Producer David Crawford
“She said that she was seeing a therapist because she had been depressed,” says David Crawford, a music industry veteran who produced Vesta’s first single “Once Bitten, Twice Shy.” [Scroll down to listen.] “This last conversation she really did sound depressed. In fact, her speech didn’t seem to be clear, and she said, ‘If I’m slurring my words it’s because of the pill she was taking for her depression.’”
Williams was found dead of a possible drug overdose at 6:15 p.m. Thursday in an El Segundo, Calif. hotel room, Los Angeles County coroner’s Capt. John Kades said, adding an autopsy will determine the cause of death, and a toxicology examination will take six weeks to be completed.
Vesta Williams Funeral Services Set for October 4
Crawford said Vesta had initially called him about two weeks ago requesting that he participate in her upcoming episode of TV One’s “Unsung.”
“She said ‘I’m going to call [the producers] right now and have them call you, but I had never heard from them, so I don’t know whether that happened or not,” he told EURWeb’s Lee Bailey in a phone interview on Sunday (Sept. 25). Crawford said he called her back days after that initial phone call to discuss an idea for a gospel song he wanted to produce for her.
“In the last conversation, she was a little more open about how she was doing and that’s when I found out she was actually living in El Segundo at a hotel and she was saying how tough things were,” he revealed.
Crawford said he never asked what was making her depressed because he didn’t want to pry. “I thought at the time I would eventually get the whole story. I just didn’t want to push.”
In the audio below, Crawford reveals more of her last conversation with Williams – including her declaration that she is drug free.
Producer David Crawford on his last conversation with Vesta Williams by CherieNic
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So sad…reminds me so much of what happened to Phyliss Hymann. Both talented and beautiful.
Ditto….
Vesta was my music industry mother. I had just spoken to her on Monday Sept 19th of last week I was supposed to go over to her hotel to eat spaghetti this past Saturday Sept 24th! Devastated!!!!..
The producers words don’t ring true. Why reveal this info, with his very posed 8×10 glossy headshot?
Self-promotion, maybe? And what’s he snorting or smoking? In other words, this producer, publicized derogatory info about a client for self-promotion. How sleazy is that!
This post shows the lack of information regarding depression in society. Depression is not something derogatory or shameful. If someone said she had diabetes, would that be derogatory? NO. Depression is an illness, and these comments sound like Vesta was depressed. Unfortunately, sleeping pills make your speech slurred as well. Antidepressants should not have this effect.
I was approached about information regarding Vesta’s passing.
In my own qwest for the truth about what happened, I was being sincere regarding
our last conversation, no reason to lie or sensationalize.
I didn’t volunteer my picture.
I didn’t volunteer to participate in the TV Unsung interview, I was asked by Vesta.
We had History, we were friends. There’s no malice in the interview at all, only what you choose to read into it.
You said nothing derogatory. I am sorry for your loss.
Seems fishy to me..
She was probably depressed and broken hearted by the shabby way this industry treats real talents like her. The fluff and the superficial and non-talented are glorified and recognized and the true voices are cast aside. Damn shame.
Excellent points.
This will make her Unsung episodes all the more special. Sounds like it was an accidental overdose…much like Gerald Levert. They need to do a major PSA campaign to warn individuals about lethal prescription/OTC drug combinations. Happens all the time…we just hear about the deaths of the famous ones.
I’m sure there was no malice intended from the producer who spoke. I’m sure her Unsung episode is going to shed some light on some of the pitfalls she experienced throughout her life.
All that talent and the music industry turns it’s back on you for what they believe to be the next best thing. The music industry has indirectly killed many over the years.
Why is this a prescription – OTC overdose? It could have been a combo of sleeping pills and antidepressants – both of which are prescription drugs. Depression is a cause of suicide. Depression is also an illness and nothing about which to be ashamed. If she did commit suicide or just lost her judgment due to the sleeping pills, I am so sad that it happened.
The music business will make you depress……with all its BS, BS people, BS contracts, and more BS