Danny Williams (7 January 1942 – 6 December 2005)[1] was a South African-born British pop singer[1] who earned the nickname "Britain's Johnny Mathis", for his smooth and stylish way with a ballad.

Born in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa,[2] Williams won a talent contest at the age of 14 and joined a touring show called Golden City Dixies that played throughout South Africa.

[2] In 1959, the show came to London where Williams impressed EMI's Norman Newell, who signed the young singer to a recording contract.

[2] He was to spend most of his life in the United Kingdom, where at first he made a few moderately successful singles, mainly popular ballads, before scoring a number-one hit with his cover version of "Moon River" in 1961.

In 1963, Williams joined a 20-city tour which starred Helen Shapiro and featured the Beatles as a support act on the bill; like many other ballad singers of the day, he was swept away by the new beat group era.