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Moon River and Me: A Memoir
A remarkable memoir by one of the most popular and beloved entertainers of the twentieth century
When in the mid-1950s Andy Williams reached a low point in his career, singing in dives to ever-smaller audiences, the young man from Wall Lake, Iowa, had no inkling of the success he would one day achieve. Before being declared a national treasure by President Ronald Reagan, Williams would chart eighteen gold and three platinum albums, headline at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas for more than twenty years, and host an enormously popular weekly television variety show whose Christmas specials still occupy a tender spot in every baby boomer’s heart.
Williams knew everybody who was anybody during his seven remarkable decades in show business (including Judy Garland, John Huston, Jack Lemmon, John Lennon, Elton John, Frank Sinatra, Elvis, and Barbra Streisand, among others) and was a close friend of Bobby Kennedy for many years, and he shares memories of them all in Moon River and Me . His millions of fans guarantee a huge audience for the autobiography of the plush baritone who— at the age of eighty-one—still draws thousands of fans to his Moon River Theater in Branson, Missouri.
When in the mid-1950s Andy Williams reached a low point in his career, singing in dives to ever-smaller audiences, the young man from Wall Lake, Iowa, had no inkling of the success he would one day achieve. Before being declared a national treasure by President Ronald Reagan, Williams would chart eighteen gold and three platinum albums, headline at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas for more than twenty years, and host an enormously popular weekly television variety show whose Christmas specials still occupy a tender spot in every baby boomer’s heart.
Williams knew everybody who was anybody during his seven remarkable decades in show business (including Judy Garland, John Huston, Jack Lemmon, John Lennon, Elton John, Frank Sinatra, Elvis, and Barbra Streisand, among others) and was a close friend of Bobby Kennedy for many years, and he shares memories of them all in Moon River and Me . His millions of fans guarantee a huge audience for the autobiography of the plush baritone who— at the age of eighty-one—still draws thousands of fans to his Moon River Theater in Branson, Missouri.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published October 13, 2009
19 people are currently reading
257 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
February 1, 2018
I guess I am a little biased on this book.... Andy Williams was to me one of the best singers, a legend and up there with the best....
Also one of my all time favourite songs is "Can't Take My Eyes Off You"
I really enjoy an autobiography when you really have some great stories about all the legends, singers, actors and much more.
Really was a singer from twelve years old and worked hard from such a young age singing alongside three brothers and yes hard work and they found fame..
But the interesting stories come in later years as a solo artist, working with so many great stars, talents, seeing new stars, findings new stars and telling so many funny stories about them.
Andy Williams in a sincere, honest and a hard working singer, who spent his life trying to believe he was a good singer, and as good as many other singers, and gosh he was !
A story that explains so clearly his deep friendships, his great heartbreaks, his hard work singing in clubs after clubs for years before finding success in the late 50's and early 60's.
To his success in Las Vegas, his stories about Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Joey Bishop, Bobby Kennedy, The Osmonds, and so many more but especially Fred MacMurray and Sean Connery!
His love for golf, tennis, painting, and his gamble building The Moon River Theatre.
I loved this book, the stories, the honesty and the humour.
A legend. Five stars from me
Also one of my all time favourite songs is "Can't Take My Eyes Off You"
I really enjoy an autobiography when you really have some great stories about all the legends, singers, actors and much more.
Really was a singer from twelve years old and worked hard from such a young age singing alongside three brothers and yes hard work and they found fame..
But the interesting stories come in later years as a solo artist, working with so many great stars, talents, seeing new stars, findings new stars and telling so many funny stories about them.
Andy Williams in a sincere, honest and a hard working singer, who spent his life trying to believe he was a good singer, and as good as many other singers, and gosh he was !
A story that explains so clearly his deep friendships, his great heartbreaks, his hard work singing in clubs after clubs for years before finding success in the late 50's and early 60's.
To his success in Las Vegas, his stories about Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Joey Bishop, Bobby Kennedy, The Osmonds, and so many more but especially Fred MacMurray and Sean Connery!
His love for golf, tennis, painting, and his gamble building The Moon River Theatre.
I loved this book, the stories, the honesty and the humour.
A legend. Five stars from me
December 9, 2025
Andy Williams just skims the surface of his career with very few personal details of his life or stories behind his music. Instead of giving us any insight he deflects by actually telling many more stories about others than about himself, and gives ridiculously detailed descriptions of hotel accommodations, clubs he sang in, and meals he ate instead of being vulnerable about himself.
