Clifford Williams (born 14 December 1949) is an English musician, best known as the bassist and backing vocalist of the Australian hard rock band AC/DC.

Williams announced his retirement from AC/DC in 2016, but returned for their 2020 comeback album Power Up along with band mates Brian Johnson and Phil Rudd.

[4] He listed The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks, and blues musicians such as Bo Diddley as influences, and mostly learned to play bass by "listening to records and picking out notes", with his formal training limited to some lessons from a professional bassist in nearby Liverpool.

[4] In 1972, Jim Anderson replaced John on keyboards and Home released a self-titled album, featuring their only hit single, "Dreamer", which peaked at No.

When British folk singer-songwriter Al Stewart suggested that Home back him on his first American tour in March 1974, Mick Stubbs left the group.

[3][7] Bandit's line-up included vocalist Jim Diamond and drummer Graham Broad (later in Bucks Fizz and Roger Waters's band).

Angus declared the decision was partially motivated by the bassist's good looks, which the band hoped would attract more women to their concerts.

[15] As Williams was replacing an Australian musician, there were issues resulting in problems obtaining a work permit to enter the country.

[7][13][18] Williams remained in AC/DC from that time onwards until 2016,[19][4][13] with only a temporary departure in 1991 as he suffered a kidney infection, during which Paul Greg had to play bass for some North American concerts in the Razors Edge World Tour.

[19] In September 2016, during his last performance with AC/DC at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Williams was brought to the front of the stage by Angus Young to take a bow in the middle of "For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)".

[citation needed] In 1984, Williams played bass and backing vocals on Adam Bomb's song "I Want My Heavy Metal", for the album Fatal Attraction.

[35] Williams' role in AC/DC was to provide steady but basic basslines which followed the rhythm guitar of Malcolm Young,[4] consisting mostly of eighth notes.

[38] He added that "complex [bass] lines wouldn't add anything to a guitar-oriented band like [AC/DC], so [he tries] to create a bottom layer that drives what [AC/DC's] guys are doing on top".

His playing technique is mostly centred around downpicking, with the occasional use of plucking to mute the strings, which he says "adds more definition and tightens up the notes, and it gives the sound less sustain".

Williams' trademark instrument is the StingRay and other basses by Music Man, strung with Ernie Ball (.045, .065, .085, .105) flatwounds in the studio and D'Addario roundwound XLs in the same gauge in concert.