Acony Records is proud to announce Willie Watson’s debut solo album Folk Singer Vol. 1 to be released on May 6, 2014. The album was produced by the legendary David Rawlings, longtime friend and producer of Watson’s previous band, Old Crow Medicine Show. “There’s a lot of weight in the way Willie performs,” says Rawlings. “He’s had some tragedy in his life, which has informed his art. There’s an emotional edge to what he does because of who he is as a human being. Willie is the only one of his generation who can make me forget these songs were ever sung before.” The album features ten songs ranging from folk standards to obscure gems.
According to Watson, making the album making the album “happened naturally… as soon as I was playing solo, I started remembering all these old tunes which led me to dig through my 78’s for more. When we got in the studio, I just played everything a couple times. It reminded me of making OCMS, where a lot of times we’d just play songs and let Dave sort it out.”
Willie will be touring the US this spring and summer in support of the album’s release. The tour begins with a showcase at St. David’s Church in Austin at SXSW on March 12. The tour includes three dates in Nashville around the release of Folk Singer Vol. 1. Willie will also be performing at Stagecoach Music Festival in Indio, CA on April 26, and on May 21 he will perform at New York City’s Mercury Lounge. For the full itinerary, please see below.
Willie Watson On Tour
3/12 Austin, TX @ SXSW Showcase @ St. David’s Church
3/13 Luck, TX @ Heartbreaker Banquet
3/14 Midland, TX @ ArtiZen
4/1 Florence, AL @ 116 E. Mobile
4/2 Birmingham, AL @ The BottleTree
4/3 Athens, GA @ Green Room
4/4 Johnson City, TN @ The Down Home
4/5 Knoxville, TN @ Rhythm N’ Blooms Festival
4/26 Indio, CA @ Stagecoach Festival
4/27 San Diego, CA @ Adams Avenue Unplugged
5/1 Decatur, GA @ Eddie’s Attic *
5/2 Lawndale, NC @ Five String Fest
5/3 Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle *
5/6 Nashville, TN @ Grimey’s In-Store – Record Release
5/7 Nashville, TN @ Music City Roots @ Loveless Café
5/8 Nashville, TN @ Station Inn *
5/9 Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar *
5/10 Columbus, OH @ Woodlands *
5/11 Ann Arbor, MI @ The Ark *
5/13 Evanston, IL @ SPACE *
5/15 Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Café *
5/16 Charlottesville, VA @ The Southern *
5/17 Washington DC @ Gypsy Sally *
5/21 New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge *
5/22 Philadelphia, PA @ World Café Live *
5/30 Berkeley, CA @ Freight & Salvage
6/15 Palisade, CO @ Palisade Bluegrass & Roots Festival
7/11 Somerset, KY @ Master Musicians Festival
7/12 Sugar Grove, NC @ MusicFest ‘n Sugar Grove
7/13 Mount Solon, VA @ Red Wing Roots Music Festival
7/15 Ashland, VA @ Ashland Coffee & Tea
7/16 Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle – Back Room
7/17 Abingdon, VA @ Abingdon Music Experience
7/18 Louisville, KY @ Forecastle Festival
*Mandolin Orange supports