He spends way too much time on the Kennedys (about 10% of the pages) and seems very defensive of famous friends who have gained a lot of negative publicity (Sinatra, JFK, RFK, his ex-wife who shot her lover to death). In the end the book seemed like a humble brag--where he tries to tell us how insecure he is but how many famous people he knew and how rich he got.
The early parts of the book are best, where he talks about growing up in Iowa and being pushed by his father into the music business with his brothers. His dad taught him to be a perfectionist when putting on a show, and that caused a lot of anxiety in Andy (who later in life came to hate being on stage). Even in reviewing his childhood he provides some snide negative comments about those he has a beef with, including his father. That trait runs throughout the book and reflects his Iowa Stubborn background, where proud people talk like they're kind while ignoring you or insulting you.
That's not to say the stage father isn't to blame for forcing Andy and his brothers to not play sports, move every couple years, and even cheat at school. The dad paid an older girl to do Andy's homework so he could practice his singing instead! The brothers had no life outside forced performing.
Once he gets to his career he focuses a lot on a couple of people who help catapult him to success, particularly Kay Thompson. The two are an odd pairing and her mentorship turns sexual, though he only writes one sentence about this affair with a woman old enough to be his mother. Meanwhile 20 pages are devoted to the towns they tour, places they stay, and minor daily details. Thompson seems to have single-handedly given him his career and the structure he needed to make it--but even she gets subtly slammed by Williams when he discovers she is making a lot of money off of his newfound success (he agreed to give her 50% of his income at one point). This guy holds grudges while smiling outwardly.
There are some odd errors in the text, that obviously was written by a coauthor or ghost writer. He has a little sister who is a year younger, but the first time Andy sings publicly with his brothers he says he "was five or six" and "our little sister Janey just two years old." HUH? Is she a year younger or not? He mentions knowing Doris Day in Cincinnati when she sang "Sentimental Journey," which he claims "remained Doris's theme song throughout her career." What? "Que Sera Sera" became her theme song from the 1950s on.
When he finally hits it big the book falters and over half of it is name-dropping the famous people he knew, including wasted pages on the backgrounds of many stars he has little to do with. It's weird that Williams doesn't give us any details about conversations or activities with these big names--just saying that he spent the night listening to gospel music with Elvis or playing golf with a U.S. president is not really telling us life stories. And if you're looking for any background details on how some his famous songs came to be you won't find it here--he doesn't even mention some of them nor seem to understand which ones will live on in history. For example, he focuses often on "Butterfly," which was a very early hit that many have never heard today, but pretty much ignores "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year," which will be played every holiday season for centuries.
The Kennedy section is frustrating because Williams is a Republican and although he becomes so close with Bobby Kennedy that he flies across the country with the candidate on a private jet and vacations often with the Kennedys (including with Jackie), we're supposed to believe the two never talked politics nor did Andy ever reveal his voter affiliation? It was only when Kennedy asked Andy to be a delegate for him at the convention that Williams said he was a Republican, to which Bobby simply told him to switch parties.
It is interesting to hear the inside story about what went on the night of RFK's murder but Andy's defense of the Kennedys and his claim that they were anti-Mafia are naive and historically inaccurate. There are many statements made in the book that are odd or incorrect opinions.
I love Andy Williams as a singer and had hoped for much more openness or self-awareness in this book. He does state that he regrets traveling too much for work and missing time with his kids (as most celebs do in memoirs) but in the end he places himself on a very high pedestal. While he was, to me, the greatest solo male vocalist of all time, it would have been nice to have him share more of his failings and intimate stories instead of trying to make himself look so perfect.
Read in 2020 and 2025.
He spends way too much time on the Kennedys (about 10% of the pages) and seems very defensive of famous friends who have gained a lot of negative publicity (Sinatra, JFK, RFK, his ex-wife who shot her lover to death). In the end the book seemed like a humble brag--where he tries to tell us how insecure he is but how many famous people he knew and how rich he got.
