Cult Figure Gets Down and Dirty in New Book

Genteel is not a word generally associated with the artistic output of Andre Williams. The man dubbed "Mr. Rhythm" by none other than Redd Foxx, became a cult hero to the gutter-minded back in the '50s.

He recorded such salacious classics as "Greasy Chicken," "Bacon Fat" and "Jail Bait." Williams later penned the R&B chart-toppers "Twine Time" by Alvin Cash and "Shake A Tail Feather" by the Five Du-Tones.

But, he left no music-biz bridge unburned. By the mid-80s, Williams found himself in-and-out of rehab. At one point, he even pan-handled on the streets of Chicago to make a quick buck.

Though in the late 90s, Williams experienced a full-fledged comeback,  resulting in several new albums, international touring and a whole new audience to corrupt.

How, he's adding 'author' to his repertoire. Sweets, the first novel from Williams, focuses on a young, dope-dealing prostitute looking to retire after a big score. Sweets serves as a tangible reminder that, even at the age of 73, Mr. Rhythm may never clean up his act.

This Friday night at the Poetry Project at St. Mark's Church, Williams and Nick Toschses will read from Sweets.

Check out the Ichiban blog for more details.