Tony Williams

Anthony Tillmon “Tony” Williams was born in Chicago and studied with famed educator, Alan Dawson. At the tender age of 17 he found fame with Miles Davis and later embodied the fusion jazz movement with the release of the classic record, Emergency! which included fellow musicians John McLaughlin on guitar and Larry Young on organ. In 1976, Williams was a part of a reunion with his old Miles Davis band compatriots, pianist/keyboardist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter, and tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter.

In 1979 his “Trio of Doom” included McLaughlin and Weather Report bassist extraordinaire, Jaco Pastorius. As a band leader he released over 20 albums recording with some of the greatest musicians including Allan Holdsworth, Herbie Hancock, Tom Scott, David Sanborn and Michael Brecker. He was inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 1986 and PAS Hall of Fame in 1990.

Tony Williams played Gretsch drums from 1959 through to 1993 and used a Gretsch Round Badge (early USA Custom) and later USA Custom.