William Elliott Whitmore – Kilonova LP Bloodshot Records

In the journey of going from being a lover and fan of music, into being a creator of music, I’ve never lost the feeling of wonderment in hearing a great song. Like most people, I enjoy lots of different kinds. From the country music I grew up on thanks to my parents, to the punk rock and avant-garde bands I would discover later, it just always makes me feel good to hear a great song. 

This collection is something I’ve been wanting to put forth for a long time. A handful of these tunes I’ve been doing in my live sets for years, and it just felt right to give them a little home. A place where my interpretations can live and hopefully be enjoyed. I remember as a kid hearing Johnny Cash cover Harlan Howard’s “Busted” on Live at Folsom Prison. Soon after that I became familiar with Ray Charles’ version, and it was a revelation that a great song can be played in many different ways. Seems obvious now, but as a ten year old it was helping to shape my way of thinking of music. As a thing to be passed around and shared. I used to love when I’d hear Willie Nelson play “Georgia on my Mind” by Ray Charles. 

These were the greats, swapping tunes and swirling the waters. It helped me discover new artists too, thinking for instance, “Waylon’s playing a song written by a guy named Billie Joe Shaver. What’s he all about?” It was leading me down a path that I’m still on to this day. 

Some of these were written just a few years ago, and some were written in the 1930s. Some deal with themes that I think are important, and some are just fun songs to play. 

I am concerned with the state of things, as I’m sure people have been since the beginning of human consciousness. My way of carrying on and moving forward is through the sharing of art and music. I want to share these songs with people, simple as that. 

-WEW 

Kilonova by William Elliott Whitmore