Weekend Celebration of Life for Gospel Legend Lee Williams in Tup

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The funeral arrangements for Lee Williams have been finalized and will celebrate the late gospel singer’s life and music this weekend.

A public walk through viewing for Williams is set for Saturday, Sept. 11, at the St. Paul Christian Life Center in Tupelo from 1:30 until 5 p.m. The city of Tupelo will sponsor a memorial service in Williams’ honor at Gumtree Park that same day at 4 p.m.

On Sunday, a homecoming celebration will take place at the BancorpSouth Arena in Tupelo. The event will include a second public walk-through viewing from 10:30 a.m. until noon, followed by the final funeral service at 1 p.m.

The public is invited to attend all events. Social distancing will be maintained at all services, and all guests must wear masks.

Williams died on Monday, Aug. 30, at his home in Pontotoc, Mississippi at the age of 75.

Lee Williams began performing gospel music as young as age eight, when his uncle, a member of a group called The Gospel Stars, put together a companion group featuring him and his three brothers. Williams' uncle also formed a group called The Spiritual QC's in 1962 (QC's standing for "qualified Christian singers"), and when this outfit broke up in 1968, he took the name for his own group. Although the group toured off and on over the last three decades of the 20th century, it wasn't until the 1990's that their music was documented extensively. Williams' group peaked commercially with 2000's Good Time, which entered the Top Ten of Billboard's gospel albums, earned the group Traditional Quartet of the Year at the Gospel Music Excellence Awards, and was nominated for Best Gospel Album at the Soul Train Music Awards. His group continued to record and tour to great acclaim through the mid-2010s.

Lee Williams dealt with dementia in his later years which forced him into retirement and allowed his son to lead the group til this day. We have grown up and played his music on our station for years and he is one of the most requested artists to date. He could stand in one place the entire time and kill an entire concert. No other artist could do that. Lee Williams will be missed.

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