- Father of famed film composer John Williams
- Father-in-law of Barbara Ruick.
- Grandfather of Joseph Williams.
- Father of renown composer/ conductor John Williams', studio timpanist Don Williams and percussionist Jerry Williams. He is the grandfather of singer Joseph Williams and pianist/composer Paula Arlich.
- John Williams Sr. was staff drummer at Columbia Studios; father of composer John Williams. John senior had come to town with Jerry Colonna, who was a trombone player before he got into comedy with Bob Hope.
- Williams recorded at least twice under his own name, as Johnny Williams and His Swing Sextet (1937, Variety Records) and Drummer Man Johnny Williams and His Boys (1939, Vocalion Records).
- Williams played drums in the New York-based CBS Radio orchestra in the early 1930s, and achieved stardom as drummer for the Raymond Scott Quintette from 1936 to 1939. Williams continued as an in-demand drummer for the CBS radio network. His assignments included playing for bands led by Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Vincent Lopez, Leo Reisman, Jacques Renard, and Alfonso D'Artega. He also drummed for singer Kate Smith's radio program and in Mark Warnow's orchestra on the long-running radio program Your Hit Parade in the 1930s and 1940s.
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