Anthony Tillmon Williams was an American jazz drummer, born on December 12th, 1945. He was a legend of jazz music and one of the founders of jazz fusion and cool jazz. Williams played a significant role in redefining the role of a drummer in a jazz ensemble. He was known for his melodic solos on the drum set and was considered a standard and jazz benchmark for new generations of drummers. Williams started playing the drums at a young age and was taught by legendary drummer Alan Dawson. He played with Sam Rivers and Jackie McLean before joining Miles Davis's Second Great Quintet at the age of 17.