Jimi Williams, a soulful son of Camden, New Jersey, is embarking on a remarkable solo journey after more than three decades of captivating audiences as a member of the iconic groups The Men and TRU. Known for his smooth vocals and undeniable charisma, Jimi has performed alongside legendary artists such as Stevie Wonder, Teddy Pendergrass, and Dennis Edwards. Now, at 71 years young, Jimi is proving that age is no barrier to pursuing dreams as he prepares to tour internationally, starting with a stop in London. With new music produced by the renowned Butch Ingram and a heartfelt tribute to his late cousin Billy Paul, Jimi’s passion for music, his love for Camden, and his faith in God continue to inspire fans old and new.
Collins:
Who is Jimi Williams?
Williams:
A brother from Camden, New Jersey, who loves to sing. I’ve been singing all my life. Jimi Williams is an entertainer. He loves everybody. He loves all people of all genres. I’ve been to 35 countries with the group TRU. Now, I’m by myself, you know. That’s who Jimi Williams is—a lovable brother who loves to sing.
Collins:
Okay. And Jimi, I remember you as a young man. When I first met you, you were a brother from the city of Camden. You were working at Cooper Hospital at the time.
Williams:
That’s a long time ago!
Collins:
What motivated you to pursue your dream of being a singer?
Williams:
Well, when I was working at Cooper Hospital, I was a surgical tech. I gave the doctors the tools for the surgery, and I’d think, when the songs would come on, “that could be me.” So right after that, it was a wrap. I started doing things with the group. We were called The Men. Then we changed our name to TRU, and it’s been a wrap ever since. I was with TRU, and now I’m by myself, doing my solo thing. It’s working out really well.
Collins:
If I recall, I think I remember back then the Anointed News Journal did a cover story on the group. I believe it was The Men back then—that was you, a brother by the name of Primo, and Mike.
Williams:
Mike Upshaw.
Collins:
Mike Upshaw. Yes, sir. And that’s a legacy within itself. The Men transitioning to the group TRU, and here we are, pretty much close to 30 years later.
Williams:
Yes, yes.
Collins:
What was the journey like being one of the founders of The Men or TRU, and all the things that you all have accomplished as a group?
Williams:
Oh, my God, you know what… I mean, we go way back, like I said, at least 30 years, maybe longer, with The Men. And their accomplishments were fantastic. We performed with a lot of great, great artists. I’m going back—Dennis Edwards, Jean Carne, Teddy Pendergrass, and the list goes on and on. You know, transitioning over to TRU, it was still the same thing. We performed with the great oldies—the Brooklyn Bridge, Jean Carne, Stevie Wonder, Dennis Edwards, The Temptations, and the list goes on and on. And, I’m grateful and happy about how it came about with The Men, then TRU, and now me.
Collins:
Before we get into you pursuing a solo career, we know that oftentimes with groups, they go through changes.
Williams:
Yes.
Collins:
There was a time with TRU when there was another addition, which was Donnie Tatem.
Williams:
The sensational LaVon Donnie Tatem.
Collins:
There you go. Tell us a little bit about what made TRU special.
Williams:
What made TRU special? We had some dynamite singers. One of the guys, one of the original members from when we were The Men—now TRU—was Mike Upshaw. But he had some personal issues, and we had to let him go so he could get his thing together. We picked up Donnie Tatem, and he was fantastic, man. Brother’s a good singer, a good brother—always been a good brother. He actually really made the group. He gave us that sound because he had that Teddy Pendergrass vibe, you know what I mean? I took care of the tenor part, and he took care of that Teddy Pendergrass sound, man. It was just fantastic. I miss him. Him and Primo Wansly—they were sensational.
Collins:
More than 30 years with the group, and today you’ve started your journey as a solo artist.
Williams:
Yes. Yes.
Collins:
Why a solo artist now?
Williams:
You know, a lot of people ask me that. I mean, I’ve been all over, and they ask me, “Why? Why did you leave the group?” It wasn’t like I actually left the group. It’s my time. It’s my time now. I’ve been singing with the group—maybe even over 30 years—and I said to myself, Jimi, how long are you going to be doing these steps? You’re getting older. It’s just my time now, Chris. You know what I mean? The Lord is saying, Jimi, get out here now before you get too old and can’t do it. You know, I can still sing. Like I said, it’s just—it’s my time now. It’s Jimi Williams’ time.
Collins:
And I’ve had the pleasure of following you for close to 30 years. I’ve been to the Showboat and Harrah’s in Atlantic City. You guys have toured nations, right?
Williams:
Yes.
Collins:
At a young 71 years old—because, you know, you probably look more like 61 or 51—
Williams:
I appreciate that.
Collins:
But at a young 71 years old, now going solo, is the opportunity there? What gives you the confidence in knowing that this is possible?
