SUTHERLAND Shire Community Centre singer Doug Williams has come a long way from gospel music to "the devil's music".
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"I just started singing religious songs with my parents as a family group and I asked my father about other types of music," he said.
"He said rock'n'roll was devil's music. I jumped the fence, my mother was always on my side, and now my music has taken me around the world." Williams grew up in Chicago and Ray Charles taught him to play left-handed swing bass.
He formed his first band — Von Ryan's Express — with his brother and it toured with Stevie Wonder and Ike and Tina Turner.
After the band members separated, a new band, Ironhorse, was formed and toured Europe, Japan, Canada and Australia (1974).
Williams later returned to Australia and bought The Younghearts with him; he eventually made Australia home.
His career in Oz has included working with Renee Geyer; their duet was used in the soundtrack for Once Were Warriors. Williams has worked with Marcia Hines and Daryl Braithwaite.
He sang to US president Bill linton during his first Australian visit and made a movie with Russell Crowe. His latest band is Doug Williams and The Mix.
Williams will be in the Back to Bacharach concert on Friday, May 1, at Sutherland Entertainment Centre.
The two-hour concert will feature Casey Donovan, Hayley Jensen and Darren Mapes.
Among Williams's favourites from the concert will be A House Is Not A Home written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David.
The concert will feature 26 of the 700 songs that Bacharach wrote including Walk On By and Close To You.
Details: tickets.suthentcent.com.au