The William Elliott Whitmore interview
Tell me about growing up in Iowa. What was your childhood like? When did you first begin to fall in love with music, more specifically the guitar and banjo?
One of my earliest childhood memories is of my mom listening to Willie Nelson on a record player in the living room. My parents loved country music, their first date was seeing Charlie Pride at the county fair. They would order compilations of country hits on tape from ads on the tv and we would listen to those in the car. From an early age I loved to sing. I liked to write little stories and poems as a kid.
When did you first begin playing music? hen did it dawn on you that you wanted to be a musician and spend your life pursuing a career as musician? Who influences you and what have you been digging recently?
When I was 13, or 14 I was given my Dad’s old Sears and Roebuck acoustic guitar. I remember not knowing what chords were, but figuring out how to tune it, how to hold it, and just carrying it with me everywhere. I got a book of chords and learned those and it opened up a whole world for me. By that time I was also into hip hop and punk rock, classic rock etc. Once I figured out the chord puzzle, I started writing dumb little songs. My folks both passed away within a few years of each other when I was in my late teens, so my life changed drastically. After that, songwriting became a good way to deal with shit. I moved to a nearby college town called Iowa City after high school. Met some like minded folks that are still my best friends to this day. They were in bands, booking their own shows and tours. They let me open up for them, even though our music was very different. I played banjo and guitar in a folk style, but was definitely influenced by the punk ethic.
My friend’s group was more hardcore, a loud rock band basically. It made for a diverse show when we played together. They brought me on a lot of tours and I saw the world that way, in my early 20’s. They got a record deal with a label out of Chicago called Southern Records. The label decided to sign me up too, a real risk on their part. That started me on the path of being on different labels and playing hundreds and hundreds of shows, from Rome Italy to Rome, Georgia. I like a lot of different types of music, I’m always searching for ways to bring that into my songs. Some of my favorites are Dolly Parton, Neko Case, The Dead Milkmen, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Public Enemy, Nick Cave, Bad Religion, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, The Minutemen, Witch, and Magnetic Fields. Recently I’ve been digging Wet Leg, Black Pumas, and Deerhoof.
Is there anything else you would like to further share with the readers?
I just recorded my 9th studio album, titled “Silently, the Mind Breaks”. It will be available later this year with any luck, on my own “Whitmore Records“ imprint. For tour dates and merch, check out williamelliottwhitmore.com.
