Kae Williams Jr.

Kae Williams Jr. (7 March 1956 – 11 July 2008) was an influential American soul and funk keyboardist, songwriter, and producer hailing from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The son of the legendary Philadelphia DJ pioneer Kae Williams Sr., he emerged as a musical prodigy, founding the seminal funk band Breakwater at just 15 years old. Under his leadership, the group signed with Clive Davis’s Arista Records as their first black act, releasing two landmark albums: the self-titled Breakwater (1978) and the funk masterpiece Splashdown (1980), which featured the iconic track "Release the Beast"—later famously sampled by Daft Punk for "Robot Rock."

Following the disbandment of Breakwater, Williams transitioned into a prolific career as a producer and songwriter, frequently commuting between Philadelphia and New York to collaborate with industry heavyweights. He played a pivotal role in the disco-funk scene, joining Timmy Allen of the group Change in 1981 to record as Hi Gloss, which produced the hit "You'll Never Know." His versatility extended into the rock and pop realms, where he contributed keyboards to major projects such as Stevie Nicks' "Stand Back" and Eddie Money’s "Babe Hold On To Me." In 1987, he achieved massive commercial success by co-writing and producing the Billboard hit "Catch Me I'm Falling" for the group Pretty Poison.

Throughout the 1980s and 90s, Williams remained a cornerstone of the Philly Soul and R&B community, lending his talents as an arranger and producer to the Brooklyn, Bronx & Queens Band, Curtis Hairston, and Sister Sledge. Upon returning to his hometown, he continued to shape the sound of contemporary R&B by working with local icons and national stars alike, including the late Phyllis Hyman, George Howard, Miki Howard, and Ian Foster.

His final personal project, a collection of recordings titled Full Circle, served as a testament to a career that spanned nearly four decades and touched every facet of the music industry from engineering to vocal performance.