He had a successful cover recording of Fats Waller's "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter" in 1957.
[3] Williams served in the Army during World War II; he received a medical discharge in 1944.
[7] By the early 1960s Williams struggled to retain his voice due to complications of diabetes.
[citation needed] In the years before his death, Williams worked in New York City with a program to help homeless men.
In 1957, Traverse had charges of desertion and non-support against him dismissed after the two reached a financial support agreement.