Maurice Williams, Writer and Singer Behind Hit Song “Stay”, Dead at 86

Growing up in church, Maurice Williams watched as his mother and sister performed regularly there. Sharing a love for music, by the time Williams was six, he was also in front of the church performing. Using that love to help shape his career, Williams spent decades in the music industry with the group the Zodiacs. While going through some changes when it came to the band’s name, the group watched success follow them when they released the hit song “Stay.” Sadly, on August 5th, Williams passed away at 86 years old.

Although part of the Zodiacs for years, the band never gained the same praise for other songs as they did for “Stay.” While the song is only 90 seconds long, it captivated listeners around the world as he landed the No. 1 spot on the Billboard pop chart in 1960.

Videos by American Songwriter

Once discussing his inspiration behind the hit song with Classic Bands, Williams revealed “Stay” took him less than an hour to write. “It took me about thirty minutes to write ‘Stay’, then I threw it away. We were looking for songs to record as Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs. I was over at my girlfriend’s house playing the tape of songs I had written, when her little sister said, ‘Please do the song with the high voice in it.’ I knew she meant ‘Stay.’ She was about 12 years old and I said to myself, ‘She’s the age of record buying,’ and the rest is history. I thank God for her.”

Fans Remember The Legacy Of Maurice Williams

Listening to the sister of his girlfriend at the time, Williams recalled remembering she was the type of person buying records. Leaning on the popularity of the song, the Zodiacs performed the hit countless times over the years.

Looking at what fans had to say about the hit song, comments included, “Condolences to the family of Maurice Williams this is one of my favorite song from Doowop Stay great singer SIH.” Another person insisted, “This song takes me back to a cold December night in 2006. I was kissing my first girlfriend ever, and it was starting to get late, and she had to go home. I remember asking her to “stay just a little bit longer.” Good times.”

While passing away, Williams fashioned a career that continues to honor his rich legacy in music.

(Musica&Anima Channel, 2021)