Denison Witmer is an American singer-songwriter from

Lancaster, Pennsylvania Lancaster ( ) is a city in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 58,039 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, eighth-most populous ci ...

, United States. His first release, in 1995, was a cassette titled ''My Luck, My Love''. He has since released six studio LPs; two live albums, a cover album (''Recovered''); three EPs; and an LP with The River Bends—a side project consisting of members of the Philadelphia-based

alt-country Alternative country (commonly abbreviated to alt-country; also known as alternative country rock, insurgent country, Americana, or y'allternative) is a loosely defined subgenre of country music and/or country rock that includes acts that diffe ...

band One Star Hotel. Witmer's 2005 album, '' Are You a Dreamer?'', produced by Don Peris of

The Innocence Mission The Innocence Mission (sometimes stylized as the innocence mission) is an American alternative rock and indie folk band that was formed in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1986. The group's current members are Karen Peris (née McCullough), her husba ...

and featuring

Sufjan Stevens Sufjan Stevens ( ; born July 1, 1975) is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He has released ten solo studio albums and multiple collaborative albums with other artists. Stevens has received Grammy and Academy Award nomina ...

, received acclaim, including positive reviews from

Pitchfork Media ''Pitchfork'' (formerly ''Pitchfork Media'') is an American online music magazine founded in 1996 by Ryan Schreiber in Minneapolis. It originally covered Alternative rock, alternative and independent music, and expanded to cover genres includin ...

and ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...

''. Witmer and Stevens appeared on Rosie Thomas's 2007 album ''These Friends of Mine'', an album which included Rosie Thomas' version of Paper Doll, a track originally written and recorded by Witmer. Witmer toured with Rosie Thomas in support of that album in venues across the US and Europe. Witmer's style has been described as "neo-folk." He has also been compared to 1970s-era singer-songerwriters, including

Cat Stevens Yusuf Islam (born Steven Demetre Georgiou; ), commonly known by his stage names Cat Stevens, Yusuf, and Yusuf / Cat Stevens, is a British singer-songwriter and musician. He has sold more than 100 million records and has more than two billion st ...

and Nick Drake. Witmer's lyrics are poetic and thoughtful; his guitar work, while simple-sounding, relies on complex fingerpicking.

Early life

Denison Witmer was born and raised in

. He was raised

Mennonite Mennonites are a group of Anabaptism, Anabaptist Christianity, Christian communities tracing their roots to the epoch of the Radical Reformation. The name ''Mennonites'' is derived from the cleric Menno Simons (1496–1561) of Friesland, part of ...

and attended Lancaster Mennonite School. His guitar teacher was Don Peris. Before becoming a full-time musician, Witmer worked in the greenhouse which his family owned. Witmer's and all of his brothers' full names have the

initials In a written or published work, an initial is a letter at the beginning of a word, a chapter, or a paragraph that is larger than the rest of the text. The word is ultimately derived from the Latin ''initiālis'', which means ''of the beginning ...

"DSW."

Career

''My Luck, My Love''

Witmer released a cassette tape titled '' My Luck, My Love'' in 1995. The album was recorded as a project for an English class during Witmer's senior year of high school. Only 250 copies were made, and the album was given to family and friends. Though '' My Luck, My Love'' is Witmer's first release, he does not view it as his true debut but as the extension of a hobby.

''Safe Away''

Witmer released his first album '' Safe Away'' in 1998. The album, produced by Don Peris, was first self-released by Witmer. He began playing shows in an effort to sell the one thousand copies produced. The album sold out, and indie label Burnt Toast Vinyl approached Witmer, asking to re-release it. '' Safe Away'' received a positive review from

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

: "Witmer proceeds through the setlist with the confidence and generosity of a seasoned songwriter, despite the journal-like candor of his lyrics."

''Of Joy and Sorrow''

'' Of Joy & Sorrow'' was released in 2001. Witmer attempted to make the album more accessible and straightforward than his first: "I feel a little bit more tangible, I feel a little less obscure. It's not another record about breaking up with someone. It's not another record about losing that one particular person." Concerning the album's influences, he noted, "I was listening to a lot of ‘70s singer/songwriter stuff like Jackson Brown and Carol King and Neil Young and Van Morrison and I was going for a little bit of that style." The title '' Of Joy & Sorrow'' comes from '' The Prophet'' by

Khalil Gibran Gibran Khalil Gibran (January 6, 1883 – April 10, 1931), usually referred to in English as Kahlil Gibran, was a Lebanese-American writer, poet and visual artist; he was also considered a philosopher, although he himself rejected the title. ...

: "Then a woman said, Speak to us of Joy and Sorrow. And he answered: ..Some of you say, 'Joy is greater than sorrow,' and others say, 'Nay, sorrow is the greater.' But I say unto you, they are inseparable. Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed. Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy." Witmer stated, "I want to experience every emotion as fully as possible. ..Sorrow has encouraged me to never take my joy for granted."

''Philadelphia Songs''

Witmer released his third album, '' Philadelphia Songs'', in 2002. The album was influenced by Witmer's experience moving from a small town to a big city for the first time. Witmer had a difficult time adjusting to having most of his time taken up by an office job and losing inspiration, and the album was about the ups and downs of young adult life and. Whereas '' Safe Away'' was guitar and vocals and '' Of Joy & Sorrow'' was more orchestrated, Witmer stated that '' Philadelphia Songs'' strikes a balance between his first two albums: “I just feel like I accomplished something that I’ve been trying to accomplish for a while.” The album was produced by Blake Wescott and features instrumental work by The Six Parts Seven.

''Recovered''

Witmer released a covers album titled '' Recovered'' in 2003.

''Are You a Dreamer?''

Witmer's fifth album, '' Are You a Dreamer?'', was released in 2005. It was produced by Don Peris who, along with Karen Peris, contributed instrumental and vocal work. '' Are You a Dreamer?'' received a B+ review score from Entertainment Weekly: “His brand of happy anachronism is easy enough to fall into — if you can slow down long enough to enjoy it.” In 2006, The Militia Group label re-issued his first album '' Safe Away'' as a special two-disc edition with new artwork and a bonus EP. On his 30th birthday in November 2006, Witmer began offering 30 of his songs (and 3 "bonus" songs) for free on a website called Happy Birthday Denison. They were new acoustic renditions of previously released songs, covers, and new offerings. Witmer intended to offer a new free song every year on his birthday. However, the website (previously located at happybirthdaydenison.com) is now down. Happy Birthday Denison served as a fundraiser for Partners in Health and Musicians On Call, though no donations were required to download the songs.

''Carry the Weight''

Witmer released '' Carry the Weight'' in 2008. Produced at London Bridge Studios in

Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...

, the album was Witmer's attempt at a "real studio album." '' Carry the Weight'' features James McAlister and Rosie Thomas on most songs, and Noah Harris.

''The Ones Who Wait''

'' The Ones Who Wait'' was first available in 2011 under the Mono Vs Stereo label. It received a wider release in 2012 after Witmer signed with Asthmatic Kitty Records. In Witmer's own words, the album is about "patience and reverence. Being mindful and open to what you’re experiencing. A desire to take hold of what’s happening in your life, yet trusting the mystery of it enough to let go and participate rather than dictate." The album grew from an EP to a full-length album, described by Witmer as an "accidental record." It was influenced by landmarks in Witmer's life, including his marriage, his father's death, and his first child's birth. CJ Camerieri, Devin Greenwood, James McAlister, Charles Staub, and Rosie Thomas contributed to '' The Ones Who Wait''.