian|language=en|access-date=2018-01-25}}</ref>), as part of a musical family; family members (such as brothers Junior and Hairl Dean) played fiddle, guitar, and banjo. Williams started on guitar, then switched to mandolin at age 17.<ref name=":1" /> In 1952, he was drafted into the United States Marine Corps and moved to San Diego, California, for basic training. After serving at Twentynine Palms, California, he married Marjory Vogler and moved to Stockton, California.

== Vern and Ray == In 1960, Williams formed a duo with fiddler Ray Park known as Vern and Ray. Vern and Ray became one of the most successful bluegrass bands in Northern California. According to DJ Tom Diamant, "Anybody who plays bluegrass in the Bay area and sings the tenor part has been influenced by Vern Williams. He was one of the greatest tenor singers in history"<ref name=":2" />

Vern and Ray recorded one studio album, ''Sounds From the Ozarks'', on the Old Homestead label, which is now considered a collector's item.<ref name=":0" /> The duo broke up in 1974.

== Vern Williams Band == After the breakup of Vern and Ray, Williams formed the Vern Williams Band, which featured his son Delbert on guitar, fiddler Ed Neff and singer and banjoist Keith Little.<ref name=":2" /> The band became known as a "powerhouse bluegrass outfit".<ref name=":1" /> In 1980, they signed with Rounder Records and, shortly afterwards, recorded ''Bluegrass from the Gold Country'' which is now considered a bluegrass classic.<ref name=":2" /> The Vern Williams Band also backed up country music legend Rose Maddox in her latter recordings. The band broke up in 1986.

== Legacy == Over the years, Williams worked with many younger musicians, both in Vern and Ray, and within the Vern Williams Band, who went on to successful careers of their own including Jerry Garcia, Herb Pedersen, Laurie Lewis, Pete Wernick, Sandy Rothman, and Rick Shubb. Lewis said of her time with the Vern Williams Band, "I was in heaven, with the best seat in the house for that scraped-clean, unvarnished sound" and "Playing with them ... has always been among the highlights of my musical career."<ref name=":0" />

In 1997, Williams was awarded a Distinguished Achievement Award from the International Bluegrass Music Association’s (IBMA),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ibma.org/awards/recipient-history|title=Recipient History|website=International Bluegrass Music Association|access-date=2018-01-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180103011642/https://ibma.org/awards/recipient-history|archive-date=2018-01-03|url-status=dead}}</ref> and he was the first to be awarded an Honorary Lifetime Membership in the California Bluegrass Association.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.uniondemocrat.com/obituaries/3715884-151/obituaries-for-july-3-2006|title=Obituaries for July 3, 2006|work=The Union Democrat|access-date=2018-01-26|language=en}}</ref>

Williams died in 2006 in San Andreas, California.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2006/jul/17/guardianobituaries.artsobituaries1|title=Obituary: Vern Williams|last=Russell|first=Tony|date=2006-07-16|website=the Guardian|language=en|access-date=2018-07-07}}</ref>

== Discography == * ''Sounds From the Ozarks'', Vern and Ray, Old Homestead Records, 1974<ref name=bobray>{{cite web|title=Vern & Ray|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/4121504-Vern-Ray|website=Discogs|accessdate=January 25, 2018|language=en}}</ref> * ''Vern & Ray With Herb Pedersen - San Francisco,'' Arhoolie Records, 1968<ref name=bobray /> * ''Bluegrass from the Gold Country'', The Vern Williams Band, Rounder Records, 1981<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/The-Vern-Williams-Band-Bluegrass-From-The-Gold-Country/master/1106057|title=The Vern Williams Band - Bluegrass From The Gold Country|website=Discogs|language=en|access-date=2018-01-26}}</ref> * ''This Is Rose Maddox'', Rose Maddox with The Vern Williams Band, Arhoolie Records, 1981<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Rose-Maddox-with-Vern-Williams-Band-This-Is-Rose-Maddox/master/890309|title=Rose Maddox with The Vern Williams Band - This Is Rose Maddox|website=Discogs|language=en|access-date=2018-01-26}}</ref> * ''A Beautiful Bouquet'', Rose Maddox with The Vern Williams Band, Arhoolie Records, 1983<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/Rose-Maddox-With-The-Vern-Williams-Band-A-Beautiful-Bouquet/release/4477616|title=Rose Maddox With The Vern Williams Band - A Beautiful Bouquet|website=Discogs|language=en|access-date=2018-01-26}}</ref> * ''Traditional Bluegrass'', The Vern Williams Band, Arhoolie Records, 2004<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/The-Vern-Williams-Band-Traditional-Bluegrass/release/3443885|title=The Vern Williams Band - Traditional Bluegrass|website=Discogs|language=en|access-date=2018-01-26}}</ref>

==References== <references />

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Vern}} Category:1930 births Category:2006 deaths Category:Musicians from Arkansas Category:20th-century American musicians