Keller Williams: Hitting the Slopes of Holiday Valley
Keller Williams: Hitting the Slopes of Holiday Valley
Singer/songwriter Keller Williams will be co-headlining the Rail Rider Jamboree alongside Dark Star Orchestra on Saturday, March 19th at Holiday Valley. The first-time festival will run Friday through Sunday with lots to see and do outdoors.
Williams is no stranger to music festivals, as he has performed at many and enjoys the whole concept of bringing music and fans together in an outdoor setting. Born in Virginia, Williams released his first album in 1994 called “Freek” and has since followed up with over 25 albums, including his newest release, “Grit”. All of his albums have a one syllable title, which he says are like “a little snapshot of history, but all have a common thread.”
I recently had the pleasure of talking one-on-one with Williams; we discussed his music and the impact Covid has had on it, his two kids, soccer and how amped he is for the March venue.
His show in Ellicottville will be a solo performance, accompanying himself on bass, drums, guitar and more through a technique called “live phrase sampling” or “looping” (like Ed Sheeran does). It is very unique in the sense that each show is different as the artist makes up the accompanying music before each song and that process is like watching a whole other show in itself. “I couldn’t afford humans, so this was the next best thing,” says Williams.
An avid skier, the singer/songwriter is hoping to fit in a few runs on slopes while in Ellicottville. “I usually don’t have time to do things like that, but I think I may have an extra day around this show to take advantage of it,” said Williams. I play all these beautiful ski resorts and never get to enjoy my favorite hobby, so I’m hoping to make it happen this time.”
For more on Keller Williams visit: kellerwilliams.net. For information on The Rail Rider Jamboree and to purchase tickets visit: railriderjam.com.
A CONVERSATION WITH KELLER
HULICK: You are one of two headliners for the first ever Rail Rider Jamboree at Holiday Valley.
WILLIAMS: Yes, with Dark Star Orchestra. They have a built-in fan base, so a lot of people will be coming out. I love those guys and I’m excited to be on the same bill as them.
HULICK: You’re into the Grateful Dead and that’s what their music is based on, so this is a perfect pairing. It must feel good to be able to start playing gigs again since the whole pandemic took that away from you. Has Covid changed things for you musically, as far as the writing and creative standpoint?
WILLIAMS: Absolutely. Just having that forced time off in 2020 was really a Godsend for me because I never would have taken that time off, so it was a blessing in disguise in the sense that I really, really needed a couple months off. I think because of that it gave me time to stretch, and I definitely have come out of it way better as far as inspiration and ideas. I used that time to get the songs flowing again. It’s been many years since I’ve had an influx of new material like I have now.
HULICK: How many shows do you typically do a year?
WILLIAMS: Normally - pandemic free - between one and 120. All weekends, usually Thursday, Friday and Saturday. With the pandemic we decided to take January and February off this year and see where things were going before we had fans buy tickets and have to return them. Other than a couple gigs I did to help a friend out, my first gig is going to be in the first part of March. Then I’ll be heading to Ellicottville for the Rail Rider Jamboree, so by the time I get there I’m going to be incredibly amped and ready to be out on the road … I’m going to try and contain myself though. (laughs)
HULICK: (laughs) We appreciate that. What is a typical crowd for your shows?
WILLIAMS: The past decade or so I would say it’s a mixture of long haired, open minded folks from the ages of 25 to 60. Definitely a musical crowd … a tongue & cheek kinda crowd and a kind and passionate crowd.
HULICK: Are your children interested in the music business?
WILLIAMS: My 17-year-old daughter, Ella, has turned into an amazing singer/songwriter. She has come up with some really amazing songs … I’m biased now … but they’re really good, as if they’re legitimate hits with a 17-year-old perspective.
HULICK: Spoken like a proud Dad.
WILLIAMS: There’s a nonprofit organization called, “The Spirit of Football” and it focuses on soccer. It’s a well-known organization and the American Ambassadors are folks that have seen Ella and me at FloydFest in Virginia ... we play there every year, doing an hour-long set as a duo, and they approached us and wanted us to write a song for the organization about the global climate change crisis and soccer. When I heard that I laughed and said, “Oh, hell no!” (laughs) I told them I’ll pass and Ella says, “I’ll give it a try.” So she wrote this amazing song and we recorded it. It’s just a perfect song. I didn’t think she could do it, but damn if she didn’t. They loved it and it’s going to be released in July. Apparently this organization does something similar to the Olympic torch relay … they take a soccer ball around the world, letting people in different countries, cities, villages pass it along the route and people sign the ball and there are soccer games organized. It’s all documented. The ball finally ends up at the World Cup. It’s possible we’re going to get to go to the kick-off of the games at the opening ceremony in London.
HULICK: That’s incredible! What a thing to be a part of … what an accomplishment!
WILLIAMS: I think they’re focusing on the women’s soccer league this year and Ella, hopefully, is slowly becoming their spokesperson. It’s my hope that in the distant future she pays off the house she grew up in. (laughs) Hey, a dad can dream!
HULICK: (laughs) Any chance the two of you would record an album together?
WILLIAMS: I would love nothing more if my son, Cabell, would agree to do one with me. I didn’t want the “you made one with her but not with me” issue. I gave him so many chances and now his voice is changing and he’s embarrassed by that. (laughs) Just wait till I show up at the skatepark with a skateboard in full elbow and knee pads, a face mask and all the other garb on … he’s going to be saying, “Oh God!” … but I want to connect with him somehow.
HULICK: (laughs) Take it one step further and have a camera attached to your helmet.
WILLIAMS: (laughs) Yeah! One of those fully mounted “go pro” ones to see my face and in front of me!
HULICK: Do you ski?
WILLIAMS: I do. I grew up skiing in Virginia and then we moved to Steamboat Springs in Colorado where I switched to snowboarding until this past winter when I was getting some pains so I switched back to skis and I fell in love with skiing all over again. It might be possible for me to get a couple runs in when I’m there since my show is on a Saturday and I don’t have a show on Friday.
HULICK: You could also take a walk through the beautiful village and see the tree built of skis.
WILLIAMS: I love that! In Telluride, Colorado you see fences around houses made with skis. I have a friend in Woodstock, New York who started making a fence around his house one summer with upright pianos. (laughs) If you go on Craig’s List there’s all the ads saying, “free piano - just come get it please”. So he created a fence of upright pianos. I guess he had some of the keys facing out so when you walked by you could play. (laughs)