THE WILLIAMS BROTHERS were molded on the streets of Oakland, California during the seventies (the only "white boys" on Salisbury Street) listening to their parents vast blues & country vinyl collection, the funk that flowed out of boomboxes (pre hip-hop), and the psychedelic folk rock that blossomed in the East Bay Area during that time. So it was inevitable that the brothers followed their families lineage of song and dance men (Gr,Gr,Gr,Great Grandpa penned the traditional favorite, "Sweet Betsy from Pike" in mid 1800's. Gr,Gr,Grandpa had a country swing big band that toured the US extensively in the 1910s-1920s), After moving to Roseville, Ca the brothers started putting together their first groups in the mid-eighties. (Uncle John's Band, 922, the Homegrown Boogie Band).
A WILLIAMS BROTHERS show features intertwining songs and extended improv induced jams fueled by any and all auditory stimulus to have ever sounded, there is no genre or barrier that is considered unusable, all previous artists are an influence in one way or another, it is true old school original jam music. JAMES WILLIAMS vocals are inspired by the grit of JIM MORRISON, the soul of OTIS REDDING and the personal experience of JERRY GARCIA. PHILLIP WILLIAMS plays lead guitar with a deep blues style that is noticeably influenced by JIMI HENDRIX, DUANE ALLMAN, ALVIN LEE and at times with a fluidity that is eerily reminiscent of JERRY GARCIA. Whether solo, together as "ACOUSTIC WB" or with their back-up group THE HOMEGROWN BOOGIE BAND, WILLIAMS BROTHERS shows are always full of surprises & special guests. it is never the same show twice.
THE WILLIAMS BROTHERS BAND hit #1 on the mp3.com Blues charts 12/19/06 with JOHNNY THE SQUIRREL, coupled by DEEP ELEM BLUES which was simultaneously perched at #7. DEEP ELEM BLUES went on to hit #1 01/12/07. Both songs spent 4 weeks in the top 20.
TWBB has released a total of four albums (Three live recordings & one studio release), and have countless live bootleg recordings circulating throughout the tape trading ranks. TWBB is currently in the studio working on their next studio album which will be released spring '07. James and/or Phillip Williams have worked with: RAMBLIN JACK ELLIOT, JIMMY SMITH, JOHN LEE HOOKER, LYNYRD SKYNYRD, REO SPEEDWAGON, THE GUESS WHO, TESLA, ZIGABOO MODELISTE, DEREK TRUCKS, THE DREW EMMITT BAND, VINCE HERMAN, KARL DENSON, JOE CRAVEN, CANNED HEAT, RATT, SLAUGHTER, TRAPT, JOHN WAITE, HENRY BUTLER, RECKLESS KELLY, TONY FURTADO, OZOMATLI, C-BO, ZUVUYA, GREAT AMERICAN TAXI, THAMUSEMEANT, SAM KINNIGER, CARLOS WASHINGTON, THE MEDITATIONS, H. R. from BAD BRAINS, FILIBUSTER, RYAN SHUPE & THE RUBBER BAND, CASEY DRIESSEN, KAN'NAL, ERIC MCFADDEN TRIO, HARMONIOUS JUNK, ERIC LINDELL, WIL SEABROOK, EDDIE FROM OHIO, DAVID GANS, DELTA NOVE, BACK PORCH MARY, TEN MILE TIDE, SHAKEDOWN STREET, THE MOTET, TRACY GRAMMER, REED FOEHL, BRUCE HAYES, DEXTER GROVE, LOTUS, CLAN DYKEN, HIT & RUN