I
Know This Road, Roger Williams'
long-awaited solo album, is an eclectic collection of instrumental
and vocal works, some of which he has composed and some which
have caught his ear over the 40-plus years he has been navigating
the music business. The instrumental numbers range from the
jaunty Josh Graves' (Pretty Little) Rainbow, to an ethereal
rendition of Ave Maria with banjo and bowed bass, to the sprightly
Benny Goodman tune Slipped Disc. Although better known as an
instrumentalist, Roger applies his rich baritone to vocal renditions
of songs from songwriters such as Don Henley, Graham Nash, Gordon
Lightfoot and himself. Most of the tunes are enhanced by the
legendary Canadian fiddler Ray Legere, Roger's longtime musical
collaborator, along with Roger's son JD Williams, an innovative
and superb mandolinist in his own right. Also in the mix are
bassist Bob Dick, formerly of the award-winning bluegrass group
Front Range, and his brother Dave Dick, formerly of Salamander
Crossing, Southern Rail and Northern Lights. Roger's longtime
musical partner Amy Gallatin joins him on a few vocal efforts,
most notably Vince Gill's ode to long time love, Look at Us.
This album represents the hard-won experiences--the joys and
the sorrows--inherent in a lifetime of living life on the road
and performing worldwide.
Roger started playing
the resophonic, Dobro style guitar in 1963, when he was just
a young teenager. Within the first year, he had already debuted
with The Lilly Brothers and Don Stover at the Hillbilly Ranch
in Boston. where they had performed for nearly two decades.
Since then he has gone on to perform and/or record with many
well respected bluegrass and folk acts on the national and international
circuit, including Don Stover, White Mountain Bluegrass, Hazel
Dickens, Joe Val, Bill Harrell, Delia Bell and Bill Grant, Southern
Rail, Ray Legere, Mark Schatz, Wyatt Rice, Mac Wiseman, The
New England Bluegrass Band, Salamander Crossing, Slavek Hanzlik,
Mark Erelli, Hiro Arita and others. Career highlights include
thirteen overseas tours with various artists, including a performance
at the acclaimed Dobrofest in Slovakia, and teaching workshops
during Bluegrass Week at the Augusta Heritage Center in Elkins,
WV. He currently does extensive studio work and performs with
Amy Gallatin & Stillwaters and The Hot Flashes.
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