▁ 1 9 2 6 ▁– ▁July ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 ) ▁was ▁an ▁American ▁jazz ▁pian ist . ▁ ▁William son ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Br attle bor o , ▁Verm ont , ▁United ▁States . ▁He ▁studied ▁at ▁the ▁New ▁England ▁Conserv atory ▁of ▁Music ▁before ▁moving ▁to ▁jazz , ▁influenced ▁mainly ▁by ▁Ted dy ▁Wilson , ▁then ▁by ▁Al ▁Ha ig ▁and ▁Bud ▁Pow ell . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁he ▁moved ▁to ▁California , ▁working ▁first ▁with ▁Ted dy ▁Edwards , ▁then ▁with ▁Red ▁Nor vo ▁in ▁San ▁Francisco , ▁with ▁Charlie ▁Bar net ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 9 , ▁and ▁with ▁June ▁Christ y ▁for ▁two ▁years . ▁Later ▁he ▁worked ▁with ▁Max ▁Ro ach , ▁Art ▁Pe pper ▁and ▁others . ▁William son ▁was ▁a ▁long time ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁L ighth ouse ▁All - St ars ▁( subst itut ing ▁for ▁pian ist ▁Russ ▁Fre eman ), ▁performing ▁with ▁Bud ▁Sh ank , ▁Stan ▁Le vey , ▁Bob ▁Cooper , ▁Con te ▁Cand oli ▁and ▁Howard ▁Rum sey . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 6 , ▁he ▁became ▁the ▁piano ▁player ▁in ▁the ▁Bud ▁Sh ank ▁quart et . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁he ▁started ▁working ▁as ▁a ▁pian ist ▁for ▁N BC , ▁first ▁on ▁The ▁Andy ▁Williams ▁Show , ▁then ▁for ▁Son ny ▁and ▁Cher . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁William son ▁went ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁jazz ▁world ▁and ▁released