Maurice Williams, Stay Singer and the Zodiacs Frontman, Dies at 86

August 2024 · 4 minute read

Maurice Williams, the lead singer of Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs and the songwriter behind their 1960 hit “Stay,” died Aug. 6, according to an announcement from the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame. He was 86.

Born on April 26, 1938, in Lancaster, S.C., Williams was a prominent figure in the American doo-wop scene of the second half of the 20th century. He began his musical journey early, forming his first group, the Royal Charms, during high school. This group would eventually become Maurice Williams and The Zodiacs.

Williams is best known for the 1960 hit song “Stay,” which he originally wrote as a teenager and performed with The Zodiacs. The track became an instant classic, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. At just 1 minute and 36 seconds, it remains the shortest song ever to top the charts.

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The song’s enduring appeal led to its inclusion in films like “Dirty Dancing.” The Hollies and the Four Seasons covered the song early on and endured as a favorite — known best from when Jackson Browne sang it live for his 1977 “Running On Empty” album. “Stay” was also performed by Browne, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty and others at the 1979 No Nukes concert at Madison Square Garden.

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“It took me about thirty minutes to write ‘Stay,’ then I threw it away,” he later told ClassicsBands.com. “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.”

Following the song’s massive success, Williams would continue to tour and perform, keeping the spirit of doo-wop alive. Although he never replicated the massive success of “Stay,” he remained a beloved figure in the genre.

In the mid-1960s, he settled in Charlotte, N.C., and in 2010, he was voted into the state’s Hall of Fame. However, he often returned to Lancaster, where he performed at local events and mentored young musicians.

Williams is survived by his wife, Emily.

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