Andy Williams Reveals Cancer Diagnosis

Singer Andy Williams and wife Debbie Williams

Jemal Countess/Getty Images for Songwriters Hall of Fame

Andy Williams, the 83-year-old singer best known for his recording of the ballad "Moon River," revealed that he has been diagnosed with bladder cancer to an audience at his Moon River Theater in Branson, Missouri on Saturday. "I do have cancer of the bladder," Williams told fans during his 2011 Andy Williams Christmas Show. "But that is no longer a death sentence. People with cancer are getting through this thing."

Photos: Random Notes
Williams missed the first four shows of the season last week before making his first appearance on stage Saturday evening. The theater had not mentioned Williams' condition, but had noted that he may miss shows for "health reasons." The Lennon Sisters and other acts are filling in for the singer when he is not able to perform.

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Song Stories

“Baby Got Back”

Sir Mix-a-Lot | 1992

While watching a Budweiser commercial during the Super Bowl, Sir Mix-a-Lot thought the skinny female models in the ad didn’t represent reality. So he wrote this ode to ample bottoms, featuring its famous to-the-point lyric: “I like big butts and I cannot lie.” MTV banished the video, featuring shaking booties and sexually suggestive fruit, to 9 p.m. or later. “I thought my career was over,” he told Rolling Stone. “Then I called Rick Rubin, and I told him the video was banned, and he was like, 'Great!' We sold another 2 million records.”

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