Willy Mason

  • New York, NY
    hometown
  • Rock
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  • 2004
    started
  • Bio
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About Willy Mason


With a sound that recalls Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash along with the cynicism of grunge and punk, nobody could believe wry singer/songwriter Willy Mason was only 19 when he appeared on the indie scene. Born and raised on Martha's Vineyard, Mason grew up with his parents' love of folk music. He loved it, too, but his teen years brought Nirvana and Rage Against the Machine into his life. Mason found their political and social messages much easier to identify with and soon combined folk's softer and looser delivery with the revolutionary attitude of his new heroes. Writing came easy now and the teenager had plenty of self-penned material ready when a family friend asked him to appear on his local radio show. As luck would have it, Sean Foley -- an associate of Conor Oberst and his band, Bright Eyes -- was driving through Cape Cod as Mason was on the air. Foley was captivated by Mason's song "Oxygen" and left his phone number at the radio station, setting off a chain of events that would have Oberst and Mason hanging out, doing gigs together, and touring America. With only three people in the audience, a gig at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas seemed a disaster until one of the three introduced himself as BBC DJ Zane Lowe. Lowe was also captivated by "Oxygen" and added it to his playlist when it appeared on Mason's debut, Where the Humans Eat, released by Team Love in 2004. Critics were positive about the album and unanimously shocked that the literate writer and performer of these songs was only 19. Tours with Rosanne Cash, My Morning Jacket, Evan Dando, Beth Orton, and labelmates Jenny Lewis & the Watson Twins increased the fan base and influenced the Astralwerks label to pick up the debut. Astralwerks reissued Where the Humans Eat in early 2006 with bonus tracks and videos added to the original album. That same year Mason assembled a band that included Nina Violet and cousin Zak Borden, and in 2007 his sophomore record, If the Ocean Gets Rough, came out, while a live set at the Austin City Limits festival soon followed. By 2008, two world tours had taken their toll and Mason sought respite back on Martha's Vineyard, only occasionally venturing further afield to play live. He returned to the public eye in 2012 with Carry On, an album produced in south London by Dan Carey which incorporated the use of digital rhythm tracks and electric guitars. ~ David Jeffries, Rovi

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Music

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  • Pickup Truck
    willy-mason
    Video
    Pickup Truck
  • A Far Horizon
    willy-mason
    Video
    A Far Horizon
  • I Got Gold (Animal Dance III) Official Video
    willy-mason
    Video
    I Got Gold (Animal Dance III) Official Video
  • 6450650
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    • So Long
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/2/3/4/5/7/113775432.mp3
    • Letter #1
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/5/7/2/5/7/113775275.mp3
    • All You Can Do
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/6/2/4/5/7/113775426.mp3
    • Sold My Soul
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/7/4/4/5/7/113775447.mp3
    • Hard Hand To Hold
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/5/8/4/5/7/113775485.mp3
    • Harvesting Digital Children
      http://listen.vo.llnwd.net/g1/4/9/3/5/7/113775394.mp3

Photos

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  • Astralwerks
    Willy Mason
    Astralwerks
    Andrew Cotterill

News

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  • Willy Mason
    Lianne La Havas, Willy Mason @ Bowery Ballroom in New York City | Prefix
    www.prefixmag.com
    Tweet Photo gallery of Lianne La Havas, Willy Mason at Bowery Ballroom in New York City (September 11, 2012)Previous · Lianne La Havas, Willy Mason @...
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  • Willy Mason
    Willy Mason
    American Songwriter
    In advance of his upcoming third album, singer-songwriter Willy Mason will release Don't Stop Now, a new EP, on January 14. The record is the Massachu...
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Tour Dates

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  • Jun 1 Saturday
    London, UK Multi Venue - St Stephens Church, Ginglik, Shepherds Bar, Defectors Weld
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  • Jun 21 Friday
    Meath, Ireland Ballinlough Castle
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  • Jun 30 Sunday
    Cornwall, UK Eden Project
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  • Jul 18 Thursday
    Beccles, UK Henham Park
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  • Jul 19 Friday
    North Yorkshire, UK Baldersby Park
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  • Jul 24 Wednesday
    Simcoe, ON, Canada Unknown venue
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  • Jul 25 Thursday
    Cambridge, UK Cherry Hinton Hall
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  • Jul 25 Thursday
    Huntingdon, UK Mill Hill Field - Huntingdon
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  • Aug 23 Friday
    Simcoe, ON, Canada Unknown venue
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  • Aug 30 Friday
    Troy, OH, US Unknown venue
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  • Sep 6 Friday
    Guthrie, OK, US Unknown venue
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  • Sep 13 Friday
    Saint Augustine, FL, US Unknown venue
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Discography

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  • Carry On (2012)
    Willy Mason
    Carry On (2012)
    Polydor
  • If the Ocean Gets Rough (2007)
    Willy Mason
    If the Ocean Gets Rough (2007)
    Virgin
  • Where the Humans Eat (2004)
    Willy Mason
    Where the Humans Eat (2004)
    Virgin
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