Mike Willis, a Winner from Nashville
There’s much more to Music City than the country music and gospel industries, with plenty of artists operating just under the surface of mainstream success. Mike Willis isn’t an ‘indie’ artist in the music critic sense of the word, as his tunes are as commercially accessible as anything on country or pop radio, but he’s out there in the trenches playing wherever he can to get some recognition.
That includes a number of those songwriting/open mike competitions, which he’s won in places like Eddie’s Attic in Atlanta and here in Columbia at the White Mule earlier this year. Willis grabs an audience with a superb, understated fingerpicking guitar style and a sweet tenor voice that’s capable of delivering the intimate, personal emotions that he expresses in his songwriting. It’s standard girl/guy relationship stuff, but Willis employs turns of phrase that set him apart.
Curious? he has a new album coming out after the first of the year, but you can hear some of his previous work at http://www.mikewillismusic.com
Here’s a fan-filmed video of a recent performance at Nashville’s Listening Room venue, with Willis in the middle of a four-man songwriter’s round. You can hear the same song, “Made For You,” on the website, but this shows how he can put the tune across in person as well as in the studio.
If you’re in Columbia, Willis will be back at the White Mule on December 22nd.

Mojo Nixon, of “Elvis Is Everywhere” fame, has decided to put forth his own “Stimulus package,” and for once that’s not a tongue-in-cheek anatomical reference but a real deal for fans–For the next few weeks you can 
Today’s Guardian in the UK has a short interview with author Nick Hornby, whose High Fidelity is dear to this former music retailer’s heart. In the piece, Hornby discusses how things have changed for music consumers since 1995, mostly in terms of how easy it is to find new music on mp3 blogs, and briefly plugs his new book Juliet, Naked.
Darla 3:42 pm on November 4, 2009 Permalink |
Kevin…I swear you have been to my house and been through all my music! I heard you play the True Believers that Sat. night as I was driving up to Newberry. I got so excited! I saw them at Rockefellas waaaay back and remember it as one of the loudest shows ever. Unfortunately, I lost the signal and missed out on the rest. Honestly, if I had heard Dumptruck, Marti Jones or Zeitgiest, I would have had to pull over and just listen. And don’t get me started on my love of Fetchin Bones and Syd Straw. I always enjoy your columns and lists in the Free Times…and am so excited to have found your blog.
Darla