Mentor Williams, ‘Drift Away’ songwriter, dead at 70

[Fansome]

Mentor Williams, ‘Drift Away’ songwriter, dead at 70

By Mary Hudetz, Associated Press

Friday, Nov. 18, 2016 | 3:53 p.m.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Mentor Williams, the songwriter behind the 1970s pop hit "Drift Away," has died in Taos, New Mexico, at age 70.

Paul Williams, also a famed songwriter who is the president of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, or ASCAP, confirmed for The Associated Press that his brother Mentor Williams died Wednesday morning at his home after battling lung cancer.

"Drift Away" sung by pop artist Dobie Gray reached No. 5 on the Billboard charts and won awards in 1973. A year later, Williams produced the album "Feelings," which included the songs "Sunday Driver" and "L.A. Cowboy."

Williams had lived in Taos with his partner Lynn Anderson, a 1970s country music star who sang "Rose Garden." She died in 2015 at age 67.

[Nella F.]

Man, we're just dropping like flies left & right, ain't we??
Whoa! HE 'WROTE' "FEELINGS"!? (saying loudly Not shouting) Thought a girl wrote that.

[Pigmeat]

Paul really did Mentor wrong by not sharing those lucrative "Love Boat" and "Fantasy Island" cameos.

Al, I think "Fantasy Island" is the first time I saw Kracker? He was always shouting something about, "The plane! The plane!" on those shows. He should have stuck with acting.

[Pigmeat]

Al, you forgot to mention the other Williams brother, Montel. How is he getting along since he left the talk show biz?