Pete Williams

Pete Williams is a founding member of Dexys Midnight Runners playing on their number one single “Geno” and also being a pivotal force in their resurgence as Dexys.

Born to Black Country parents just inside a new decade, Pete Williams went to school, had a paper round, dreamed and played clarinet.

At age 14 he bought a bass guitar and was soon playing in various bands appearing in social clubs around the industrial West Midlands.
Four years later he was invited by an old school friend to join a “new wave soul group” as yet unnamed, which later became DEXYS MIDNIGHT RUNNERS.

Their first release “Dance Stance” was issued on Bernie Rhodes Oddball label . Soon after they were invited to support The Specials on the first 2Tone tour.

After recording “Searching For The Young Soul Rebels” (an album considered by many to be one of the best debut LPs ) and garnering a U.K. No1 single with “Geno”, extensive touring and many festival appearances followed.

Pete left Dexys Midnight Runners in Zurich at the end of an exhausting trans-European tour; returned to England and formed The Bureau.

The Bureau had top ten singles “Only For Sheep” and “Let Him Have It” in Australia , NZ and Canada, and toured Europe and the U.S. with The Pretenders. Their eponymous album was left inexplicably unreleased and overlooked in the U.K. They disbanded in 1983. (“The Bureau” album finally saw the light of day with a release in 2005).

In the following years, Pete continued to write and perform with his own band ‘These Tender Virtues’

2003 saw the reformation of Dexy’s Midnight Runners and Pete taking centre stage as co-vocalist along side Kevin Rowland on the critically acclaimed tour “To Stop The Burning”. Kevin, Pete and Mick Talbot went on to record the album ‘One Day I’m Going To Soar ‘.

As the newly named Dexy’s, a live show was developed and toured internationally , culminating in a 9 night residency at The Duke of Yorks theatre, London and headlining the acoustic stage at 2014 Glastonbury Festival.

In the midst of this activity, 2012 saw Pete dropping any band name and releasing the long-awaited debut solo album ‘See ‘. followed by ‘Roughnecks and Roustabouts’ 2015 and ‘H.O.L.L.A.N.D.’ 2018.

Pete and his band members have toured as special guests with The Proclaimers, The Specials and Simon and Oscar from Ocean Colour Scene, and have headlined the Lunar Stage at Moseley Folk Festival and performed a sold-out show at the brand new performance space at Birmingham Symphony Hall.

Pete performs solo, as a duo , with guitarist Andy Wellings and with his 4- piece band.

Currently, in pre-production for his next release.