Don Williams was a true country music legend. When news came through from Tennessee of his passing, after a short illness, many of us felt that lonesome feeling like the departure of a really close friend.

The music of Don Williams was part of the soundtrack of our lives in the late 1970s and onwards. The first time I saw Don was in concert at the National Stadium in Dublin in the late ’70s. He was huge in that era and he had a massive following in Ireland and the UK.

He sold millions of albums and so many of his songs became synonymous with the era, Gypsy Woman, You’re My Best Friend, Some Broken Hearts Never Mend, We Should Be Together, Come Early Morning, Amanda, Turn Out The Lights and Love Me Tonight, Say It Again, The Shelter of Your Eyes, She’s In Love With A Rodeo Man, The Arkansas River, Another Place Another Time, to name but a few.

Irish audiences loved Don and he had a special affinity with us. He belonged to an elite group, going back to the days of Jim Reeves and including stars like Charley Pride, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, Buck Owens, Hank Locklin, Slim Whitman, Tom T Hall, George Jones and, in more recent times, Garth Brooks, who have captured a special place in the hearts of so many Irish country fans.

It was perhaps the ultimate tribute to his Irish followers that his very last album and DVD were recorded live in Dublin and Belfast.

These were released in 2016 and feature some scenic shots from around the country.

Don sang the songs of everyday people, with a beautiful simplicity devoid of any overtones of false grandeur. His commanding presence and easy style saw him engage audiences as only he could do. Jack Clement and Allen Reynolds played central roles in his career, guiding and producing his studio albums.

His devotion to good lyrics and his gentle, comfortable and sincere style were at the heart of the appeal of Don Williams. He was, in essence, the real entertainer at home, with his songs and his guitar.

The tall Texan, in his trademark stetson and denim jeans and jacket, exuded what laid-back country was all about. He was a man of very few words, but he let that smooth-as-silk voice do all the talking as he connected with his audiences.

Rick Marshall, the author of several books on American popular culture, reflected on Don Williams: “The Gentle Giant, as Williams is nicknamed, played in the Burt Reynolds movie, WW and the Dixie Dance Kings. His modesty and religious beliefs are mirrored in the inevitably wholesome material he chooses to record.”

Don was born in Floydada, Texas, on 27 May 1939, and grew up in Portland.

He married Joy Bucher on 10 April 1960, and their marriage endured all through the years, a relative rarity for the major stars in many genres of the entertainment scene. They had a family of two sons, Gary and Timmy. He spent some years with a group called the folk-orientated Pozo Seco Singers, which was based out of Corpus Christi and which was formed in 1964.

Don made the move to Nashville in 1969 and had his chart debut in 1973 with The Shelter of Your Eyes.

His major break came a year later when his recording of I Wouldn’t Want To Live If You Didn’t Love Me topped the American country charts. A new star was born and Don Williams was on his way.

Like Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard and Jim Reeves, his voice was unmistakable. Don was cool before they invented the term.

It is hard to comprehend that Don has departed these shores. Country music has lost another true country legend and they are just not replacing those classic, iconic stars.

Thank you, Don Williams, for being such a part of many of our lives. Your mellow voice will continue to resonate in our hearts and minds, and your mellow and gentle baritone will always soothe our souls.

“Where the Arkansas river leaves Oklahoma. It’s gone forever and never looks back”. CL