William Elliott Whitmore

  • IA
    hometown
  • Blues/Folk
    genre
  • 1999
    started
  • Bio
    full story
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About William Elliott Whitmore


With a voice that sounds like the reincarnation of an old gospel preacher from the 1920s and a fascination with sin, death, and redemption to match, William Elliott Whitmore is one of the most unique artists to emerge on the Americana scene in years. The son of a farmer, Whitmore was raised on a horse farm on the banks of the Mississippi River outside of Keokuk, Iowa. His songs have a stark universality that is sketched out with minimal instrumentation, usually just a banjo or guitar and a smattering of percussion. Whitmore is rumored to have gotten his start in the music business by working as a roadie for Iowa hardcore band Ten Grand, famous for their fast-and-furious 20-minute sets, and Whitmore frequently stepped in with his songs to fill out the time. His voice is the one Tom Waits has been after for years (imagine a cross between Captain Beefheart and Dock Boggs), and his folk- and blues-inflected songs feel like they've been left out in the rain for months, weathered and tightened to the snapping point. Whitmore released Hymns for the Hopeless on Southern in 2003, followed by Ashes to Dust, also on Southern, in 2005. Whitmore appeared on the 2006 compilation CD/DVD entitled Let's Be Active, along with two other artists. In 2006 he released a third album on Southern, the characteristically stark (and critically acclaimed) Song of the Blackbird. Animals in the Dark followed in 2009. Whitmore toured extensively in late 2009 and for much of 2010 and saw his reputation as a songwriter increase, playing for ever larger audiences. He returned to recording in early 2011 with another stripped-down set, entitled Field Songs, which was released by Anti in July of that year. ~ Steve Leggett, Rovi

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Music

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  • Hell or High Water
    william-elliott-whitmore
    Video
    Hell or High Water
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    • Hell or high water
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g2/3/6/7/1/2/911721763.mp3
    • There's hope for you
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g2/5/8/9/1/2/911721985.mp3
    • Old devils
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g2/0/6/8/1/2/911721860.mp3
    • Who stole the soul
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g2/5/9/6/1/2/911721695.mp3
    • Hard times
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g2/5/3/0/2/2/911722035.mp3
    • Mutiny
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g2/1/6/8/1/2/911721861.mp3

Photos

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  • William Elliott Whitmore

News

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  • William Elliott Whitmore
    William Elliott Whitmore to tour with City and Colour
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    William Elliott Whitmore to tour with City and Colour
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Tour Dates

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  • Sep 8 Sunday
    Des Moines, IA, US Live on Locust
    Buy Ticket

Discography

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  • Field Songs (2011)
    William Elliott Whitmore
    Field Songs (2011)
    Epitaph
  • Animals in the Dark (2009)
    William Elliott Whitmore
    Animals in the Dark (2009)
    Epitaph
  • Song of the Blackbird (2006)
    William Elliott Whitmore
    Song of the Blackbird (2006)
    Southern Music Dist.
  • Ashes to Dust (2005)
    William Elliott Whitmore
    Ashes to Dust (2005)
    Southern Music Dist.
  • Hymns for the Hopeless (2003)
    William Elliott Whitmore
    Hymns for the Hopeless (2003)
    Southern Records
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