Brooks Williams
Encyclopedia
Brooks Williams 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.
He tours extensively both in the US
and the UK
.
, 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 1990-91 which is now also out of print.
Brooks Williams currently tours in both the US and the UK.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
acoustic guitarist and singer/songwriter. His style combines roots
American folk music
American folk music is a musical term that encompasses numerous genres, many of which are known as traditional music or roots music. Roots music is a broad category of music including bluegrass, country music, gospel, old time music, jug bands, Appalachian folk, blues, Cajun and Native American...
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
, classical
Classical guitar
The classical guitar is a 6-stringed plucked string instrument from the family of instruments called chordophones...
, and folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
. He has released some albums consisting of contemporary folk music, and some consisting of instrumental guitar music.
He tours extensively both in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
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 RecordsGreen Linnet Records
Green Linnet Records was an American independent record label that specialized in Celtic music. Founded by Lisa Null and Patrick Sky as Innisfree Records in 1973, the label was initially based in Null's house in New Canaan, Connecticut. In 1975, the label became Innisfree/Green Linnet and Wendy...
, 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 1990-91 which is now also out of print.
Brooks Williams currently tours in both the US and the UK.
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 (with Jim HenryJim Henry (folk singer)Fans first discovered Jim Henry in the Sundogs, an eclectic "swamp-boogie-swing" group that was one of New England's hottest touring club and dance hall bands in the late 80's/early 90's. In 1993, Jim released his debut solo disc, Into the Blue, whose title track garnered national praise and still...
) (1997) - 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) - instrumentals; guitars and bass
- Skiffle-Bop (2001) - folk and blues originals, instrumentals, and covers; guitar, bass, drums, percussion, cello, voice
- 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
Compilation albums
- Orphans of GodOrphans of GodOrphans of God is a 2 CD compilation of songs performed by various artists in tribute to songwriter Mark Heard.Recorded and released after Heard's death in 1992, proceeds benefit the Heard Family Fund....
, tribute to Mark HeardMark HeardJohn Mark Heard was a record producer, folk-rock singer, and songwriter originally from Macon, Georgia, USA....
, 1996 - Making God Smile: An Artists' Tribute to the Songs of Beach Boy Brian WilsonMaking God Smile: An Artists' Tribute to the Songs of Beach Boy Brian WilsonMaking God Smile: An Artists' Tribute to the Songs of Beach Boy Brian Wilson is a compilation of cover songs by various artists in tribute to Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys. The album was released as a single album. A second double album was released for sale only on the Internet through...
, 2002