BRANSON, Mo. (KMOX) - Legendary American Singer Andy Williams has died. He passed away in Branson overnight following a year long battle with bladder cancer. He was 84.

Williams’ smooth singing style enchanted fans for decades, he also became a TV star in the ’60s with his own weekly show and a series of holiday classics.

Garrett Anderson, Economic Development Director in Branson, Missouri remembers when Andy Williams came to town.

“Before he came, I think there were about a dozen theaters in town. By the time he really got going he sparked a boom of another 25 or so theaters.”

Anderson says people packed theaters for more than two decades just to listen to Williams.

His 1950s hits included “Moon River,” “Butterfly,” “Lonely Street” and “The Hawaiian Wedding Song” for which he received the first of his five Grammy nominations.