This time, Holly Williams means business. And she hopes more than her relatively small but loyal circle of friends and fans will finally listen to her ... or at least her music. That especially means those residing in and around Nashville, the country music capital and the place she’s called home since she was a little girl.
The striking and statuesque blonde with the powerful pipes and a wonderful way with words is back on the scene with the June 16 release of Here With Me (Mercury Nashville). Williams wrote or co-wrote eight of the 11 songs and also plays acoustic guitar and piano on the album, a sparkling collection of country-fried rock tunes and heartfelt, reflective glimpses into her life.
It’s been five years since the release of The Ones We Never Knew, Williams’ exquisite but extremely overlooked debut album, and so much has happened since then. Perhaps making a conscious effort to distance herself from her firmly rooted family tree and prove she could bloom on her own, Williams convinced her then-record label (Universal South) to market her as something besides a country singer with a pedigree.
The result was a startling album of stark, intimate – and often moving – self-exploration, an impressive body of work that nevertheless provided little evidence that she’s the daughter of Hank Williams Jr. and the granddaughter of Hank Williams Sr. The country music kingdom, which opened its doors to the legend and his rowdy party-hearty son (also known as Bocephus), didn’t take too kindly to a possible heir refusing to step up to the throne.
Her independence stated, Williams established a modest but devoted following, and planned to build on that semi-success once she returned from a European tour.
Then her life changed dramatically. She and her older sister Hilary were almost killed in a one-car crash on March 15, 2006, outside Tunica, Mississippi. While Williams quickly healed, her sister’s injuries were far more serious. The recovery is ongoing, and only now a certain normalcy has emerged.
Holly is making a comeback with her music, too, and perhaps the country community will give her a second chance. While not necessarily needing to make amends, her outlook has changed and her family ties have tightened. Yet, she remains highly outspoken, refreshingly honest, whip-smart and gregarious, nothing like the cool, calm and collected soul that comes across on her first album.
Article comments
1 - dtwsfan
Nice feature and love Holly's detailed comments. Hope her new album succeeds and there's a place for her in country music.
2 - ashley
Very interesting interview. Really enjoyed reading about those that inspired her.