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Performer and host Andy Williams at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles in 1978. (AP)
Andy Williams — the man who sang “Moon River” and starred in many Christmas TV shows — has died at the age of 84.
President Reagan once called Williams “a national treasure.”
Williams starred in his own TV program from the late ’50s into the ’70s. Here & Now‘s Robin Young spoke to him in 2009 when his book, “Moon River and Me: An Autobiography” came out.
Interview Highlights
On his father, who used to tell Williams that he wasn’t that big a deal.
“In the long run, that thing about you’re not as good is that you have to work harder. I worked my butt off all the time to get as good as other people. And on my television series, I worked very hard to make sure that I knew this stuff so well that I could get out and be very calm about it and easy and relaxed”
On his Iowa upbringing and becoming famous
“I always felt… my God what am I doing. How can I be sitting next to Bing Crosby and singing duets with him on my show… It was surreal in a way, I couldn’t believe that I was this lucky.”
On his singing success
“I never took a lesson in my life. I just always sang. It just was natural for me to sing, it’s natural for all my brothers too. I don’t know, it just was easy.”
