Album Notes

Wil Ridge is a 26 year old singer/songwriter from Santa Ynez, CA. The songs he writes are everything American Roots rolled together- laid on top are his own unique lyrics full of poetic imagery and emotion.

Top Santa Barbara Albums of the Year
2. Wil Ridge: "Painful" (Jackass Records)
"Debut from the smoky-voiced Santa Ynez singer."
-Matt Kettmann, The Santa Barbara Independent

WIL RIDGE: A STAR IN THE MAKING
"Wil Ridge is a star; he just doesn't know it yet. And even once the world knows, odds are he still won't see himself that
way. It's not just that he's a reluctant rock god-which with his presence and onstage ability he could become-but that he won't
admit to his talents, which are many and downright mesmerizing.
From almost the moment he starts his set, Mr. Ridge's fiery delivery grabs your guts and holds them captive until he's
finished. Watching him play, seeing his face twist and strain as he sings, you can almost feel the blows Mr. Ridge sings of having
suffered. And thanks to his skilled guitar playing and rich, room-filling voice, it's the most fun you'll have being socked in the
stomach.
Sometimes Mr. Ridge sounds like a "Thunder Road"-era Bruce Springsteen, other times like an old-school pre-pill popping
Elvis and often times like a Johnny Cash/Tom Waits hybrid. Yet at all times his style is incomparable to most anything else out
there."
-Shelly Leachman, The Santa Barbara News Press

"Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash, with Wil Ridge
"The Man in Black approved of these rockabilly, alt-country bad boys, and his son even helped
make thier first album. But the real highlight of this night might just be the Santa Ynez Valley's
Wil Ridge, a songwriter with gritty, passionate intergrity."
-Drew Mackie, The Santa Barbara Independent

INDY OUTPUT
"Style: Rootsy, acoustic guitar-laden rock 'n' roll bolstered by powerful songwriting, and intense, one-of-a-kind voice."
"The Skinny: Though he possesses and passionately uses the sort of gruff yet warm voice that only comes from decades of
cigarettes and whiskey - incidentally, two topics often visited in his songs - Wil Ridge is a mere 25 years old. The 11
songs on his debut album are a testament to his evolution as an entertainer of rowdy drunks - they flood your ears
and mind no matter how deep you are in your black out. It's music for both beer tears and blackeyes. So raise
your shot glass, puff that smoke, and let Wil Ridge be the soundtrack to your next booze-fest."
-Matt Kettmann, The Santa Barbara Independent