The Little Willies is an American
alternative 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 ...
supergroup formed in 2003. It features
Norah Jones
Norah Jones ( ; born Geethali Shankar; March 30, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She has won several awards for her music and, , has sold more than 53 million records worldwide. '' Billboard'' named her the top jazz artist of ...
on piano, keyboards, and vocals; Richard Julian on guitar; keyboards, and vocals;
Jim Campilongo on guitar,
Lee Alexander on bass; and Dan Rieser on drums.
The group formed around a love of
country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...
classics. Between members' regular gigs, they first played at
The Living Room
The Living Room was a music venue on Metropolitan Avenue in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, which was originally established on Stanton Street of the Lower East Side in Manhattan, New York City in 1988. The Living Room was co-owned ...
in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
. The show led to a series of events, including a benefit concert for
public radio station WFUV. The "loose-knit collective" found itself with a growing following. The Little Willies’ self-titled debut album has added to their popularity.
Their first album features covers of tracks by
Fred Rose ("Roly Poly"),
Hank Williams
Hiram "Hank" Williams (September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician. An early pioneer of country music, he is regarded as one of the most significant and influential musicians of the 20th century. W ...
("
I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive"),
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, actor and activist. He was one of the main figures of the outlaw country subgenre that developed in the late 1960s as a reaction to the conservative restr ...
("Gotta Get Drunk" and "Nightlife"),
Townes Van Zandt
John Townes Van Zandt (March 7, 1944 – January 1, 1997) was an American singer-songwriter. ("No Place to Fall") and
Kris Kristofferson
Kristoffer Kristofferson (June 22, 1936 – September 28, 2024) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was a pioneering figure in the outlaw country movement of the 1970s, moving away from the polished Nashville sound and toward a m ...
("Best of All Possible Worlds"). Fusing cover material with a few of their original compositions, the band delivers what a review by John Metzger describes as "an affable set that occasionally strikes pure gold."
Their second album was released in January, 2012 and "features covers from a variety of down-home legends, including Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, and many more."
Discography
Albums
References
External links
*
*
Review of the band's self-titled albumReview of The Little Willies
{{DEFAULTSORT:Little Willies, The
Musical groups established in 2003
American alternative country groups
Supergroups (music)
Norah Jones