During his lifetime, Williams placed 30 songs on Billboard's Top C&W Records, while he had eleven number one hits.

[3] Not satisfied with Sterling, and upon learning of the creation of MGM Records by the Loews Corporation, Fred Rose negotiated a deal for Williams.

[4] Rose bought the Sterling masters,[5] became Williams' manager and signed him to the label, agreeing to record all of his sessions in Nashville.

[4] By June 1947, Williams debuted on the MGM label with "Move it On Over" backed with "(Last Night) I Heard You Crying in Your Sleep".

Williams' last single during his lifetime, "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive" backed with "I Could Never Be Ashamed of You" was released on November 21, 1952.