Swamp Dogg was born Jerry Williams, Jr. on July 14, 1942 in Portsmouth, Virginia. His first record, as "Little Jerry", was "HTD Blues" b/w "Nats Wailing," a 78 on the Mechanic label. After trying on "Little Jerry Williams" for Loma Records in 1963 and Jerry Williams in 1966, he became "Swamp Dogg" in 1970.

Soon after the creation of Swamp Dogg the character, Jamie/Guyden sponsored Jerry Williams’s Swamp Dogg Presents record label for two releases, Slick and the Family Brick’s “Don't Trust A Woman” b/w “The Pelican,” which came out on July 15, 1971, and “Straight From My Heart” b/w “Don't Throw Your Love,” which came out on December 15, 1971. The records presaged Swamp Dogg’s long and prolific career, in which he has veered between the outrageous, as characterized by “Don’t Trust a Woman,” and more straight music, which he himself finds akin to country music, like “Straight From My Heart.” His country music activities included writing the Johnny Paycheck No. 1 country hit, "Friend Don’t Take Her, She’s All I’ve Got."

He has also worked with Z.Z. Hill, Irma Thomas, Arthur Conley, Dee Dee Warwick and Doris Duke, Irma Thomas, Z. Z. Hill, and Dee Dee Warwick.