Urchin PR
New Member
Foggy Notions Presents…
WILLIAM ELLIOTT WHITMORE
& special guests
Whelan’s, Sunday Sep 20, Doors 8pm
Tickets €13 plus booking fee from WAV Box-Office (Lo-Call 1890 200 078) www.tickets.ie, Sound Cellar, City Discs & Ticketmaster outlets nationwide
William Elliott Whitmore returns to the scene of his triumphant performance in April this year following a much talked-about appearance on Later With Jools Holland.
"He plays a blend of Americana that recalls the twisted whimsy of Tom Waits.” - TIME OUT
"Given that Johnny Cash's final recording with Rick Rubin has been so widely acclaimed, it's not inconceivable that Whitmore, with his rugged looks and ability to touch those who would never usually listen to such music, could do very well indeed.” - THE TIMES
"His songs are universally understandable and immediately touching.” - DROWNED IN SOUND
"Whitmore has honed his sound to the degree that the more minimal it gets, the more he sounds like a true vital new talent.” - UNCUT
Hailing from a horse farm along the banks of the mighty Mississippi River, William Elliott Whitmore has developed an intense love and spiritual understanding of the land, which he flawlessly conveys through all of his records.
With live performances of a caliber to leave one completely stunned in silence, and albums full of songs not only from the heart but also from the heartland, William Elliott Whitmore is one of the most interesting contributions to today's diverse collection of musical ingenuity.
His timelessness and universality is both an allusive gift and a testament to his craft, and keeps new album Animals in the Dark (Anti-Records) from becoming an overtly political record. It is Whitmore’s ability to balance contrasts - suffering and humor, truth and fancy, the literary and the earthy - that make his releases so human.
Like a young Billy Bragg, or better yet, like his self-proclaimed hero Shane MacGowan, Will’s innate populism and unaffected sincerity resonate with the alienated and imaginative youth culture that surrounds punk, a scene that has embraced him. Honing his skills playing with Against Me, Converge, the Street Dogs, his beloved Pogues and Lucero among others, Will has the ability to quiet a rowdy crowd with just a banjo, a true testament to his voice and vision.
Whitmore was weaned on music by his musical parents – his father played guitar, mother the accordion. Young William dived unquenchably into their rich collection of “good hillbilly music,” keenly studying vocal nuances perfected by Ray Charles, Hank Williams and George Jones.
His craft blossomed accordingly. Born and raised and still residing on a farm in Lee County, Iowa, Whitmore literally cultivates his song cycles from earth. In fact, he wholly envisioned the modern pastorals Song of the Blackbird (2006), Ashes to Dust (2005), Hymn for the Hopeless (2003) and Calendar Club of Danger and Fun (2002) while working his land. Whitmore’s writing, in other words, links art and sustenance into an unbroken circle.
“I still live on the farm where I was born, still have horses and chickens,” Whitmore says. “I write mostly when I’m out doing my chores – I love the land and love the simplicity. I don’t even have a bathroom; I have an outhouse. I love to plant seeds in the spring and harvest in the fall and cut firewood in the winter. I draw a lot from relating the cycles of harvesting to those of birth and death.” - a poignant tome from one of today’s best musical storytellers.
Check out William’s performance of “Old Devils” on Jools Holland in May this year:
www.williamelliottwhitmore.com
www.anti.com
www.myspace.com/williamewhitmore
WILLIAM ELLIOTT WHITMORE
& special guests
Whelan’s, Sunday Sep 20, Doors 8pm
Tickets €13 plus booking fee from WAV Box-Office (Lo-Call 1890 200 078) www.tickets.ie, Sound Cellar, City Discs & Ticketmaster outlets nationwide
William Elliott Whitmore returns to the scene of his triumphant performance in April this year following a much talked-about appearance on Later With Jools Holland.
"He plays a blend of Americana that recalls the twisted whimsy of Tom Waits.” - TIME OUT
"Given that Johnny Cash's final recording with Rick Rubin has been so widely acclaimed, it's not inconceivable that Whitmore, with his rugged looks and ability to touch those who would never usually listen to such music, could do very well indeed.” - THE TIMES
"His songs are universally understandable and immediately touching.” - DROWNED IN SOUND
"Whitmore has honed his sound to the degree that the more minimal it gets, the more he sounds like a true vital new talent.” - UNCUT
Hailing from a horse farm along the banks of the mighty Mississippi River, William Elliott Whitmore has developed an intense love and spiritual understanding of the land, which he flawlessly conveys through all of his records.
With live performances of a caliber to leave one completely stunned in silence, and albums full of songs not only from the heart but also from the heartland, William Elliott Whitmore is one of the most interesting contributions to today's diverse collection of musical ingenuity.
His timelessness and universality is both an allusive gift and a testament to his craft, and keeps new album Animals in the Dark (Anti-Records) from becoming an overtly political record. It is Whitmore’s ability to balance contrasts - suffering and humor, truth and fancy, the literary and the earthy - that make his releases so human.
Like a young Billy Bragg, or better yet, like his self-proclaimed hero Shane MacGowan, Will’s innate populism and unaffected sincerity resonate with the alienated and imaginative youth culture that surrounds punk, a scene that has embraced him. Honing his skills playing with Against Me, Converge, the Street Dogs, his beloved Pogues and Lucero among others, Will has the ability to quiet a rowdy crowd with just a banjo, a true testament to his voice and vision.
Whitmore was weaned on music by his musical parents – his father played guitar, mother the accordion. Young William dived unquenchably into their rich collection of “good hillbilly music,” keenly studying vocal nuances perfected by Ray Charles, Hank Williams and George Jones.
His craft blossomed accordingly. Born and raised and still residing on a farm in Lee County, Iowa, Whitmore literally cultivates his song cycles from earth. In fact, he wholly envisioned the modern pastorals Song of the Blackbird (2006), Ashes to Dust (2005), Hymn for the Hopeless (2003) and Calendar Club of Danger and Fun (2002) while working his land. Whitmore’s writing, in other words, links art and sustenance into an unbroken circle.
“I still live on the farm where I was born, still have horses and chickens,” Whitmore says. “I write mostly when I’m out doing my chores – I love the land and love the simplicity. I don’t even have a bathroom; I have an outhouse. I love to plant seeds in the spring and harvest in the fall and cut firewood in the winter. I draw a lot from relating the cycles of harvesting to those of birth and death.” - a poignant tome from one of today’s best musical storytellers.
Check out William’s performance of “Old Devils” on Jools Holland in May this year:
www.williamelliottwhitmore.com
www.anti.com
www.myspace.com/williamewhitmore