The early parts of the book are best, where he talks about growing up in Iowa and being pushed by his father into the music business with his brothers. His dad taught him to be a perfectionist when putting on a show, and that caused a lot of anxiety in Andy (who later in life came to hate being on stage). Even in reviewing his childhood he provides some snide negative comments about those he has a beef with, including his father. That trait runs throughout the book and reflects his Iowa Stubborn background, where proud people talk like they're kind while ignoring you or insulting you.
That's not to say the stage father isn't to blame for forcing Andy and his brothers to not play sports, move every couple years, and even cheat at school. The dad paid an older girl to do Andy's homework so he could practice his singing instead! The brothers had no life outside forced performing.
Once he gets to his career he focuses a lot on a couple of people who help catapult him to success, particularly Kay Thompson. The two are an odd pairing and her mentorship turns sexual, though he only writes one sentence about this affair with a woman old enough to be his mother. Meanwhile 20 pages are devoted to the towns they tour, places they stay, and minor daily details. Thompson seems to have single-handedly given him his career and the structure he needed to make it--but even she gets subtly slammed by Williams when he discovers she is making a lot of money off of his newfound success (he agreed to give her 50% of his income at one point). This guy holds grudges while smiling outwardly.
There are some odd errors in the text, that obviously was written by a coauthor or ghost writer. He has a little sister who is a year younger, but the first time Andy sings publicly with his brothers he says he "was five or six" and "our little sister Janey just two years old." HUH? Is she a year younger or not? He mentions knowing Doris Day in Cincinnati when she sang "Sentimental Journey," which he claims "remained Doris's theme song throughout her career." What? "Que Sera Sera" became her theme song from the 1950s on.
When he finally hits it big the book falters and over half of it is name-dropping the famous people he knew, including wasted pages on the backgrounds of many stars he has little to do with. It's weird that Williams doesn't give us any details about conversations or activities with these big names--just saying that he spent the night listening to gospel music with Elvis or playing golf with a U.S. president is not really telling us life stories. And if you're looking for any background details on how some his famous songs came to be you won't find it here--he doesn't even mention some of them nor seem to understand which ones will live on in history. For example, he focuses often on "Butterfly," which was a very early hit that many have never heard today, but pretty much ignores "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year," which will be played every holiday season for centuries.
The Kennedy section is frustrating because Williams is a Republican and although he becomes so close with Bobby Kennedy that he flies across the country with the candidate on a private jet and vacations often with the Kennedys (including with Jackie), we're supposed to believe the two never talked politics nor did Andy ever reveal his voter affiliation? It was only when Kennedy asked Andy to be a delegate for him at the convention that Williams said he was a Republican, to which Bobby simply told him to switch parties.
It is interesting to hear the inside story about what went on the night of RFK's murder but Andy's defense of the Kennedys and his claim that they were anti-Mafia are naive and historically inaccurate. There are many statements made in the book that are odd or incorrect opinions.
I love Andy Williams as a singer and had hoped for much more openness or self-awareness in this book. He does state that he regrets traveling too much for work and missing time with his kids (as most celebs do in memoirs) but in the end he places himself on a very high pedestal. While he was, to me, the greatest solo male vocalist of all time, it would have been nice to have him share more of his failings and intimate stories instead of trying to make himself look so perfect.
Read in 2020 and 2025.
November 20, 2020
What happens in Oslo, stays in Oslo.
That is why I purchased this memoir by Andy Williams. While I had heard his music and knew him as a famous singer, it was an appearance he made on the radio show, Wait Wait Don't Tell Me that had me looking at him in a different way. The boyish tenor had a sense of humor? Okay, let me read about that.
Williams does not spend the book dissing his peers or going on too much about himself. The reader discovers that Andy never had great confidence and he mostly dreaded going onstage to perform. As he grew older and more famous, he eventually learned to love his profession and his one chapter on the dark side of his life, when he had to sing in tiny clubs to people who didn't care, showed he made his own luck. Williams had a father who drove Andy and his brothers to perform as a group (they were the Williams Brothers before Andy broke out) and the book compares the stressful situations to the fathers of the Osmond Brothers and the Jackson 5. Interesting. Thanks to YouTube, I found a clip featuring the brothers Williams and Osmonds performing a Christmas show.
I didn't know that Williams had an ex-wife who was accused of killing her famous skiing boyfriend. Williams believed she was innocent and stuck by her, although I always have suspicions whenever a person is "accidentally" killed in their bathroom as they are just about to step into the shower. I didn't know that Andy Williams was the very first host of the Grammy Awards or that he changed the Branson, Missouri scene when he opened his top-of-the-line showplace there. I didn't know that it was Williams who paid to have the "W" letter replaced in the iconic Hollywood sign when Hollywood was staggering. So I did learn a few things.
