Andy Williams was born Howard Andrew Williams in West Lake, Iowa on December 3, 1927. He was born to Jay Emerson and Florence Williams and moved to Los Angeles with his family during high school.He rose to prominence in the late 1950s and became a staple of the 1960s and 1970s with classics like "Moon River." Williams could be heard not only on radio but also singing the "Love Story" theme and hosting his "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" holiday special. Williams worked nearly non-stop during the peak of his career, and told reporters of the era:“The old cliché says that if you can remember the 1960s, you weren't there," he explained. "Well, I was there all right, but my memory of them is blurred -- not by any drugs I took but by the relentless pace of the schedule I set myself."