Don Williams, the country singer and Nashville songwriter best known for his 1981 hit ballad I Believe in You, has died .
He died at home in Alabama at aged 78 on Friday.
His publicist confirmed Williams, who was known as “the Gentle Giant” because of his easygoing temperament, died after a short illness.
Williams had 17 number ones in the US and was inducted into the country Music Hall of Fame in 2010, before he retired in 2016. Williams was known for his rich voice, gentle delivery and storytelling style. He toured sparingly, did few media interviews and spent much of his time on his farm west of Nashville.
His career started as a musician in Portland, a city he moved to from his native Texas, where he was born in 1939. He moved to Nashville in the late 60s and wrote songs for some of country’s biggest names, including “Cowboy” Jack Clement.