But I prefer the Andy Williams of the 1960s, wearing those cool Sixties sweaters and singing in that angelic tenor. Later plastic surgery made him look rather strange to me, but his music lives on. Music which, thanks to this book, I am now downloading and appreciating.
If I'm remembered at all, I hope to be thought of as a good man who brought much joy to many people, but above all I want to be remembered for my music.
Book Season = Summer (convene to make the scene)
That is why I purchased this memoir by Andy Williams. While I had heard his music and knew him as a famous singer, it was an appearance he made on the radio show, Wait Wait Don't Tell Me that had me looking at him in a different way. The boyish tenor had a sense of humor? Okay, let me read about that.
Williams does not spend the book dissing his peers or going on too much about himself. The reader discovers that Andy never had great confidence and he mostly dreaded going onstage to perform. As he grew older and more famous, he eventually learned to love his profession and his one chapter on the dark side of his life, when he had to sing in tiny clubs to people who didn't care, showed he made his own luck. Williams had a father who drove Andy and his brothers to perform as a group (they were the Williams Brothers before Andy broke out) and the book compares the stressful situations to the fathers of the Osmond Brothers and the Jackson 5. Interesting. Thanks to YouTube, I found a clip featuring the brothers Williams and Osmonds performing a Christmas show.
I didn't know that Williams had an ex-wife who was accused of killing her famous skiing boyfriend. Williams believed she was innocent and stuck by her, although I always have suspicions whenever a person is "accidentally" killed in their bathroom as they are just about to step into the shower. I didn't know that Andy Williams was the very first host of the Grammy Awards or that he changed the Branson, Missouri scene when he opened his top-of-the-line showplace there. I didn't know that it was Williams who paid to have the "W" letter replaced in the iconic Hollywood sign when Hollywood was staggering. So I did learn a few things.
But I prefer the Andy Williams of the 1960s, wearing those cool Sixties sweaters and singing in that angelic tenor. Later plastic surgery made him look rather strange to me, but his music lives on. Music which, thanks to this book, I am now downloading and appreciating.
If I'm remembered at all, I hope to be thought of as a good man who brought much joy to many people, but above all I want to be remembered for my music.
Book Season = Summer (convene to make the scene)
January 21, 2013
As a big Andy Williams fan, I was excited to hear that he had written an autobiography.
I thought that the book overall was good - talked a lot about his personal life, and especially his early professional career.
I found however, that the details were lacking - he talked about certain aspects of his life and career, but often did not go into great detail - more of a "on the surface" approach.
This is probably fine for most readers, but I am one who likes to know all of the little details - go more into depth about certain memorable performaces or those he worked with.
In comparison, the Matt Monro biography was more in depth with regard to his professional career, which made that read just a bit more enjoyable.
Again, though - especially with his recent passing, this book would still be a great read for any fan.
I thought that the book overall was good - talked a lot about his personal life, and especially his early professional career.
I found however, that the details were lacking - he talked about certain aspects of his life and career, but often did not go into great detail - more of a "on the surface" approach.
This is probably fine for most readers, but I am one who likes to know all of the little details - go more into depth about certain memorable performaces or those he worked with.
In comparison, the Matt Monro biography was more in depth with regard to his professional career, which made that read just a bit more enjoyable.
Again, though - especially with his recent passing, this book would still be a great read for any fan.
March 31, 2022
Best book in my honest opinion
August 19, 2025
3.75 ⭐️
April 28, 2021
yeah I was slow reading this one
I could definitely hear his voice in my head which was cool
I could definitely hear his voice in my head which was cool
August 27, 2017
I am such an Andy Williams fan. Does anybody even know who he is anymore? That easy smile and smooth voice - those sentimental songs and corny Christmas specials. I have some of those old shows on dvd and re-watch them every December. They seem so innocent now. Forty years ago we were content to be entertained without cursing and dirty jokes. Whatever happened?