Williams:
Because I’m an entertainer, and I love people, and I can sing. People want to go out and hear you sing. They don’t care about steps or whatever. You can sit on a stool, sing your songs, and still be appreciated. Like I said, this is my time now. Jimi has a lot to offer the world. I’m with Society Hill Music, and we just put out a nice EPK. I’m looking forward to getting ready to go on tour. As a matter of fact, I’ll be leaving for London in a few weeks, and I’m looking forward to it. This should be it for me. It should be it. All thanks to the Creator. If it weren’t for Him, I wouldn’t be where I’m at now. And people like yourself who believe in me and are willing to support—I appreciate you, brother. I really do.
Collins:
Thank you. Now, Jimi, as with most entertainers, whether in music, sports, or whatever the area of discipline, you still have to have a career path, right? What words of encouragement would you give to a young person who has a desire to pursue their destiny as an artist or athlete, but knowing there’s a long journey ahead?
Williams:
Man, I hear that all the time. When I do other interviews, they ask me the same question. And my response to that is: Never give up. Go for your dream, man. You’re going to face bumps and bruises—but get back up and do your thing. Never give up, and pray. Pray to God. Because if it wasn’t for Him, none of this would be possible anyway. So that’s my thing. That’s my message to the young guys: never give up, pursue your dream, and pray to God. You will definitely be blessed.
Collins:
Tell us about your new project. You have a solo project out there being produced by Butch Ingram, who is well known in the industry. Tell us about your relationship with Butch, and why this is a special thing.
Williams:
Well, the project—Butch and I, we go way back, since I was in high school. He was always trying to get me to sing. I always liked singing under the stairwell at Camden High. You’ve been to Camden High—you know the stairwell with the nice echo? I’d be there instead of going to class. I mean, I passed, but he’d always say, “Come on, man, you’ve got to go sing. You sound good.” And we’d say, “Yeah, yeah, we’ve got it. We’ve got it.” But eventually, we did our thing.
But Butch, he’s been with me for so many years. I should have been with him right after high school. I should’ve done like the Sweeties did with Leon Huff—they went straight to him at 18 after high school. We all went to school together.
This project Butch and I are doing now—one of the songs is I Can Use a Little Love Right Now, Freddie Jackson. But that’s on there too. The other one is I Think I’ll Stay Home Today by Billy Paul. We’re doing a tribute to Billy Paul. I’ll also be covering Me and Mrs. Jones.
This is special because Billy’s wife, Blanche, is my first cousin. Butch said, Why don’t we do two songs as a tribute to Billy Paul? I asked, Which ones? He said, The Rain—I Think I’ll Stay Home Today—and Me and Mrs. Jones. Those are two of my favorites, so we did it.
And I’ve got to brag a little bit—I think I did it quite well. And, yeah, we’ve got a few things going. I’m also singing with a young lady named Terry Bagwell. She’s on a couple of my projects, too, so I wish her well. And we’ll see what happens.
Collins:
Okay. And I’m assuming the project has been released, or will it be released soon? Will there be a release party?
Williams:
Yes, soon there will be a release party—at Vera’s in Cherry Hill.
Collins:
And how can people—the public—have access to hearing your songs?
Williams:
All the songs are on every music platform. I’m on Amazon, but not Spotify. Spotify is more for the younger kids. But the songs are available across all music platforms you decide to choose from—except Spotify. YouTube, the whole music genre—it’s all there. Please feel free.
Collins:
And they can just pretty much search for the name Jimi Williams?
Williams:
Yes. On Facebook, I’m James Jimi Williams, but my project is under Jimi Williams. Everything will come up.
Collins:
Now, are you available for bookings and events? And if so, how can people reach out?
Williams:
Well, you can reach out to me at [email protected] or through my agent, Teresa Monteleone. My website is jimmiwilliamsmusic.com.
Collins:
What’s next for Jimi Williams?
Williams:
Touring. I’m ready to tour after this promotion. My first stop is London, and we’ll see where the good Lord takes me after that. I’ll be in London for maybe a week or so promoting and performing. That’s my thing, man—I can’t wait. Hopefully, the city of Camden can put me down here at one of those big, major venues on the waterfront. Who knows? I’m sure you can make it happen, bro.
Collins:
Well, I will say this: you are a son of the city of Camden, and we’re proud of all our artists.
Williams:
Thank you.
Collins:
But you are one who has certainly put in some longevity.
Williams:
Yes, I have.
Collins:
And Camden is proud of Jimi Williams.
Williams:
Thank you, thank you. And I’m proud of Camden. I love this town.
Collins:
All right, Jimi, The Anointed News Journal has over 180,000 readers weekly. In conclusion, what do you want to say to the readers of The Anointed?
Williams:
Readers of The Anointed, pick up the paper and read! This brother has all kinds of magnificent things going on. Through the grace of God, he’s a good brother. Everything about The Anointed News is positive. Please feel free to pick up the paper and read it. Plus, you get to see Jimi William’s interviews and pictures. God bless you all. God bless!
Jimi Williams’ journey is a testament to resilience, faith, and a lifelong passion for music and performing. As he steps into this exciting new chapter of his career, he remains deeply connected to his Camden roots and committed to sharing his soulful artistry with the world. With a heart full of gratitude and a voice that continues to captivate, Jimi Williams is ready to inspire audiences worldwide as a solo artist.
By Chris Collins
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