Wayne Williams

Chicago house music founding father who co-founded The Chosen Few DJs in the late 1970s — one of the most important collectives in dance music history. Former A&R executive at Jive Records who helped develop R. Kelly and DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. The Chosen Few Picnic & Festival has grown into one of the world's largest house music events. Performed at Oddyssey Noir inside AREA15 on February 7, 2026.

Wayne Williams co-founded The Chosen Few DJs in Chicago in 1977 alongside Jesse Saunders, Tony Hatchett, Alan King, and Andre Hatchett — one of the first DJ collectives creating what became known as house music. Their annual Chosen Few Picnic & House Music Festival, started in 1990, now draws 70,000+ attendees. Williams earned a 2014 Grammy nomination for Jennifer Hudson's 'It's Your World' and a 2015 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Album for Aretha Franklin's 'Sings the Great Diva Classics.' Sources: chosenfewdjs.com, gobangmagazine.com/2024/12/06/cover-podcast-interview-of-dj-wayne-williams At Oddyssey Noir, Wayne Williams performs on Select dates, commanding some of the venue's most in-demand time slots.

Wayne Williams currently performs at Oddyssey Noir in Las Vegas, typically on Select dates. Their sets span Soulful House / Classic House, delivering a sound that has earned them one of the most dedicated followings in the Las Vegas residency circuit.

Wayne Williams's sound: Classic Chicago house music rooted in the original South Side DJ tradition — Wayne Williams's sets draw directly from the foundational house music vocabulary he helped create in the late 1970s, blending soulful house, vocal house, and classic dance music with the authority of one of the genre's founding practitioners. At Oddyssey Noir, the professional sound systems and production infrastructure amplify every element of their performance — from the sub-bass to the high-end clarity.

As a headliner, Wayne Williams commands the prime time slot — typically starting between 12:30 AM and 1:30 AM at nightclubs, or between 1:30 PM and 3:00 PM at pool parties. Headliner sets run 90 minutes to two hours and feature the full production package including pyrotechnics, CO2 cannons, and synchronized lighting.

General admission cover charges for Wayne Williams shows are $21-35 (advance tickets at oddysseylv.com). With NoCoverVegas, you skip the cover charge entirely and receive a free guest list entry from your hotel to the venue.