When I was 17, I bought an effects pedal for my guitar called “The Boomerang,” which allowed me to record my guitar and then instantaneously play it back at the press of a button. Prior to this, there had been long delay pedals that did a similar function but this was one of the first pedals that was truly a “looper.” It became a great tool for practicing my guitar as well as playing more than one line of music at once, while performing solo. Time went on and this idea became more recognized as a great way to perform. More companies started making their own loopers and more musicians started to use them.
One musician who has really made it part of his signature live show is a guy from Fredericksburg, VA, named Keller Williams. I had heard about him for years but it wasn’t until 2004 that I finally caught one of his solo shows at The Charlottesville Performing Arts Center. Not only did he use a “loop” for his guitar but he added a variety of other instruments on top including bass, vocals, percussion and more, which layered a stack of sounds to create an illusion of a full band. Keller Williams was and continues to be an innovator of musical ideas from performing solo to collaborating with other great musicians such as Larry & Jenny Keel, More Than a Little, The Travelin’ McCoureys, and many more. Beyond being an accomplished musician, he has a great positive vibe which is evident in both his music and personality.
I caught up with Keller a few weeks ago after his soundcheck at The Jefferson Theater. He performed a medley of 2 new tunes: “Sheebs” and “The Drop.” We had decided to go up to the balcony of the theater to film but when we stepped through the lobby we noticed the amazing natural reverberation. Keller (whistling the whole way) suddenly stopped, heard his whistle echo and said, “this is where we have to do the session.”
Here’s a live session of Keller performing “Sheebs / The Drop.”
Jay’s “Pun Picks” – Keller Williams – “Sheebs / The Drop” (Ep. 12) from Pun Picks on Vimeo.
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Special thanks to:
Keller Williams
Ilyssa Schwartz
Louis Gosain
The Jefferson Theater
