Tex Williams was a prominent figure in country music, known for his Western swing style and grainy baritone voice. Many consider him one of the pioneers of the eclectic fusion of jazz, country, and blues that typified the swing sub-genre of country music.

If you want to learn to sing like Tex Williams, you need to study the Western swing style and blend it with the more traditional country sound. Doing so will help you to develop a unique vocal style that showcases his signature blend of jazz and country.

To start, focus on your breathing and voice registers by using the Vocal range test and Breath support articles provided by Singing Carrots. As Tex Williams’ voice is a baritone, work on developing your low notes and chest voice. The Chest Voice Explained and Voice Registers & Vocal Break articles and Singing Comfort Zone exercises can help you develop your chest voice and voice registers.

Practice warm-ups like Farinelli Breathing and Humming exercises and check your pitch accuracy with the Pitch Accuracy Test. Incorporate articulation and open mouth techniques, as detailed in the Open Mouth & Throat and Articulation articles, to enable you to sing with clarity.

Tex Williams’ vocal style was distinct, thanks in part to his unique use of the ‘twangy’ voice technique. Check out Singing Carrots' How to Twang Exercise to work on developing this unusual sound.

Once you have a solid foundation in technique, you can start learning Tex Williams' songs. Two of his most famous songs are “Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)” and “Suspicion.” Listen to each song carefully and try to identify the particular vocal techniques he uses in each one.

For example, in “Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)”, Williams uses a conversational, almost spoken-word vocal style but still manages to infuse the song with his infectious energy, which is characteristic of his style. Practice singing with emotion and intuition, as outlined in Singing with Intuition, Skills, Emotion and Thinking.

In summary, learning to sing like Tex Williams means paying attention to Western swing vocal styles, focusing on breath support, chest voice, voice registers, and articulation while incorporating twangy vocal techniques. Make use of Singing Carrots' wide range of resources and tools, from warm-ups to educational courses such as the 21-lesson Singing for Beginners course and Song-book lyrics and chords.