Andy Williams began singing with his 3 brothers, performing as "The Williams Brothers" while he was still a child. Later his brothers went their own way and he struck out on a solo career. He got parts on radio and tv shows and in a few movies. In the early 60s he starred in a tv show of his own on NBC: The Andy Williams Show. It was a variety show with different entertainers in guest appearances, including the Osmond Brothers. This is where Donnie and Marie Osmond got their start.
The show ran throughout the sixties with a few specials airing after the weekly show was cancelled. I remember sometimes gathering in the living room to watch the regular shows, but the Christmas specials were something special that we looked forward to for weeks. Back then Christmas shows were filled with gorgeous Christmas scenes, costumes, trees and snow and every song sung was a recognizable Christmas tune.
I love to read how people's careers began and developed and Williams' history is an interesting one. He met and worked with most of the big names in music of his time - Bing Crosby, Doris Day, Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope - and was quite close to the Kennedy family. He writes, too, about his personal life. There are stories about his parents and siblings and then later about his romantic relationships. He married and had children with the incredibly beautiful Claudine Longet. Later, he met his second wife, Debbie Haas, who he was married to for many years, until his death in 2012.
His theater in Branson, Missouri is still operating and annually puts on a Christmas show that is supposed to be somewhat reminiscent of his tv specials. Some of the Osmond brothers still sing there.
There's far more to his story than the little I've mentioned here, so if you're a fan, do pick up a copy of this enjoyable memoir.
Andy Williams began singing with his 3 brothers, performing as "The Williams Brothers" while he was still a child. Later his brothers went their own way and he struck out on a solo career. He got parts on radio and tv shows and in a few movies. In the early 60s he starred in a tv show of his own on NBC: The Andy Williams Show. It was a variety show with different entertainers in guest appearances, including the Osmond Brothers. This is where Donnie and Marie Osmond got their start.
The show ran throughout the sixties with a few specials airing after the weekly show was cancelled. I remember sometimes gathering in the living room to watch the regular shows, but the Christmas specials were something special that we looked forward to for weeks. Back then Christmas shows were filled with gorgeous Christmas scenes, costumes, trees and snow and every song sung was a recognizable Christmas tune.
I love to read how people's careers began and developed and Williams' history is an interesting one. He met and worked with most of the big names in music of his time - Bing Crosby, Doris Day, Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope - and was quite close to the Kennedy family. He writes, too, about his personal life. There are stories about his parents and siblings and then later about his romantic relationships. He married and had children with the incredibly beautiful Claudine Longet. Later, he met his second wife, Debbie Haas, who he was married to for many years, until his death in 2012.
His theater in Branson, Missouri is still operating and annually puts on a Christmas show that is supposed to be somewhat reminiscent of his tv specials. Some of the Osmond brothers still sing there.
There's far more to his story than the little I've mentioned here, so if you're a fan, do pick up a copy of this enjoyable memoir.
February 22, 2017
Reading this memoir was like reconnecting with an old friend. I grew up with Andy Williams and his music. We welcomed him into our living room week after week for many years. This book was very well written with a sense of humor, as well as humility. Williams chronicled his early life as a member of the singing Williams Brothers who toured with Kay Thompson, his failed marriage to Claudine Longet and the many famous people that he hobnobbed with throughout his long career. I found especially riveting his telling of Bobby Kennedy's assassination--since Williams was at the Ambassador Hotel that fateful night. I can still hear his haunting rendition of 'The Battle Hymn of the Republic' sung at Kennedy's funeral. He says he has never sung this song again as it was just too painful. After reading this book, I just had to listen to some of his greatest tunes, which thankfully can be found on YouTube. That mellow voice will never go out of style--at least not for me. If you are a fan of Andy Williams--make it a point to read his book. You will like him even more!
January 10, 2021
Amazing
I did not listen to Andy's music when I was younger, but after reading about his life, I am a bigger fan. What a great guy, with poignant remembrance of his career and life. And I loved hearing the stories about some other famous people who intersected his life. Great book!
I did not listen to Andy's music when I was younger, but after reading about his life, I am a bigger fan. What a great guy, with poignant remembrance of his career and life. And I loved hearing the stories about some other famous people who intersected his life. Great book!
March 20, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed Andy Williams' memoire. Even though I knew that people sometimes work for years and years before they make it big in their chosen field, reading about his experiences really brought it home for me. By the time I was old enough to appreciate his music (and I loved his music), he was already a big star.
