Jack Williams, a well-known folk artist will be returning to Sundilla at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 15 at Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.
Bailey Jones, executive producer of Sundilla, said the environment of the show will be informal and relaxed.
“Jack will be hanging out before and after the show talking to people, and we’ll have free food there," Jones said. "And people can bring anything they want to eat or drink, so it’s a very laid-back and at the same time very intimate deal that’s focused on the music.”
Williams said his music attracts people with various preferences in music.
“My music fits beneath the greater folk umbrella, but isn’t considered true folk music, which is fine with me,” Williams said. “My music is accessible to anyone who likes pop, country, jazz, folk, rock, R&B, blues, et cetera and who has an attention span.”
Williams said he does not write or perform songs to gain the attention of the mainstream audience.
“I’ve been free, all of my career, to write what pleased me and was most pleased to learn that people will actually pay to listen to the music,” Williams said.
People can expect stories, which precede some of his songs, along with constant guitar playing, according to Williams.
“They can expect guitar playing at a skill level beyond that of most folk singers on the circuit today,” Williams said. “My guitar is an equal partner with my voice and songs in my performances.”
Williams said he ends his shows in a manner that takes him back to the past.
“Usually, I close each concert with an improvised stream-of-consciousness journey into my own musical past, a past which is often shared with many in the audience,” Williams said. “This excursion sometimes includes music from pop, show tunes, jazz, rock, R&B, classical, folk, bossa nova, country and old-time recordings, all of which I heard as a kid and devoured and played as a developing artist.”
Williams said his performances are generally more energetic and interactive than other folk performers.
“Also, they can expect to experience a life view, which is positive and upbeat, with only occasional drives through the darker neighborhoods,” Williams said.
Jones said Williams is very engaging, a great performer and an incredible guitar player.
“Anybody that’s a fan of guitar will like him because he’s one of the great guitarists in the world," Jones said. "And if you read his bio, you’ve got actually people that are really, really famous talking about how he’s the best they’ve ever heard.”
Wildman Steve, who was a musician, record storeowner and radio program director and now works with Wildman Steve Radio, said Williams is multitalented in terms of being an amazing player, singer and writer.
“Jack is an absolutely fabulous performer [and] consummate musician," Steve said. "He is thrilling to watch. He has incredible guitar technique, and not only that but he’s a great songwriter. So you’ve got a guy who will astound guitar players, and he is a riveting performer.”
Jones said he hopes people who have never been to Sundilla will try it out and attend a performance.
“We just want people to give us a chance,” Jones said. “A lot of people really put off coming to Sundilla because they’re not sure what to expect, and then they finally do and usually say something like, ‘We should have done this a long time ago.’”
Tickets will be $15 at the door, and $12 advanced tickets are available at Spicer’s Music, Mama Mocha’s Coffee, Blooming Colors and online at www.sundillamusic.com, according to the Sundilla website.
Students can pay for the $12 advanced tickets at the door, and children 12 and younger are generally admitted free of charge, according to Jones.
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