21 Questions for Trevor Williams

21 QUESTIONS FOR TREVOR WILLIAMS

East Coast Radio’s talented DJ Trevor Williams is the subject of this week’s 21 Questions. Host of ECR’s ( ) show, Trevor has had a passion for music (and DJing) from a young age, so his move into the radio industry seemed like a natural progression.
He has had ample experience on-air and has interviewed many stars, both local and international, even listing superstar Usher as someone he “really got to know on a personal level”.

Besides his work on ECR, Trevor also owns TNT, an entertainment company based in Westville. He’s a proud Bruinou who hasn’t forgotten his roots and speaks enthusiastically about coloured initiatives (such as Bruinou.com!)
Read on to find out more about one of East Coast Radio’s hottest DJs…

What is your full name (and we mean full name)?
Trevor Barry Williams

And your date of birth?
4 January 1969

Star sign?
Capricorn

Where were you born and raised?
Wentworth…Major Calvert Rd, to be exact! (In Durban, for those not in the know.)

Which schools did you attend?
Wentworth Primary and Collingwood and Fairvale High School.

Where are you based right now (which place do you call home)?
Westville, Durban.

How would you describe your personality?
Easy going and sociable. A happy, laid back kinda guy; confident and a go getter!

Have you always wanted to be a radio DJ? What were your ambitions/ career goals while you were growing up?
I have a passion for music. I knew I wanted to get into any type of industry that had to do with music. Being a radio DJ is the most stable and most important part of music.

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Briefly describe your road to becoming a DJ. Where exactly did your career begin, and how did you get to where you are today?
It started in school. Every time there was a function, Trevor played the music. If there was a party, Trevor was called to play the music.
In the ‘80s I entered a DJ competition at Butterworth’s night club, which I won. The owner then approached me to play at his club part-time. In 1989 I went to Pretoria to represent the KZN region and from there it’s just been one gig after another.

Have you worked with many celebs, and if so, with whom?
The list is endless…Doc Victor, Mandoza, TKZee and the family, Loyiso and Leeanne, Jae, Babyboy and TSO (The Short One), to mention a few.
Internationally, I would say I have met a few but have not had a chance to work with any of them. I have introduced international celebrity guests at concerts and have chatted to some. But I would say the two people who I really got to know on a personal level – and even met their families – were Usher and Randy Crawford. Others I have met include Tamia, Michael Jackson and Sybil.

Is there anyone that you aspire to be like?
That would have to be Stevie Wonder. He had a disadvantage but he made the most of his life and career. Stevie is known to many generations of music lovers, and I personally never ever saw him as a blind man.

What was it like working with Dave, Jane and the other DJs?
Well, I don’t really see much of the other DJs, as we work different shifts.

Are there any challenges you face on the air, if any?
I think the biggest challenge for me was starting out in radio being the only coloured DJ during the time where the majority of listeners were white. I had to appeal to the majority and sound acceptable, with regards to my accent. I felt like I couldn’t be me.

What projects are you working on right now?
I’m working with Babyboy for TNT entertainment, which is the company I own.
When you’re not DJing for ECR, what do you enjoy doing?
Well, my spare time is for the kids…whatever they wanna do, that is my time to bond with my girls.

What are your daughters’ names?
Tamara and Tatyana.

And your wife’s name?
Marcia.

If you could star in a movie with any actor who would it be and why?
Denzel Washington. I have seen him grow as an actor and admire him, as he made it being a Black American; I can identify with him.

Give us your opinion on the South African music industry. Likes/ dislikes?
I think the biggest problem is there’s no cash to market the up and coming artists. This generation has an abundance of unrecognised talent.

Are there any projects in the pipeline?
That would be the Babyboy project as mentioned earlier. We are currently busy in the studio.

What do you think of the website Bruinou.com, and its concept?
Great concept! The site proves that there are coloureds out there who have not forgotten where they’ve come from. The profiles on the site are motivating to the younger generation and it also makes one feel proud of who you are.