Audiences throughout America and Europe have responded to Emmett Williams' live show much the same way as music writer Peter Cooper when he said, "Emmett is completely incapable of performing at less than impassioned levels of emotion."
It's this passion that is at the core of his new cd, A Place To Stand. Evolving from his folksinger roots to a more aggressive sound, Emmett's latest release captures the energy of his intense performances with songs like "Scissor" and "On And On And On."
He also continues his longstanding practice of tackling political issues in songs like "Mrs. Lucy Parsons" and "Tomorrow". But the new release also finds him exploring the hardships of relationships with songs like "Show You Mine" and a full band re-recording of "Shine".
"Lyrics are so important to me," says Williams, "And with A Place To Stand, I wanted to be able tell a wide variety of stories. I've always and will continue to write songs about social justice but on this record I've dealt more with the day to day struggles that people go through, whether it be in relationships or making life's choices."
Originally from St. Louis, Emmett cut his musical teeth playing in bands during stops in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York, California and London. While his influences run the musical spectrum of punk, funk, rock, and country, it was in his adopted home of New York City that he found his calling as a solo artist.
But he has yet to be pigeonholed into any musical category. As David Browne from Entertainment Weekly states, "Emmett Williams is a singer-songwriter, but that's where the cliché's end."
With A Place To Stand, Williams continues to entertain while forcing the listener to think. "I've always considered myself a storyteller," he says. "The stories that I've found important to tell are the ones that move me and move others. It can be about people being oppressed or day-to-day relationships. I'm always looking for that
emotional response
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