Williams Riley

12+ albums

countrywilliams riley

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about

For Derek George, the tipping point came as he and the other members of Williams Riley opened for Edwin McCain in Biloxi. If George, after more than a decade as a highly successful songwriter, guitarist, and harmony singer, needed convincing that this new project was worth pursuing, he got it that night. "It was our first weekend out," he says. "I knew we had a talented bunch of guys, but the reaction we got from that crowd told us we also had the right material and the right approach. We knew then and there we were onto something good, and we couldn't get into the studio fast enough to start getting it down." The recording sessions that followed captured the combination of ingredients that moved that crowd and so many others since--Steve Williams's graveled, soulful, bone-deep-believable lead vocals; world-class harmonies and dual guitar work; and the highly nuanced yet accessible writing Williams, George, and guitarist/vocalist Charlie Hutto bring to the table. Backed by the rock-solid rhythm section of bassist Dave Guidry and drummer Travis Thibodaux, and fleshed out with Joe Rogers's sometimes traditional, sometimes rock-edged pedal steel, Williams Riley blends seemingly disparate elements into a fresh and organic sound. "What we're doing lyrically and stylistically is really what we are," says Williams, whose one-of-a-kind voice is matched by a compellingly blue-collar stage presence. "If you put us separately, Charlie's going to have a lot of Texas and Southern rock inf