International award winning bluesman Tim Williams will be making a stop in Cochrane for the Mountain Shadows Music Festival.
Williams, originally from California, said he settled in Calgary because his wife’s family and career were in the area. But he said he pretty much lives out of a suitcase better than half the year, so he could live anywhere.
At the time of the interview, he had just returned from playing in West Virginia the previous night.
“I get tired sometimes, but I love what I do,” said Williams. “Live music, especially the blues, has way more emotional impact than even a great recording.”
After the Mountain Shadows Music Festival he said he would be heading to Arkansas, the Yukon, Saskatchewan, Southern Ontario and down the west coast of Mexico before the year’s end.
He quoted Latin bandleader Tito Puente when talking about touring, who said, “Musicians only retire when the phone stops ringing.”
It seems the phone has been ringing off the hook for Williams.
In January of this year, Williams gained a lot of attention for winning first place at the 30th International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tenn. in the solo/duet category. Winning the award, he said, has been interesting.
“I love Memphis, and the music and culture of the blues, gospel and R&B that came from there, and it was cool to be appreciated so much in the land where the blues began,” Williams said, noting that Memphis is the nearest big city to the Mississippi Delta.
“It has resulted in my touring a little more in the U.S. again, making me glad I’m a dual citizen with two passports,” he added.
He said that Canada has given him the space to bring his mixture of blues, Mexican, Hawaiian and country music to maturity. Williams pointed out that his home base in Alberta does have a pretty good blues scene, but a few more clubs booking live blues never hurts.
You can catch Williams Sunday, Aug. 24 headlining the Mountain Shadows Music Festival at Mitford Park.
For more info on Williams visit cayusemusic.com.
