John B. Williams, Tonight Show and Arsenio Hall Bassist, Enters Hospice Care
John B. Williams has entered hospice care. The bassist, known for being the house bassist on both The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and The Arsenio Hall Show, has been battling dementia but has suffered further setbacks in his health.
His wife, Jessica Williams, shared the news with TMZ, who reported, “He recently suffered a fall and subsequently underwent brain surgery as a result of his injuries. Jessica, an accomplished musician herself, says John had dementia prior to the fall, but the fall greatly accelerated its progression. At this point, John is unable to walk and can’t talk.”
Though Williams gained fame on late-night TV shows, he has played with a who’s who of jazz musicians. He studied with Ron Carter and joined Horace Silver’s group in 1967. During the late ’60s and early ’70s he performed and recorded with artists including Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Hugh Masekela, Mose Allison, Kenny Burrell, and more.
Hear Williams talking about his time and lessons learned with Horace Silver:
He joined The Tonight Show band in 1972 and continued working with other artists through the decade. He would play in The Arsenio Hall Show band from 1989 to 1993. Over the past two decades, he’s released solo albums, the latest being Enchantment.
Our thoughts are with the family and friends of John B. Williams during this difficult time.
In his time with No Treble, Kevin has met hundreds of amazing bassists and interviewed icons like Jack Casady, Victor Wooten, Les Claypool, Marcus Miller, and more. He's a gigging bassist performing jazz in Northern Virginia and bluegrass with The Plate Scrapers up and down the East Coast. Kevin appreciates all genres of music, from R&B to metal and everything in between. Connect with Kevin on Facebook and check his performance schedule on his website.
