Beautiful and talented soul songstress Vesta Williams, whose powerful voice graced such major R&B hits as "One Bitten, Twice Shy" and her signature song, "Congratulations," has died in her Los Angeles hotel room at a tragically young age (various reports indicate her age is 48 or 53). Sadly the police believe death was caused by a possible drug overdose.
A powerful singer and underrated songwriter, Vesta Williams released a number of quality singles and albums during the late 80s and early 90s, and was been one of the most sought-after session vocalists for over two decades.
Beautiful and talented soul songstress Vesta Williams, whose powerful voice graced such major R&B hits as "One Bitten, Twice Shy" and her signature song, "Congratulations," has died in her Los Angeles hotel room at a tragically young age (various reports indicate her age is 48 or 53). Sadly the police believe death was caused by a possible drug overdose.
A powerful singer and underrated songwriter, Vesta Williams released a number of quality singles and albums during the late 80s and early 90s, and was been one of the most sought-after session vocalists for over two decades.
Born in Coshocton, Ohio, Vesta moved to California as a child and performed in a family act with her sisters in the Los Angeles area. After high school she moved back to Ohio and joined the group Wild Honey, formed by Ron Townsend of the 5th Dimension (who was Williams' cousin). Williams' big voice and impressive tone were similar to Chaka Khan, and she was soon developing a solid career as a jingle singer as well as a backing vocalist for singers ranging from Gladys Knight to Sting to Anita Baker. Ironically, by the 1980s she was touring with Khan as a backup singer. READ MORE ABOUT VESTA...
NEW: In a collaborative statement prepared by Williams’ family, they express:
“After many years of sharing her God-given gifts and talents with the world, we have lost our beloved mother, daughter, and sister, Vesta. Due to the uncertainty of her passing we are awaiting toxicology and autopsy results to shed light on what may have caused her death. We take extreme comfort in the cherished times that we shared with Vesta over the years, and the knowledge that her life brought joy and happiness to so many people around the world. Our family requests that the media please respect our privacy during this difficult time. Although she is gone, her music lives on. Vesta will never be forgotten.”
West Angeles Church of God and Christ
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
11:00AM
3045 Crenshaw Blvd. (North Campus)
Los Angeles, CA 90016
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