Josh Williams – Lonesome Highway
Bluegrass has long been dominated by older musicians, a trend that kept away younger audiences. This has been changing, thanks in part to a new crop of young performers that have helped make the music cool to audiences of all ages. One such artist is Josh Williams.
Williams first began playing the banjo at age 9 and went on to master other instruments including the guitar and mandolin. He earned national recognition from 1990-1999 as a cast member of Nick News, a show on the Nickelodeon Network, before turning his full attention to music.
As a musician, Williams is best known for his tenure with Special Consensus and as a member of the Rage, the backing band for Rhonda Vincent, but this album shows his solo work is notable as well. Lonesome Highway brings together some great pickers for a relaxed set of covers and originals.
Killer On The Loose and You Love Me Today feature Williams take on the high lonesome vocal style of traditional bluegrass, while Dont Stop Now has a much more traditional country sound. A playful cover of Flatt & Scruggs The Legend Of The Johnson Boys featuring J.D. Crowe, Dwight McCall and Don Rigsby is among the highlights. Williams doesnt break any new ground on Lonesome Highway, but he does deliver a solid collection of bluegrass that pays homage to the old, while looking ahead.