Will Oldham

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Bonnie 'Prince' Billy

Background information
Birth name William Oldham
Also known as Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
Born December 24, 1970 (1970-12-24) (age 38)
Origin Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Genre(s) Singer-songwriter, folk, country
Years active 1993–present
Label(s) Drag City, Domino, Spunk
Website www.bonnieprincebilly.com

Will Oldham, a.k.a. Bonnie 'Prince' Billy (born 24 December 1970 in Louisville, Kentucky), is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. Prior to adopting his current moniker, he performed and recorded under various permutations of the Palace name, including Palace Brothers, Palace Songs, and Palace Music (1993-1997).

Contents

[edit] Music

Will Oldham is known for his "do-it-yourself punk aesthetic and blunt honesty,"[1] and his music has been likened to Americana, folk, roots, country, punk, and indie rock. Regarding his musical style, Oldham has said, "I don't think it's roots music, though it's definitely influenced by Western popular music."[2] He has been described as an "Appalachian post-punk solipsist"[1] and is notable for his unique voice, which has been described as "a fragile sort-of warble frittering around haunted melodies in the American folk or country tradition."[1]

Will Oldham first performed and recorded under the name Palace Brothers, in collaboration with an assortment of musicians, including his brothers Ned and Paul Oldham. During the "Palace" period of his career (1993-1997), Oldham released his records as Palace Brothers, Palace Songs, Palace Music, and simply Palace. Regarding these name changes, Oldham has said:

“ Well, I guess the idea is that when you have a name of a group or an artist, then you expect that the next record, if it has the same name, should be the same group of people playing on it. And I just thought we were making a different kind of record each time, with different people, and different themes, and different sounds. So I thought it was important to call it something different so that people would be aware of the differences.[2] ”

Beginning in 1998, Oldham has primarily used the moniker Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, which draws inspiration from several sources:

“ [T]he name has so many different references that it could almost have a life of its own. Bonnie Prince Charlie has such a beautiful ring to it, and I was very conscious of appropriating that mellifluous sound. And I was also thinking about the name Nat King Cole. But it wasn't until later, and this may have been subconscious, that I remembered that Billy the Kid was William Bonney or Billy Bonney.[2] ”

[edit] Discography

Main article: Will Oldham discography

[edit] Studio albums

[edit] Response

Much of Will Oldham's music has received considerable critical praise. Some of his albums, such as There Is No-One What Will Take Care of You (1993),[3] Viva Last Blues (1995),[4] and I See a Darkness (1999).[5][6][7], have appeared on greatest albums lists.

Johnny Cash recorded a version of "I See a Darkness" on his American Recordings disc, American III: Solitary Man (2000). Oldham provided backing vocals.

[edit] Film

Will Oldham began his acting career at the age of 17, when he portrayed a teen preacher in John Sayles's film about an Appalachian mining community, Matewan (1987). Oldham moved to Hollywood to pursue acting, and was well received, landing roles in a couple of films. However, he quickly became disillusioned with the film industry and quit in 1989.[8] He has since had several minor roles in independent films, such as Julien Donkey-Boy (1999), Junebug (2005), and The Guatemalan Handshake (2006). Oldham took a lead role in Old Joy, which was featured at SXSW XX and opened at New York's Film Forum on September 20, 2006. Will Oldham also played the role of a preacher in the Horse Apples special of Wondershowzen in series 2 of the show.

[edit] Filmography

[edit] Photography

Will Oldham shot the black-and-white cover photograph for Slint's critically acclaimed 1991 album Spiderland. The photo depicts members of the band treading water in the lake of an abandoned quarry.[9]

Oldham also featured as guest aesthetic designer for the North American literary magazine Zoetrope All Story (vol 11 no 1) in 2007. In a note contained in the issue, he jokes that it would be "really magnificent to imagine this issue as a cocktail party at which all of the contributors, word and image, are present. add a bowl of keys and some mushroom cookies and i am there. [sic]"

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Baldwin, C. (March 28, 2002). "The Wanderer". Chico News & Review. http://www.newsreview.com/chico/Content?oid=8724. Retrieved on 2007-05-08. 
  2. ^ a b c Ashare, Matt (January 20 2003). "Mystery Man: Palace Brother Will Oldham becomes Bonnie 'Prince' Billy". The Phoenix. http://72.166.46.24/boston/music/top/documents/02671921.htm. Retrieved on 2007-05-09. 
  3. ^ Irvin, Jim; Colin McLear (2003, 3rd ed.). The Mojo Collection: The Ultimate Music Companion. Canongate. pp. 585. ISBN 1841954381. 
  4. ^ LeMay, Matt (November 17, 2003). "The Top 100 Albums of the 1990s". Pitchfork Media. http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/36737-staff-list-top-100-albums-of-the-1990s/page_5. Retrieved on 2007-05-08. 
  5. ^ Irvin, Jim; Colin McLear (2003, 3rd ed.). The Mojo Collection: The Ultimate Music Companion. Canongate. pp. 651. ISBN 1841954381. 
  6. ^ Bowers, William (November 17, 2003). "The Top 100 Albums of the 1990s". Pitchfork Media. http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/36737-staff-list-top-100-albums-of-the-1990s/page_10. Retrieved on 2007-05-08. 
  7. ^ Dimery, Robert (2006). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Universe. pp. 854. ISBN 0789313715. 
  8. ^ Byck, Peter (2006-02-04). "Oldham journeys back into acting". Scene. pp. 5. http://www.dragcity.com/press/pimages/pressclips/sn11coujou.jpg. Retrieved on 2007-05-08. 
  9. ^ McCarthy, Shannon. "Slint Lyrics and Biography" Musicianguide.com. Retrieved on 25 November 2007.

[edit] External links

Sister project Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Will Oldham
v • d • e
Will Oldham / Palace Music / Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
Studio albums:
There Is No-One What Will Take Care of You (1993)  · Days in the Wake (1994)  · Viva Last Blues (1995)  · Arise Therefore (1996)  · Joya (1997)  · I See a Darkness (1999)  · Ease Down the Road (2001)  · Master and Everyone (2003)  · Sings Greatest Palace Music (2004)  · Superwolf (2005)  · The Brave and the Bold (2006)  · The Letting Go (2006)  · Wai Notes (2007)  · Lie Down in the Light (2008)  · Beware! (2009)
Live albums:
EPs:
Goat Songs (1993)  · An Arrow Through the Bitch (1994)  · Hope (1994)  · The Mountain (1995)  · Songs Put Together For (The Broken Giant) (1996)  · Western Music (1997)  · Black/Rich Music (1998)  · Blue Lotus Feet (1998)  · Dream of a Drunk Black Southern Eagle (1999)  · Ode Music (2000)  · More Revery (live version) (2000)  · All Most Heaven (2000)  · Get on Jolly (2000)  · More Revery (studio version) (2001)  · Amalgamated Sons of Rest (2002)  · Slitch Music (2002)  · Seafarers Music (2004)  · Pebbles and Ripples (2004)  · I Gave You (2005)  · Strange Form of Life (2007)  · Ask Forgiveness (2007)
Compilations:
Related articles:
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