Brooks Williams

Brooks Williams
Williams in March 2010
Background information
Born	(1958-11-10) November 10, 1958 Statesboro, Georgia
Genres	American folk music, classical, jazz, blues
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Acoustic guitar
Labels	Red Guitar Blue Music, Green Linnet Records, Signature Sounds, Silent Planet Records, Solid Air Records
Associated acts	Jim Henry, Leo Kottke, Boo Hewerdine

Brooks Williams (born November 10, 1958) is an American acoustic guitarist and singer/songwriter. His style combines roots, jazz, blues, classical, and folk. He has released some albums consisting of contemporary folk music, and some consisting of instrumental guitar music. Most recently his albums have featured blues music. He tours extensively both in the US and the UK.

Biography

Williams began releasing music on his own label, Red Guitar Blue Music, in 1989, with an EP called Red Guitar Plays Blue; this EP was pressed on CD with additional unreleased recordings from the late '80s in 1993, under the same title and label. His first two "official" albums (North, Night-time) were also self-released under Red Guitar Blue Music. The albums from 1992-1997 were recorded under contract with Green Linnet Records, except for Ring Some Changes, which was released by Signature Sounds. Williams signed to Signature Sounds and released the albums listed from 1999–2003, except for Dead Sea Cafe, a compilation of Green Linnet-era recordings released by Silent Planet Records.

In 2004, Williams returned to own Red Guitar Blue Music label, and has released albums exclusively in this way to the present, apart from Guitar Player, which was released through Solid Air Records. The first two albums, plus both versions of Red Guitar Plays Blue have been out of print for many years; in 2002, Williams selected favorite tracks from the first two albums for a best-of compilation on Red Guitar Blue Music called Acoustic Beginnings 1990-1991 which is now also out of print. In May 2006, Green Linnet Records was sold and Williams' five records under the label have since been out of print as well.

In recent years, Williams's music has been more heavily focused on the blues. Williams has relocated to England, and currently tours in both the UK and the US. In 2011, State of the Union, was a collaboration with the well-known British singer-songwriter Boo Hewerdine that was planned to be recorded in a total of 5 days. They finished in 1 1/2. Snake Oil captured the live energy between the two in concert.

Williams's most recent studio album, entitled My Turn Now, was released in 2016 and features Sally Barker on backing vocals, Richard Gates on electric bass and co-producer Chris Pepper on the drums.

Discography

Albums

• North from Statesboro (1990) - folk originals, instrumentals, and covers; solo guitar and voice.
• How the Night-time Sings (1991) - folk originals and instrumentals, and covers; guitar, upright bass, and voice
• Back to Mercy (1992) - folk originals, instrumentals, and traditional songs; guitar, bass, drums, piano, violin
• Inland Sailor (1994) - folk originals, instrumentals, and traditional songs; guitar, bass, drums, piano, violin
• Knife Edge (1996) - folk and blues originals, instrumentals, and traditional songs; guitar, bass, drums, voice
• Ring Some Changes (1997) (with Jim Henry) - instrumentals and traditional songs, guitars
• Seven Sisters (1997) - folk and blues originals, instrumentals, and covers; guitar, bass, drums, percussion, violin, voice
• Hundred Year Shadow (1999) - folk and blues originals, instrumentals, and covers; guitar, bass, drums, percussion, voice
• Dead Sea Café (2000) - retrospective collection of songs from the Green Linnet period, plus 3 reworked songs from the early years
• Little Lion (2000) - original/compilation and cover instrumentals; guitars and bass
• Skiffle-Bop (2001) - folk and blues originals, instrumentals, and covers; guitar, bass, drums, percussion, cello, voice
• Acoustic Beginnings: 1990-1991 (2002) - compilation of favourites from first two albums
• Nectar (2003) - folk, blues, and rock originals and covers; guitars, bass, keyboards, drums, percussion, voice
• Live/Solo (2004) - live album; guitar and voice
• Guitar Player (2005) - instrumentals; guitars and bass
• Blues and Ballads (2006) - folk and blues originals, instrumentals, and covers; guitar, bass, voice
• The Time I Spend with You (2008) - blues and folk originals, instrumentals, and covers; guitar, bass, harmonica, voice
• Baby-O! (2010) - blues originals and covers, two instrumentals
• New Everything (2013) - blues originals and covers, no instrumentals
• Shreveport Sessions (2014) - A stunning live set from Brooks' 2014 'New Everything' Tour
• My Turn Now (2016) - A collision of roots and evolution. A rocking collection of 11 songs, 7 original and 4 covers

with State of the Union

• State of the Union (2011) (with Boo Hewerdine) - guitars, voice
• Snake Oil (2012) (with Boo Hewerdine) - live album; guitars, voice

EPs

• Red Guitar Plays Blue (1989)
• More New Everything (2013) - blues originals and Christmas songs
• Christmas 2014 (2014) - An upbeat, twangy Christmas EP featuring Brooks’s classic-sounding 'Shaking These Christmas Blues'

with State of the Union

• Rent (2012) (with Boo Hewerdine) - guitars, voice

Compilation albums

• Orphans of God, tribute to Mark Heard, 1996 (Track 8: 'Rise From The Ruins')
• People On The Highway - A Tribute To Bert Jansch, 2000 (Disc 2, Track 4: 'Tell Me, What Is True Love?')
• Making God Smile: An Artists' Tribute to the Songs of Beach Boy Brian Wilson, 2002 (Track 15: 'Pet Sounds')
• Cole Porter: Delovely Guitar - A Guitar Tribute To Cole Porter, 2007 (Track 12: 'You're The Top')
• A Guitar For Elvis - An Elvis Guitar Tribute, 2010 (Track 9: 'Love Me Tender' with Benjamin Verdery)

DVDs

• Guitar Groove: A Session With Brooks Williams, 2010 (Woodhall Music)
• Brooks Williams: Teaches Blues Guitar Basics, 2011 (Woodhall Music)

External links

• Williams on myspace