It was good to be taken back to those times when political choices were not so important between friends. I loved that even though he was Republican, most of his friends were Democrats.
I remember Claudine's incident with her then-boyfriend, Vladimir "Spider" Sabich, and being so impressed that Andy flew out to be with her and the children during the trial. I loved her music also and at one time had one of her albums.
I got to see him several times in Branson and loved his show; and one night actually ate across the aisle from him at McGuffey's Restaurant in Branson.
So reading about his life was that much more interesting. I was surprised at his insecurity in singing; but I understand that when you're told several times at a young age that you're not good enough, you begin to believe it, and no matter how well you do, you think it's never enough.
I enjoyed reading about his relationship with the Kennedy's and with Bobby. I was unaware that he was there the night Bobby was killed.
I wondered if the book was ghost-written as it somewhat read like a few other memoires that I've read, but it was still interesting enough to merit a five star from me.
It was good to be taken back to those times when political choices were not so important between friends. I loved that even though he was Republican, most of his friends were Democrats.
I remember Claudine's incident with her then-boyfriend, Vladimir "Spider" Sabich, and being so impressed that Andy flew out to be with her and the children during the trial. I loved her music also and at one time had one of her albums.
I got to see him several times in Branson and loved his show; and one night actually ate across the aisle from him at McGuffey's Restaurant in Branson.
So reading about his life was that much more interesting. I was surprised at his insecurity in singing; but I understand that when you're told several times at a young age that you're not good enough, you begin to believe it, and no matter how well you do, you think it's never enough.
I enjoyed reading about his relationship with the Kennedy's and with Bobby. I was unaware that he was there the night Bobby was killed.
I wondered if the book was ghost-written as it somewhat read like a few other memoires that I've read, but it was still interesting enough to merit a five star from me.
September 22, 2022
Growing up in the 1960’s, I remember Andy Williams’ TV shows, namely his Christmas Specials, which were a favorite in our home. My parents also had a few of Andy’s LPs in their record collection.
Through Amazon Music, I have recently rediscovered the music of Andy Williams and have a new appreciation for his beautiful voice and smooth, effortless vocal style.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Andy Williams’ memoir. He tells of his life story and long career as a singer (from childhood!)
I learned some new things about Andy Williams that I didn’t know before. He was a passionate collector of art; he was a sportsman and enjoyed golf, tennis, and skiing. He also told of his use of LSD, which was a surprise.
During the height of his popularity, Andy kept a hectic schedule as a variety show host, recording artist (three albums a year), and an touring entertainer. Although it was lucrative and seemingly very glamorous, Andy had many regrets as it cost him his marriage; he had no time for his wife and children.
My favorite part of the memoir was Andy’s story of his special friendship with Bobby and Ethel Kennedy. Andy’s deep sorrow was palpable as he told of Bobby’s tragic death and the sad events that followed.
I am glad that Andy Williams had the opportunity to write this heartfelt memoir before he passed away. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to read it.
Through Amazon Music, I have recently rediscovered the music of Andy Williams and have a new appreciation for his beautiful voice and smooth, effortless vocal style.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Andy Williams’ memoir. He tells of his life story and long career as a singer (from childhood!)
I learned some new things about Andy Williams that I didn’t know before. He was a passionate collector of art; he was a sportsman and enjoyed golf, tennis, and skiing. He also told of his use of LSD, which was a surprise.
During the height of his popularity, Andy kept a hectic schedule as a variety show host, recording artist (three albums a year), and an touring entertainer. Although it was lucrative and seemingly very glamorous, Andy had many regrets as it cost him his marriage; he had no time for his wife and children.
My favorite part of the memoir was Andy’s story of his special friendship with Bobby and Ethel Kennedy. Andy’s deep sorrow was palpable as he told of Bobby’s tragic death and the sad events that followed.
I am glad that Andy Williams had the opportunity to write this heartfelt memoir before he passed away. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to read it.
March 2, 2025
This is a great look into the life of one of America's best known entertainers. He candidly tells you about his life, its ups and downs and does so with honesty and humor. He also gives us glimpse into the lives of so many other celebrities, little vignettes into entertainment lifestyles and anecdotes. I've always liked his music and now I know a bit more about his life, that it was not all sweet and homey. He certainly had his downside and lived through them and came out the other side better and stronger as a person and as an entertainer. I admire his courage and ability to change his life for the better. He learned that entertainment indulgences were not all they were cracked up to be and weaned himself off of such things. He is content to be in Branson, Missouri and away from the chaos of Las Vegas and Hollywood. I enjoyed his book and any who like Biographies would enjoy this one as well.
