Elizabeth Wills is a confessional songwriter with a musical force that presses Americana pop music to discover its highest self. Her draw comes from her pure accessibility and the emotional connection she makes with her listener by delivering her songs through a voice that is at minimal angelic and can be best described as viscerally intoxicating.
"The crowd was hers from the start...Her lush voice calls to mind female singer/songwriter greats such as Carly Simon, Shawn Colvin and Sarah McLachlan. " - Jenny Block - Dallas Morning News
Elizabeth was born in Fort Worth, Texas and wrote her first song on piano at age 6. Once old enough, she began singing in both her church and school choirs. Elizabeth learned to play the guitar in her early teens and by eighteen she was playing open-mics, coffeehouses and bars in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma. She recorded her first full length album at 19 and has released a total of 5 to date. She recalls growing up listening to the music of Nanci Griffith, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, U2 and the Cure along with Joni Mitchell whom she considers her greatest influence.
Elizabeth's music is cultivated from a simple and organic place and she finds that art and expression of every kind have influenced it. Her moral compass rings true in every note and word of her music. Sheila Dichoso of Campus Circle after seeing one of Elizabeth’s shows commented, “You know something is special when it breaks your heart and tugs at your fragile heartstrings, yet exquisitely captures your every emotion. Wills sang her heart out to a transfixed crowd, exhibiting introspective lyrics of wide-eyed honesty, acoustic melodies and an ethereal voice that will haunt you for hours...”
“When I was first starting out,” Elizabeth observes, “my music was folkier, so finding a deeper rhythm in the music -- finding the heartbeat -- became a real integral part of my musical expression”. As a whole, she says, "her music is about spreading one's wings, coming into one's own and expressing from a higher place — letting go of fear and expectations, and just allowing yourself to fly.”
Awards, Accolades & Honors:
Bugle Boy Foundation Founder's Choice Talent Trust Recipient
B.W. Stevenson Songwriting competition
Female Vocalist of the year- Ft. Worth Star Telegram
Kerrville Folk Festival New Folk Competition Finalist
Musical guest on the nationally syndicated PRI show, "What D'ya Know"
R&R Hot A/C Convention 2007
R&R Triple A Convention 2007
ACL Festival 2008 (i dont remember if that was on there)
Radio shows from New York to San Diego
Performances of note:
South by Southwest
Kerrville Wine and Music Festival (main stage-2009)
Austin City Limits Festival (2008)
Southwest Regional Folk Alliance (2008)
The Backyard
Radio Support:
Regular airplay on XM radio
College radio in the Northeast, West, CA, and Texas
NPR affiliates in Austin, Dallas & Ft. Worth
Shared stages with:
Willie Nelson, Dwight Yoakam, Carolyn Wonderland, Ruthie Foster, Jimmie Vaughn, Sara Hickman, John Hiatt, Janis Ian, David Wilcox, Patrice Pike, and Matt Scannell from Vertical Horizon, just to name a few.
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