Terry Ree obit

‘The Indian’ from legendary South Dakota duo Williams and Ree dies

Iconic comedy musician, rock and roll hall of famed Terry Ree’s death follows 2023 Sioux Falls-area show

 He was not on the list.

Terry Ree, half of the legendary comedy-music duo Williams and Ree, died Saturday morning at the age of 75.

His death was confirmed by the wife of Ree’s bandmate, Bruce Williams, on Facebook.

Earlier this year, the Deadwood Mountain Grand announced Williams and Ree’s Nov. 30 show at the facility had been canceled because the duo had decided to stop touring.

The men’s decades-long act was inducted into the South Dakota Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.

Williams and Ree, self-described as “The Indian and the White Guy,”performed comedy that “eschewed political correctness and conformity,” according to the band’s website.

Born in Huron, Ree graduated from Pierre High school in 1968. He met Williams while attending college at the Black Hills State University campus later that year. Together, they made several performances on The Nashville Network. They also performed with Garth Brooks, The Oak Ridge Boys and Tim McGraw and received a Country Music Association vocal duo nomination.

In a 2023 interview with The Dakota Scout, Ree spoke of how much he loved performing and making fans laugh.

“We just love what we do, and for 55 years people have been coming to see us. And we appreciate that so much,” he said. “We just want to do it until we can’t do it anymore.”

Their comedy albums include The Best of Williams and Ree, Taking Reservations and Way Up Norsk. They also made two independent films in South Dakota, Williams and Ree: The Movie and Totem Ree-Call.

Williams and Ree performed throughout the United States and Canada at Native American gaming venues and fairs. They were the regular hosts of the Craven Country Jamboree in Craven, Saskatchewan, and Country Thunder festivals in Wisconsin and Arizona. They were also regulars at the Norsk Høstfest in Minot, North Dakoata. They also were inducted to the South Dakota Rock Hall of Fame in 2018.