High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Anthony Tillmon "Tony" Williams (December 12, 1945 February 23, 1997) was an American jazz drummer. Widely regarded as one of the most important and influential jazz drummers to come to prominence in the 1960s, Williams first gained fame in the band of trumpeter Miles Davis, and was a pioneer of jazz fusion. Born in Chicago and growing up in Boston, Williams began studies with drummer Alan Dawson at an early age and began playing professionally at the ...