Andre Williams with the Diplomats of Solid Sound – Aphrodisiac (Pravda)

It’s difficult to start a review of any Andre Williams release without referencing the incredible survival story the man went through. Williams started his career with a top ten single in 1956 (“Bacon Fat”) before finding success behind the scenes as a writer/producer/performer for Chess, Motown, Duke and Peacock records (including co-writing “Shake a Tail Feather”). This is a man who’s rubbed shoulders with Barry Gordy, Stevie Wonder, B.B. King and other notable dignitaries, but when he was asked to produce an album for Ike Turner in the early 70s, things took an unfortunate turn for the worst. Ike’s cocaine addition was bad enough that even those within close proximity could develop a habit and when Andre returned home after an eighteen month stint with Mr. Turner, he arrived with a nasty addiction himself.

By the 80s, his coke habit was bad enough to force him into a career of begging on the streets of Chicago, leaving his prior accomplishments as nothing more than a distant memory.

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