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.