Editing Dave Williams (singer)

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{short description|American singer (1972–2002)}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2013}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name            = Dave Williams
| image           = Dave Williams.jpg
| birth_name      = David Wayne Williams
| alias           = Stage
| birth_date      = {{birth date|1972|2|29}}
| birth_place     = [[White Plains, New York]], U.S.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/dallasmorningnews/obituary.aspx?n=david-williams&pid=446886|title=WILLIAMS, MR. DAVID "DAVE" WILLIAMS, age 30, of Princeton, Texas, passed away August 14, 2002, in Manassas, Virginia. He was born February 29, 1972, in White Plains, New York|website=Legacy.com|accessdate=December 29, 2018}}</ref>
| death_place     = [[Manassas, Virginia]], U.S.
| death_date      = {{death date and age|2002|08|14|1972|02|29}}
| origin          = [[Princeton, Texas]], U.S.
| genre           = [[Nu metal]]
| occupation      = {{flatlist|
* Singer
* songwriter
}}
| years_active    = 1988–2002
| label           =
| past_member_of = [[Drowning Pool]], Fugly
| website         = 
}}

'''David Wayne Williams''' (February 29, 1972 – August 14, 2002)<ref name=WHFS>{{cite news |title=To Celebrate the 40th Birthday of Former Drowning Pool Lead Singer Dave Williams…We Give You the Bird |date=February 29, 2012 |url=http://whfs.cbslocal.com/2012/02/29/to-celebrate-the-40th-birthday-of-former-drowning-pool-lead-singer-dave-williams-we-give-you-the-bird/ |website=Whfs.cbslocal.com |accessdate=July 16, 2016 |archive-date=January 27, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160127173115/http://whfs.cbslocal.com/2012/02/29/to-celebrate-the-40th-birthday-of-former-drowning-pool-lead-singer-dave-williams-we-give-you-the-bird/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> was an American singer best known as the original lead vocalist for the [[Rock music|rock]] band [[Drowning Pool]].

== Biography ==
He grew up in [[Princeton, Texas]], living with his parents Charles Edward and Jo-Ann Williams. He grew up in a pious family which caused him to move away from religion. Notably, he also used to wear a T-shirt that read "Worship Satan and Smoke Crack". He idolized [[David Lee Roth]] and [[Vince Neil]] for their public personas.<ref>{{cite news | first1 = Geoff | last1 = Boucher | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-aug-16-me-williams16-story.html | title = Dave Williams, 30; Charismatic Lead Singer of Rock Band Drowning Pool  | date = August 16, 2002 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20200516141048/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-aug-16-me-williams16-story.html | archive-date = May 16, 2020 | url-status = live}}</ref>

In 1999, he joined Drowning Pool, which had formed in 1996 and had previously performed as an instrumental three-piece. The band released their debut album with Williams, ''[[Sinner (Drowning Pool album)|Sinner]]'', in 2001. Williams soon gained recognition for his performances with the band; his nickname "Stage" came from [[Pantera]] guitarist [[Dimebag Darrell]], who gave it to him because of his known stage personality.

==Death==
On August 14, 2002, Williams was found dead in the band's tour bus in [[Manassas, Virginia]]. The band was traveling with [[Ozzfest]] and set to play in nearby [[Bristow, Virginia|Bristow]] the next day.<ref>{{cite news |date=August 14, 2002 |title=Drowning Pool Singer Found Dead |author=Joe D'Angelo |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1457028/drowning-pool-singer-dead.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110115073153/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1457028/drowning-pool-singer-dead.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 15, 2011|website=Mtv.com|accessdate=July 16, 2016 }}</ref> An autopsy established that he had died from [[heart failure]] caused by [[hypertrophic cardiomyopathy]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1457806/drowning-pools-dave-williams-died-from-heart-disease-coroner-says/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151213000545/http://www.mtv.com/news/1457806/drowning-pools-dave-williams-died-from-heart-disease-coroner-says/|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 13, 2015|title=Drowning Pool's Dave Williams Died From Heart Disease, Coroner Says|last=Archive-Joe-DAngelo|website=MTV News|language=en|access-date=December 5, 2019}}</ref> (heart muscle disease), which went undiagnosed until his death.<ref name=WHFS />

A public funeral was held in [[Plano, Texas]], on August 18, 2002, at 2:00 P.M. A DVD titled ''Sinema'' has since been released, chronicling his life. His lifelong dream was to buy his parents a house; the sales from ''Sinner'' fulfilled his dream posthumously.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2002-09-11 |title=DROWNING POOL Label Spokesperson: DAVE WILLIAMS' Parents Will Get New Home |url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/drowning-pool-label-spokesperson-dave-williams-parents-will-get-new-home/ |access-date=2024-01-26 |website= |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=David Williams Obituary (2002) - Dallas, TX - Dallas Morning News |url=https://obits.dallasnews.com/us/obituaries/dallasmorningnews/name/david-williams-obituary?id=28341016 |access-date=2024-01-26 |website=Legacy.com}}</ref>

Williams's microphone was given to [[Cristian Machado]] from [[Ill Niño]]. They were good friends, so Drowning Pool and Williams' family gave it to Machado as a token of respect after his death.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-09-14 |title=Pandemic Interview: Cristian Machado – Revenant Media |url=https://revenantmedia.com/2020/09/14/pandemic-interview-cristian-machado/ |access-date=2024-01-26 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Skyjoker |date=2013-11-20 |title=Interview: Ill Nino's Frontman Cristian Machado |url=https://spotlightreport.net/on-the-spot-2/interview-ill-ninos-frontman-cristian-machado |access-date=2024-01-26 |website=Spotlight Report |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Legacy==
The Dallas, Texas music community honored Williams and his legacy with a multi-venue music festival named "Stage Fest". Stage Fest was held in downtown Dallas' [[Deep Ellum, Dallas, Texas|Deep Ellum]] district on August 14, 2007, the fifth anniversary of his death, and played in seven Deep Ellum venues including Club Dada, The Curtain Club, The Lizard Lounge, The Darkside Lounge, Red Blood Club, Reno's Chop Shop, and Tomcat's.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2007-03-01 |title=Dallas Rock And Metal Community To Honor Late DROWNING POOL Singer |url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/dallas-rock-and-metal-community-to-honor-late-drowning-pool-singer/ |access-date=2024-01-26 |website=Blabbermouth.net |language=en}}</ref>

One of Williams's previous bands, Fugly, digitally released an album dedicated to him in 2008.<ref>{{cite web |date= |title=Fugly (Dave Williams, RIP, Drowning Pool) |url=http://www.reverbnation.com/fuglydavewilliamsripdrowningpool |accessdate=July 16, 2016 |publisher=[[ReverbNation]]}}</ref>

On August 14, 2012, the 10th anniversary of his death, Drowning Pool released the [[Sentimental ballad|ballad]] "[[In Memory Of... (song)|In Memory Of...]]" dedicated to him.

For the 13th anniversary of ''Sinner'', [[Bicycle Music Company]] released previously unreleased footage of Dave Williams and his bandmates answering questions about music, movies, and the Sinner album via their [[YouTube]] channel.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/unluckysinner13|title=#unluckysinner13|via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*{{discogs artist|608698|Dave Williams}}
*[https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6689669 Find A Grave Entry]
*[https://www.myspace.com/stagefest Stage Fest Myspace page]

{{Drowning Pool}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Dave}}
[[Category:1972 births]]
[[Category:2002 deaths]]
[[Category:Drowning Pool members]]
[[Category:Nu metal singers]]
[[Category:21st-century American male singers]]
[[Category:Deaths from cardiomyopathy]]