Sturdy As She Grows

The heart-rending sounds of Karl S Williams have been steadily reverberating around the country lately, as he's been busily performing numerous gigs to keep his chops up. Among his many musical exploits onstage this year, Williams had the pleasure of supporting none other than Tex Perkins in a sit-down, theatre styled venue, which he explains was a thrilling experience. “It was very flattering, especially because the guy that booked the gig was Ian Haug from Powderfinger,” Williams smiles. “He personally gave me the call and said, 'Hey come and support Tex', so it was a double whammy. Tex has been the biggest name I've supported to date by a long way, and I don't know how to be grateful enough for that opportunity, it was really something special.” 

On performing to a more demure audience he admits, “That used to be my preference, to play to a really hushed, intimate audience, but these days I like to try to get people to clap and turn it into a sort of gospel, spiritual vibe. But it's a treat when everyone listens so intently like that, it's so quiet.”

Sharing stages with a diverse range of artists has earned Williams a following of his own, to which he humbly attests, “It's really flattering to see people coming back to gigs. I'm very fortunate that I get to meet most people who come back. For me that's a sign really that people are listening; they go out of their way to go to the gigs I play all over the place. It's a real privilege.” For the celebration of his forthcoming debut album Heartwood at Black Bear Lodge, Williams is excited to have been able to personally choose his support act – Sawtooth. “Sawtooth plays in a band called Moses Gunn Collective that I've supported in the past and I'm just a big fan of their stuff. His solo style of music is really wonderful. It's nice to be able to have friends with me as I'm doing this launch.”

Regarding his personal performance, Williams reveals that fans can expect a few changes to his usual style at the shows.  “Up until now all my shows have been solo, but I did the album with a band so I thought it'd be nice to play the launch shows with them as well. I had the idea of a string section, a horn section and back-up singers, but at this point we've got a four-piece band, where a friend will be joining me for a couple of songs on cello and I'll have someone come up to play trumpet too. It's a nice excuse to showcase these wonderful musicians I know.”

In terms of the album, its title, Heartwood, acts as an apt description of his style: emotive yet earthy. “I liked the analogy of the heartwood of the tree, the strong sturdy bones of the tree, and it had to have the word 'heart' in it, because that's a symbol I like using a lot in my music.”