Lenny Williams isn’t going anywhere.
The R&B crooner, known for his ’70s classic “Cause I Love You,” has released his new album, Still in the Game, via his record label Bridle Ridge Records. The album features singles “Still,” “On This Day,” and “Grown Man.”
In Rated R&B’s interview with Lenny Williams, the soul singer discusses Still in the Game, reflects on recording “Cause I Love You,” shares lessons learned in the industry, and more.
Tell us about your new album, Still in the Game.
It’s a collection of about 12 songs. It was produced by Derek Allen a.k.a DOA. [There are] different songs about love, various entitlement that one gets oneself in with love, all the way from bliss to the disintegration of a relationship. It was fun doing it, and I’m excited about it.
You’ve been in the industry for about 40 years now. What keeps you in the game?
I love making records. I love people saying, “Ladies and gentlemen, Lenny Williams,” [and] walk right out there on stage, checking out the audience [and] realizing after you’ve been out there for 45 minutes or an hour that you’ve made people feel good and they like what you do. They get excited about the songs you are singing. I guess I just like everything about it — creating music and going out performing it. I don’t know what else I’d be doing — sitting around the house, cutting grass, changing the flowers. At this stage of my life, it keeps a lot of excitement.
How would you describe your experience recording in a studio today versus your early years in the industry?
You’ve got Pro Tools and all that kind of stuff like that. Of course, it’s easier because if you have a problem with timing, they can always take your vocal and move it over. If you do a great background, you can do it once and slide it in where you want to place it. Those things definitely make it a lot easier. In terms of economics, you spend less time in the studio because you can just move things around. I think technology has helped out. I don’t think you really lose a lot in terms of creativity or ingenuity because of the technology.
What are your thoughts on artists using Auto-Tune?
I think if it works for them, it’s fine. If you can get an artist and you have a great engineer and producer that can go in and use Auto-Tune to make them sound better in the studio, and they sell a million records, I think that’s the reason you make records, I guess to reach masses or to sell a lot of records. If that’s their objective, then I think they’ve succeeded in that. Once they get on stage, then that’s another thing. Then they’ve got to be able to reproduce that. I think that’s when the rubber meets the road. In terms of making records, and doing whatever they need to do to make records and make them sell and appealing to people, I think whatever you can do is cool. I have no problem with it.
What do you remember about recording your classic “Cause I Love You”?
I was in Los Angeles when I recorded it. We did the backgrounds first, I think. I laid down a dummy vocal and then we did the background. The guys from Lakeside actually did the backgrounds on it. People had been dropping by the studio. Somebody had said Andraé Crouch and his sister Sandra were going to come by. The day I [recorded] “Cause I Love You,” Andraé and his sister show up. You’ve got the number one gospel singer in the world, the godfather of modern gospel definitely – Andraé Crouch – sitting out there. I had to really dig deep. A lot of times people always say where all that emotion comes from. I think the lyrics of the song dictate the emotion, plus the fact I’m on the microphone, and I’m looking out into the studio and seeing Andraé out there just made me sing — I tried to get as emotional as I could.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned being in the music industry?
It’s nice to be nice. If you’re nice to people, they will reciprocate and be nice to you. Not only does your talent take you a long way, but your demeanor and the way you treat people will take you a long way.
What advice can you share with aspiring singers?
Perfect your craft. Try to be nice to people and have a good attitude. Try at all costs to avoid substance abuse issues. When you’re under the influence of drugs and alcohol, you don’t necessarily make the right decisions. You’re more than likely doing something that you’ll be ashamed of.
Any final words to our readers?
I want to thank people for supporting me for all of these years [and] spending their hard-earned money coming to the shows. I want people to know that I don’t take it for granted. I’m definitely humbled by it, and I’ll continue to make the kind of music that would want them to support me in the future.
Listen to Lenny Williams’ new album Still in the Game here.
