| Singer, songwriter, guitarist and band frontman: Luke Williams, 13, does it all By Michelle Wallace At the tender age of 13, Luke Williams has a good idea of what it takes to be a musician. The songwriter, guitarist, and frontman for the Luke Williams Band, recently released a compact disc featuring his own toe-tapping brand of rockabilly music. Luke Williams professes his love for his home state in the ode "Back in Arkansas" on the Luke Williams Band's new CD. He should know all about Arkansas, even at the tender age of 13. He's been all over the state putting on shows at benefits, political gatherings, and festivals like Beebe Fallfest, Cabot Fest, Jacksonville's Wing Ding and others for quite some time now. The list of appearances is impressive and is steadily growing. "We've grown in the areas we play," Luke said matter-of-factly, a seasoned musician with a serious head for business. He's had quite a busy itinerary the past couple of years and put on several shows a month last year. The band is breaking into the nightspot venue now and Luke and his father, Carey Williams, have spent some time over in Nashville on this latest venture. Carey, himself an accomplished musician, is the drummer for the Luke Williams Band, although the frontman teases him about just being a "fill-in." "We've got a summer lined up for him," Carey said with a proud smile. There's nothing young Luke would rather hear. He thoroughly enjoys the musical circuit and easily tosses out names from the country music industry, valuable connections that will most likely come in handy as he works to further his musical pursuits. "We're working on getting more opening acts," Luke explained. He wants more exposure for himself and for the band. Luke's talent manifested itself when he was a mere eight years old. He thoroughly admired his uncle James Weatherly's guitar playing and asked for one of his own. He got one as a gift from his parents — he's also the son of Misty Williams — but it wasn't a fancy number from the music store, since no one really expected him to make anything of it. "You'd expect a kid to play it for a little while and then put it down," Luke said. "Not me." He took lessons and learned all the mechanics of playing an instrument. He listened to lots of recordings but didn't try to imitate anyone, instead creating his own style: "A blend of country, rock and blues," he said. "Something everybody likes to listen to." A nine-year-old Luke played on stage for the first time at River Ranch Resort in Heber Springs. His uncle James summoned the surprised lad up on stage to play "Sweet Home Alabama." "My knees were knocking just like this," Luke said, repeatedly smacking his hands together. His uncle assured him the nervousness would soon disappear, and Luke found that he was right. A star was born that very night. His personal style has evolved quite a bit since he started putting on country music shows four years ago. He's ditched the cowboy outfit for more comfortable duds like a warm sweatshirt and running shoes and let his close-cropped red hair grow out into a shaggy style popular with teenage boys. His look is all his own — though one can see where that flaming red hair came from by peeking under his dad's ball cap — and so is his music. He goes easily from country to rockabilly and back on his band's new compact disc, "Dirt Roads." He had a hand in writing every single song, penning four himself and collaborating with his father on three others. The entire band got together to create the lyrics for the first song, "Start Again," a rousing rockabilly number that tells Luke's musical tale: I got my first guitar when I was eight My, my, my what a glorious day It led to this outlaw band I play in today We may not be great but we ain't bad Even though the drummer is my dad The CD was recorded back in August at Blue Chair Recording Studio in Austin and was manufactured for release at Raney Recording Studio in Drasco. "The first time I saw the finished copy ... I just said, 'Is this real?'" Luke said, eyes wide at the recollection. A release party was held in October at Hollywood Country Club north of Jacksonville, where Luke and the band are frequent entertainers. With Luke on vocals and lead guitar and Carey on drums, James Weatherly plays lead guitar, Dearl Weatherly rhythm guitar, and Scotty Baker on base guitar. Pretty much everyone in the band backs Luke up with vocals as he sings and plays some impressive numbers on his guitar. That first guitar Luke received as a gift has since been replaced by another — a gift from well-known Nashville songwriter Kenny Beard. "I want you to take this guitar and write good country music," Luke says Beard told him while they were strumming with musicians on the Clay Walker bus. He couldn't believe it, but he's doing as he was told. He wants to do more than write and play music, though. "I hope to make a career out of it. I'd like to get a recording contract," he said like a true businessman. There is no doubt that he'll pursue this. He even has his own website: www.lukewilliams.net. "Music is one of those things that takes you off in your own zone," he said, his eyes glassing over at the very thought of being up there on stage, performing for his adoring fans. "There's no place I'd rather be." (This piece was originally published in the Three Rivers Edition of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.) |
| Luke Williams strums a melody on his guitar. Later on he'll put some lyrics with it and try it out with his band, the Luke Williams Band. |
| Arkansas Profiles: Michelle Wallace, freelance journalist Home |
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| Photo by Michelle Wallace |
| The band plays on ... |