November 16, 2023
The first 30-40% of this book are very cohesive, discussing Andy’s early life and route to stardom. As soon as Andy gets his chance, it all becomes a bit of a whirlwind.
I was craving more discussion of his music career but instead we got the story of the Andy Williams show, and then a lot of coverage of his peers and friends - particularly the Kennedy’s. The RFK section was quite harrowing but some of the other stuff, I could’ve left.
Andy himself admits in the acknowledgements that he sought the assistance of others as he inevitably forgot some events.
This is certainly readable as an overall retrospective of Williams’ life so I suppose it does what it says on the tin. Perhaps I was expecting something a little different. Even his big hits are only mentioned sparingly!
I was craving more discussion of his music career but instead we got the story of the Andy Williams show, and then a lot of coverage of his peers and friends - particularly the Kennedy’s. The RFK section was quite harrowing but some of the other stuff, I could’ve left.
Andy himself admits in the acknowledgements that he sought the assistance of others as he inevitably forgot some events.
This is certainly readable as an overall retrospective of Williams’ life so I suppose it does what it says on the tin. Perhaps I was expecting something a little different. Even his big hits are only mentioned sparingly!
August 5, 2022
Highly enjoyed, excellent writing style, inspiring picture into the music and media industry of the late 20th century. I would love to know who his ghost writer was (as I’m sure there was one) because the writing style is exceptional and captivating. Somehow even the “my grandparents childhood” opening background that I usually find boring in autobiographies was interesting and enjoyable.
June 7, 2025
I have read this book 3 times. It is just that good. It tells me about the man, not all his hits and business connections. It is the gold standard to which I judge all autobiographies, and so many fail in comparison.
An easy read. If you ever liked this legend get it. I seldom heap praise like this.
An easy read. If you ever liked this legend get it. I seldom heap praise like this.
January 21, 2018
Nice length with many anecdotes about his life from early childhood to past his 80th birthday. Answers to some of the mysteries of his past the press and media may have warped as well as hints of stories not fully told. Very enjoyable and nicely edited
September 11, 2024
More interesting than I expected it to be. My favorite part was about Fred MacMurray. :D
ETA: I get so tired of readers complaining that celebrities are name-dropping. These people are their friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Of course they're going to talk about them. This is their world.
ETA: I get so tired of readers complaining that celebrities are name-dropping. These people are their friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Of course they're going to talk about them. This is their world.
March 18, 2025
Doubt I will read anything duller than this. First half was ok but the celebrity part just irritated me with the gushing over the people he knew, and finally got very bored with it. Only finished it as it was all I had to read on holiday. Found myself skipping whole paragraphs.
February 4, 2018
Lots of Iowa in this; lots of familiar celebrity names, political names, national events.
April 5, 2018
Nice easy read about an interesting life.
October 1, 2018
An informative easy relaxing read. I thought he was a clean cut guy but he reveals much more in his memoir.
Read
January 17, 2021Very good. However, at times goes into too much detail about other artists and his relationships with them, but all in all, an enjoyable read.
June 17, 2023
My All Time favorite singer. Enjoyed it very much.
September 27, 2012
"If I'm remembered at allI hope to be thought of as a good man who brought much joy to many people, but above all I want to be remembered for my music. Whatever happens to me, I hope the music lives on"........Andy Williams, from the closing paragraph of his very wel-written and highly entertaining autobiography.
I had heard a few weeks ago that Andy Williams was not expected to live more than a could more weeks, and it prompted me to pick up his 2009 autobiography and read about a guy whose music I had always enjoyed, but whose most high profile years were a little before my time. I learned an awful lot about this great singer that I'd never known before------the section on his actions on the night of Bobby Kennedy's assassination alone were fascinating. He also tells a lot of great stories about such legends as Frank Sinatra, Kay Thompson, Quincey Jones, Steve Allen, Johnny Carson, and so many more. Even a young Shirley Temple does not escape mention.
