How many children did gospel singer Lee Williams have?
Introduction
Every once in a generation, a talent comes along that changes life as we know it today.
Whether they’re an actor, an athlete, a philanthropist, a motivational speaker, or in this case, a singer, they have the ability to change lives for the better.
Lee Williams was most certainly one of those people, and following his death in 2021, he is still deeply missed to this day, and his music continues to inspire and uplift.
Lee Williams, or rather, Dr Lee Williams, was the founder and leader of the US gospel quartet ‘The Spiritual QC’s.’
The band was one of the most successful gospel choirs in US history.
That’s why his passing in 2021 left so many with a metaphorical hole in their hearts.
Referred to as the ‘Godfather of Soul,’ Lee Williams enjoyed a career that spanned more than five decades.
But who was the real Lee Williams, who was his wife, and how many children did Lee Williams have?
Keep reading for the answer.
Who was Lee Williams?
@Getty
Lee Williams was born on July 28th, 1948. He was 75 years of age when he sadly passed away.
Lee was Mississippi born and raised, as he was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, and was actually honored in 2018 by being gifted a key to the city.
On July 28th, 2018, on his 73rd birthday, he was gifted a key to the city and was honored with July 28th being officially declared as ‘Lee Williams Day.’ This occasion is celebrated annually.
Williams was a legend of the gospel world and was the founder of the gospel quartet ‘The Spiritual Qc’s.’
The band was active for over 5 decades and won multiple awards, and enjoyed multiple smash hits along the way.
Lee had music in his blood and was an unbelievable singer and showman.
He was a born entertainer and had the ability to entertain crowds like no other. Just some of the accolades he enjoyed over the years include a ‘Soul Train Award for Best Gospel Album of the Year,’ along with 10 ‘Stellar Awards,’ including the highly revered ‘James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award’ back in 2010.
Lee Williams performs at The All Star Mother’s Day Celebration at James L. Knight Center on May 9, 2010 in Miami – @Getty
More About ‘The Spiritual QC’s’
Initially, when Lee Williams founded the Spiritual QC, they were nothing more than a part-time gospel quartet.
Lee, however, took them to dizzy new heights when they became recording artists of the year.
Initially, the group recorded 45 rpm records, with singles either being led by Willie Ligon on one side, or Lee Williams on the other.
Shortly after their conception, Willie Ligon departed the group, and Lee took charge.
The band’s name was changed to ‘Lee Williams and the Spiritual QC’s.’
The band continued to grow and expand in popularity, with their first album, ‘Jesus is Alive and Well.’ The album featured many hits, including ‘I’ve Learned to Lean,’ which was their first breakout hit record.
This was recorded in the early 1990s, and from this point onwards, their popularity sky-rocketed.
In 2000 they released their third album, ‘Good Time,’ which reached the Top Ten of Billboard’s gospel album charts in November of that year.
In 2001 the group won the Traditional Quartet of the Year Award at the Gospel Music Excellence Awards, and they were nominated for Best Gospel Album at the Soul Train Music Awards.
In 2015 they recorded their final album. Even then, the group continued to tour and were on the road 50 weeks out of the year.
By this time, Lee was growing older and sadly was diagnosed with dementia, which forced him to retire from music in 2018.
Williams, who many consider the GOAT of gospel and spiritual music, was one of the most influential recording artists of any era, and following his passing on August 30th, 2021, the music world mourned the passing of a true legend.
How Did Lee Williams Die?
We’ll look at how many children did Lee Williams have a little later on, first off, however, we’re going to look at how the legend sadly passed away.
On August 30th, 2021, the band confirmed the sad news on their Facebook page.
They wrote: ‘It is with our deepest sorrow that we announce the passing of our fearless leader, Dr. Lee Williams.’
Initially, a cause of death was never revealed though later it was revealed that the gospel legend sadly passed away due to complications with dementia, along with diabetes.
Who was Lee Williams’ wife?
Lee passed away just 29 days after he celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary with his beloved wife, Annie Williams.
Lee married Annie back in 1971 (though some reports claim they tied the knot in 1969), and the two have been very happily married ever since.
Annie was Lee’s rock, and she supported him and stayed by his side throughout his musical career.
She later revealed that, long before he shot to stardom and fame with the Spiritual QC’s, Lee would often perform in his hometown of Tupelo, Mississippi.
Sometimes he’d perform in front of fewer than 10 people, yet whether he performed in front of 10, 100, or 1000 people, he put his heart and his soul into his music.
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How many children did Lee Williams have?
Now that we know more about the legend that is Lee Williams, we’re going to look at his legacy and find out whether or not he had children. Lee and Annie were private people, so not a great deal is known about their personal lives. What we do know, however, is that they had two children together a son named C.C Williams, and a daughter named Paris Williams.
Following Lee’s death in 2021, his son C.C stepped into his father’s shoes and joined the Spiritual QC’s — meaning that his father’s legacy lives on through him.
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Lee Parry is a writer and blogger originally from Manchester, UK, and he has a B.A. in Modern Languages from Manchester Metropolitan University. Parry occasionally teaches English and spends most of his free time reading.