Bernice Williams

Who is Bernice Williams?

Bernice Williams is an American songwriter, who wrote the 1960s song "Duke of Earl" along with Gene Chandler and Earl Edwards. She also wrote "Night Owl". Bernice wrote three Billboard Hot 100 songs in the 1960s.

Chandler was discovered by Williams. Under her professional guidance, Chandler was introduced to agent Bill Sheppard, and Sheppard found a slot for Chandler as the lead singer with a doo-wop group called the Dukays. "Night Owl", was released on Nat Records, and it entered the Billboard Top 100, peaking at number 73 in February 1962. "Duke of Earl" appeared as a single in November 1961, with a song called "Kissin' In The Kitchen" on the B-side. "Duke of Earl" was a major hit, with one million copies sold by the end of the calendar year; the song topped both the U.S. pop and R&B charts in February 1962.

Williams was also responsible for the discovery of The Starlets, an American girl group from Chicago, Illinois. The group came together in 1961, and auditioned for Williams. She wrote them "Better Tell Him No", which was released on Pam Records that year. The record peaked at #38 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Williams has written over 200 songs. She lives in Chicago with her daughter, and continues to write music, including the fantastic "BBQ Party".