Andy Williams died earlier today and it wasn't exactly coincidental I suppose that I finished his book on the day he died. These old singers, whose music makes up so much of the soundtrack of our lives are going fast now it seems. I pulled out a couple of Andy Williams albums earlier tonight and revisited some of the old songs. I think Andy would be happy to know that as he wished for in the closing lines of his book, there is a very good chance that his music will live on.
I had heard a few weeks ago that Andy Williams was not expected to live more than a could more weeks, and it prompted me to pick up his 2009 autobiography and read about a guy whose music I had always enjoyed, but whose most high profile years were a little before my time. I learned an awful lot about this great singer that I'd never known before------the section on his actions on the night of Bobby Kennedy's assassination alone were fascinating. He also tells a lot of great stories about such legends as Frank Sinatra, Kay Thompson, Quincey Jones, Steve Allen, Johnny Carson, and so many more. Even a young Shirley Temple does not escape mention.
Andy Williams died earlier today and it wasn't exactly coincidental I suppose that I finished his book on the day he died. These old singers, whose music makes up so much of the soundtrack of our lives are going fast now it seems. I pulled out a couple of Andy Williams albums earlier tonight and revisited some of the old songs. I think Andy would be happy to know that as he wished for in the closing lines of his book, there is a very good chance that his music will live on.
April 30, 2010
I really enjoyed this book. I sort of thought Andy Williams was "old", when I was a child, and I didn't see his TV shows since back in the 60's we had only 1 TV, and this wasn't my father's choice. I knew that Andy Willams was born in Wall Lake, IA, but I didn't know he had three older brothers, and his father sensed their singing ability, and formed a musical group and had them singing and dancing every day after school. He was really similar to Michael Jackson's father, but he was not at all mean, like Joe Jackson. His father kept moving the family to places where he could showcase his son's talents, from Des Moines, to Chicago, to Cincinnati, and finally to Los Angeles. Of course, Andy became the break a way star, and the rest is history. And I didn't know that Andy Williams was the first to host the Grammy's, and did so for seven years. It was a really fun book to read.
September 26, 2013
Call me silly and sentimental, but I thoroughly enjoyed this. It begins with a very well-written account of his childhood, and then becomes more of a “and then I did this” series of lists. What he did, however, was interesting and often enlightening, whether it was his analysis of the way the radio performers union created modern radio disc jockeys, his close friendship with Bobby and Ethel Kennedy, his stories about golfing buddies like Fred MacMurray, his reinvention of Branson as a high-end (well, “higher-ish”) destination, or his re-emergence in Great Britain and Ireland in his 70s as a pop sensation and sex symbol. The book was funny, witty, charming, interesting, and, like Williams himself, laid-back and unassuming. If you’re at all interested in Williams or in that period in the history of show business, I recommend it.
November 27, 2021
Andy Williams' memoir is somewhat like his singing. There's a poignant, warm, familiarity about his life story that draws you in. I have the feeling that sitting down & talking to Mr. Williams would have been much like reading this book. He seems like a genuine "regular" guy. If your looking for bombshell revelations, or mud slinging, this isn't for you. It's an interesting trip through the American music & television scene of the 40's -70's, with a tour guide who was there. It seems he was probably a bit nicer guy than a lot of his contemporaries, a bit more family orientated, but he's telling the story, isn't he? An entertaining bit of 20th century nostalgia.
March 24, 2010
I don't read many biographies/autobiographies, but I do enjoy finding out how people start out and how they get to be whatever they are know for. I also enjoy when you get to know how the person thinks, how they feel, etc. Moon Rive and Me is an fairly enjoyable read, but you never really feel like you're getting to know Andy Williams. The chapters dealing with his friendship of Bobby Kennedy are the most passionate, but other sections come off rather distant. When we were kids, The Andy Williams Show was one of the few programs the whole family sat down to watch, and the Christmas specials were something we never missed. For those memories alone the book was worth the read.
September 30, 2012
As Williams highlights his long career as a mainstream pop artist, he describes events and acquaintences (Sinatra, Crosby, Dean Martin among them) that are uncommon at any level. A little bland at some points, especially his account of his Branson theater, nonetheless his is a great story of going from middle America to the highest show-business circles. Of particular interest for me was his friendship with Bobby and Ethel Kennedy, offering some inside glimpses of the Kennedy family. One surprise: as a California delegate to the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago, Williams voted for George McGovern because "that's who Bobby would have wanted me to vote for."
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