<P> Danny Williams (7 January 1942--6 December 2005) was a British, South African - born pop singer . who earned the nickname, "Britain's Johnny Mathis", for his smooth and stylish way with a ballad . He is best known for singing his UK number 1 version of "Moon River" in 1961 and his US top ten hit, "White on White". </P> <P> Born in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa, Williams won a talent contest at the age of 14 and joined a touring show called Golden City Dixies that played throughout South Africa . In 1959, the show came to London where Williams impressed EMI's Norman Newell, who signed the young singer to a recording contract . He was to spend most of his life in the United Kingdom, where at first he made a few moderately successful singles, mainly popular ballads, before scoring a Number One hit with his cover version of "Moon River" in 1961 . To this day it remains his most famous record which he re-recorded for a self - titled album "Danny Williams", issued in the UK by Contour Records in 1972, and he also scored a No. 8 chart hit with "The Wonderful World Of The Young" in April 1962 . It led to his appearance in the film Play It Cool (1962), directed by Michael Winner, and starring Billy Fury as pop singer Billy Universe . In 1963, Williams joined a 20 - city tour which starred Helen Shapiro and featured the Beatles as a support act on the bill; like many other ballad singers of the day, he was swept away by the new beat group era . </P>

Who had a number one hit with moon river