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Question Answer
with William Elliott Whitmore
William Elliott Whitmore's voice is quite deceiving. Just listening to him, you'd think he was a seasoned blues musician who grew up in the Mississippi Delta during some of the toughest times in American history.
Not so. Instead, Whitmore is a Lee County, Iowa, native who has just barely crossed the 30-year-old threshold. Before the release of his record, Animals in the Dark, on February 17 and the beginning of his tour on Valentine's Day, Whitmore took a few minutes from a day off to chat with Jayplay.
Contributed photo
William Elliott Whitmore will be at the Jackpot Music Hall on February 23.
After one of my friends heard you for the first time, he said, 'Who knew a white boy could produce such soulful blues?' Do you get that reaction a lot?
(Laughs) I do, and you know, I'm honored that anyone would be caught off guard by it. I'm just thankful that anyone would want
to listen, first of all. I'm not sure what [that comment] means, but I take it as a compliment that they think I'm going to be a 90-year-old black guy. That's a kick ass compliment when you're a musician and an aspiring songwriter.
On your new CD, you have a bigger band playing with you than on previous CDs. Are you going to be touring with a band this year, or can we still expect just you on stage?
During the first week of the record release shows, I'll be playing with some really good friends of mine. They're in a band called The Shadow Government. They're going to open for me and play with me as well. But I will be playing a lot of the set by myself. That's how I enjoy it most. It's what I'm used to doing. I thought it'd be interesting to have a band play some of the songs like they are on the new record. I want to keep it new for people, keep it fresh and maybe have it be a bit challenging
as well. But I don't want it to be like Bob Dylan showing up with an electric guitar and all you wanted to hear was "Blowin" in the Wind."
Anyone who listens to even a tiny bit of your music knows your love for whiskey. What do you prefer to drink?
Hell, I don't know any of the really nice brands. I'd have to say my favorite is Templeton Rye. It's made right here in Iowa, which is how I got turned on to it. It's the only distillery—well, the only legal distillery—in Iowa. The word is that it was one of Al Capone's favorites, and he would drive to Iowa just to bootleg it back to Chicago. But I don't discriminate. I'll drink any kind.
What do you like to do when you stop in Lawrence?
Contributed photo
William Elliott Whitmore plays the banjo and acoustic guitar. He has sampled Snoop Dogg, Rockmaster Scott and The Dynamic Three.
Oh man, I love coming to Lawrence. It's like a second home to me. I like to go play some pinball at the Replay and have a few beers. I'll
go instrument shopping at the various local music shops. I go record shopping at the Love Garden. It's one of my favorite record stores in the world. I hang out down by the river.There's a great park down by the river that I like to go to and get some peace of mind.And then of course,I get to the show and have a grand time.
Is it hard to play a show when people keep giving you shots on stage? Do you ever just wish they'd stop?
What's one thing you want people who haven't heard you before to know about you and your music?
(Laughs) Actually, that happens a lot in Lawrence. I've got so many good friends down there and I've played so many times over the past 10 years. I love it in the fact that it's people reaching out to you in a certain way. They might not know what else to do—especially guys. We don't know how to communicate sometimes, so the shot does the talking. It's like saying, 'Hey buddy, nice work.' But shit, iain't 21 no more. I do love my whiskey but I can't be blacking out on stage. It used to be that I didn't care at all. I would down every single one faster than you can hand it to me. But I want to put on a good show for people.
They should know that everything I write comes from my heart, and I want to share it with the world. I want to put my little drop in the ocean of great music out there in hopes that maybe someone can draw something positive and thought-provoking out of it. Music
is my religion, and I really enjoy making music. Anyone that can take someone positive from it makes me so happy. If people love it, then there's love all around.
Carly Halvorson
February 19,2009
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