BY RICHARD ERIKSON
The year 2025 began, as so many years before began, with Andy Williams as one of the most popular and beloved singers in the world and as one of the greatest hit-makers of all time. This brings a great deal of joy and pride to Branson, which was Andy’s home for twenty years.
In the early 1990s, Andy fell in love with Branson and Branson fell in love with Andy. The Moon River Theatre became one of the most visited attractions in Branson and earned the distinction of being the only theater ever featured in Architectural Digest. Andy was instrumental in transforming Branson from a primarily country music town to the live entertainment capital of the United States.
His decision in 1993 to perform his epic live Christmas show in Branson began the expansion of the Christmas season to two full months and helped create the “most wonderful time of the year” in Branson. He earned the title “Mr. Christmas” because of his spectacular Christmas television specials, including his 1994 Branson Christmas Concert on PBS, his annual Christmas tours and his eight Christmas albums. As has been often said, “Christmas begins in Branson when Andy Williams says it begins.”
The love and esteem of Andy in Branson is shared throughout the world as Andy returns each year to the top of the charts with his Christmas music. “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” (TMWTOTY) has become a Christmas standard and The Andy Williams Christmas Album (1963) garners new fans each year, so many that it becomes an annual chart topper (#17 album in the USA in December 2024). What Andy said in concert is so true: “Christmas chestnuts are songs that keep getting better and better with age.”
TMWTOTY was the No. 7 song in the United States for the week of January 4, 2025. This remarkable feat extends Andy’s historic record as the artist with the greatest span of Top Ten hits to well over 65 years. Andy first entered the Billboard Top Ten with “Lonely Street” in October of 1959. Only two artists have had Top Ten Billboard hits in five decades: Andy Williams (1950s, ’60s, ’70s, 2010s and ’20s) and Michael Jackson (’70s, ’80s, ’90s, 2000s and ’10s). Many of Andy’s other Christmas songs are played throughout the holiday season, so much so that in December of 2024 Andy was the No. 12 artist in the world.
And something amazing happened on Christmas Day (2024), TMWTOTY hit one billion streams on Spotify. Only 843 songs have reached this milestone and only a handful of holiday songs. It is so poignant and nearly miraculous that this super rare landmark occurred on Christmas Day. What is also remarkable is that TMWTOTY was not even released as a single in 1963. Columbia Records chose to release Andy’s version of White Christmas as the lead track from The Andy Williams Christmas Album. TMWTOTY was written especially for Andy by Edward Pola and George Wyle and gained popularity each year as Andy would perform it on his annual Christmas special.
Andy described his move to Branson as one of the best decisions of his life. It was a match made in heaven. Andy loved returning to his Midwestern roots. He delighted in playing golf in the morning and performing in the afternoon and evening. He contributed greatly to the community through his extremely generous philanthropy. We have missed Andy greatly since his passing in 2012, but it is so wonderful to know that the love and esteem of our huckleberry friend in Branson is shared throughout the world and that Andy continues to bring enormous joy to millions of people through his artistry and music. We can’t wait to see Andy’s star continue to rise in 2025.