Paul Williams: From "Rainbow Connection" to Daft Punk & The Road to Recovery
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Show Notes
In this episode of pplpod, we explore the incredible, multi-faceted career of Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Paul Williams. You may know him as the diminutive actor who played Little Enos in Smokey and the Bandit or the villainous Swan in the cult classic Phantom of the Paradise, but his musical legacy defines the sound of the 1970s. We discuss how Williams penned massive hits for the Carpenters, including "We've Only Just Begun" and "Rainy Days and Mondays," as well as Three Dog Night’s "An Old Fashioned Love Song".
We also dive into his legendary collaboration with Jim Henson, co-writing the soundtrack for The Muppet Movie and creating the Oscar-nominated "Rainbow Connection". Listen in as we cover his Academy Award win for "Evergreen" from A Star Is Born, his tenure as president of ASCAP, and his unexpected creative resurgence collaborating with Daft Punk on their Grammy-winning album Random Access Memories. Finally, we touch on Williams' inspiring personal journey, detailing his struggle with substance abuse in the 70s and 80s and his transition into a certified drug rehabilitation counselor and recovery advocate who has been sober since 1990.