Part 1 of 2: Will Kimbrough is a Nashville-based singer, songwriter, award-winning guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, producer, performer and bandleader. Will’s songs have been recorded by Jimmy Buffett, Little Feat, Jack Ingram, Todd Snider and others. He’s shared the studio and stage with such greats as Rosanne Cash, Guy Clark, Rodney Crowell, Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris, the Jayhawks, Mark Knopfler, Buddy Miller, John Prine, Billy Joe Shaver, Todd Snider, and Mavis Staples.
In 2004, Will was awarded the “Instrumentalist of the Year” by the Americana Music Association. Since his solo debut disc–2000’s This–Will has released a half-dozen well-received records. His band “Sugarcapps” with Grayson Capps just won the “Best New Band” in the Independent Music Awards.
And to top it all off–Will is on tour ALL THE TIME! Check out his website for his current dates. And to top that off–he’s a dedicated husband, father and just an all-around nice guy!
Table of Contents
6:44 – If you had to describe yourself as a band, song or genre, what would it be?
15:56 – How did you get started in the music business?
23:12 – Looking back at your career, what stands out to you as your proudest moment?
28:52 – What’s been one of your biggest failures?
36:47 – Three things artists should be doing today to grow their fanbase and move their careers forward
If you had to describe yourself as a band, song or genre, what would it be?
I’d say the rock n’ roll genre. Not heavy metal, but more like early rock n’ roll. Energetic, yet relaxed, and swinging.
How did you get started in the music business?
On May 1, 1976–it was my twelfth birthday–and I really wanted to play the guitar. I had been asking my parents for a few years, and they finally agreed that I could have an electric guitar. I got this $20 guitar and $10 amp. I was a big Bruce Springsteen fan, and he had an album out at that time Born To Run, his third record. 1975 it came out. And he was playing two nights at a 1,000 seat theater in Mobile, Alabama called the Mobile Municipal Theater. Tickets were $4.50.
I begged my parents and said that it was my twelfth birthday, and it should be a big birthday. So if you’re spending $30 on a guitar and an amp, can I also a $4.50 Bruce Springsteen ticket? And they said okay. So I got my guitar, and my amp–didn’t know what to do with it, and then my parents dropped me and two friends off and we got to see Springsteen and the E Street Band.
Of course, they did one of their famous shows which they are still mega-famous for. Three and a half hours, and in those days it was the Born to Run era. That night sealed the deal for me. Holding my guitar, I still didn’t know what to do with it but I said, “okay, this is what I’m doing.”
Looking back at your career, what stands out to you as your proudest moment?
My kids. As a musician though, it just keeps going. I just worked with Gretchen Peters. The second record in a row that she’s called me to play on the album. On the second day of recording, Jerry Douglas came and I sat next to Jerry Douglas all day. Those kind of experiences are definitely worthwhile.
What’s been one of your biggest failures?
When I was 23 years old, my band got a major-label record deal with what was the biggest record company in the world. It was a failure, but it took me years to realize that it wasn’t just my failure, or just my bands failure, or our team’s failure. It was everybody, and it just didn’t work, and sometimes, it’s no one person’s fault. For musicians, and business-people in general, have to look at the whole picture.
Three things artists should be doing today to grow their fan-base and move their careers forward:
- You need to get out and play live–in as many places as you can. Play everywhere.
- Organize your data. Keep up with your email list. Do all the digital stuff, tweet, Facebook, you gotta do that stuff every day.
- Spend time with your music every day.
The best ways to reach Will:
On the web:
http://willkimbrough.com/
Feature Article by Tommy Womack in The East Nashvillian:
http://theeastnashvillian.com/article/will-kimbrough
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/will-kimbrough/6324022276
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/WillKimbrough
Outro Music:
Three Angels
Wings
Will Kimbrough
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