BLUEGRASS, WHITE WATER RAMBLE, GOVINDA, MOSES GUEST, BROTHERHOOD OF GROOVE, HENRY TURNER JR. & FLAVOR, THE WARSAW POLAND BROTHERS, THE PACKWAY HANDLE BAND, OAKHURST, POTCHEEN FOLK BAND, THE WILD BLOOMS, ALMA MELODIOSA, JAH ROOTS, BONGO LOVE, RAS DAVID, GLOBAL FUNK COUNCIL, HALDEN WOFFORD & THE HI-BEAMS, VICTOR BARNES, SONS OF GRAVITY, WASABI, FAMILY GROOVE COMPANY, CERULEAN CITY, CHRONOPHONIC, THE MISSION PLAYERS, MAMAS COOKIN, BLUE TURTLE SEDUCTION, LAST CONSERVATIVE, THE STEADY UPS, QWIKSAND, LION VIBES, JYEMO & THE EXTENDED FAMILY, WISEBIRD, SOULFEEL, TRUCKER'S DAUGHTER, SHAKEDOWN, HOME AT LAST, ERIC DODGE, EXIT 42, FRANK JORDAN, TANGLEWOOD, HOODROOPONE, TRANSCENDENTAL HAYRIDE, THE BREAKFAST, STONEFED, KIM QUIRK, SAARABA, SIMPLICITY, BUMBAS CREATION, PURPLE BUDDHA, THE MERCURY PROJECT, THE PUDDLE MOUNTAIN RAMBLERS, ELEMENT 37, BACKWOODS REVUE, JT & THE BIG DOGS, KELLY J BAND, THE GROTTO, FRACTALIA, LOADED 45, YAMN, THE LAST BUS, STOUT, RIVERSEED, WHEEL, RIVETER, FLAT TOP REED, THE LATELYS, MUCHO BUDDHA, THE PINEAPPLE CRACKERS, THE DESCIPLES, THE DAVID STARR BAND, GRINDSTONE, SCHOOL OF ROCK, & KLEAR (to name a few) in one way or another, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. The Williams Brothers have been putting together shows for other bands as well as performing heavily for the past 16 years, a complete list of those affected would be impossible to gather.
THE WILLIAMS BROTHERS have performed live over 1000 times, again an exact list would be difficult to generate but one, or the other, or both of THE WILLIAMS BROTHERS have appeared at various festivals and top venues including but definitely not limited to: THE 922 FESTIVAL 1990-2005 (2006 booked) Sacramento, Ca., & Grand Junction, Co., THE HERITAGE FESTIVAL 1994 Sacramento, Ca., THE HUMBOLDT GROWERS PARTY 1997 undisclosed location, Ca., THE MT. SHASTA RAINBOW FAMILY ELDERS GATHERING 1998 Mt. Shasta, Ca., THE ALPINE MUSIC FESTIVAL 1998 Bear Valley, Ca., THE FREE TIBET CONCERT 2000 Nevada City, Ca., THE EARTHDAY FESTIVAL 2000-2002 Grand Junction, Co., THE FRUITA FALL FESTIVAL 2001-2006 Fruita, Co., THE SOUTHWEST/ARBOR DAY FESTIVAL 2002-2006 Grand Junction, Co., HOT AUGUST NIGHTS @ THE WESTERN COLORADO BOTANICAL GARDENS AMPITHEATER 2004 & 2005 Grand Junction, Co., DESERT ROCKS MUSIC FESTIVAL 2005-2007 Moab, Ut, The March of Dimes WALK AMERICA CELEBRATION 2005-2007, (2008 booked) Grand Junction, Co., ROCK JAM 2006 Mack, Co., PALISADE PEACH FESTIVAL 2006 Palisade, Co., BURNING MOUNTAIN DAYS 2006 Newcastle Co., THE MOAB BREWERY'S 10TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION 2006 Moab Ut., RAMBLE ON THE RIVER 2007, MISHAWAKA AMPITHEATER Bellvue, Co., AVERY RANCH Angels Camp, Ca., THE MESA THEATER Grand Junction, Co., THE AVALON THEATER Grand Junction Co, BELLY UP, Aspen, Co., LIFF AUDITORIUM Grand Junction, Co., POWDERHORN SKI RESORT Mesa Co., QUIXOTE'S TRUE BLUE Denver, Co., THE BUCKHORN SALOON Laramie, Wy., FIRST STREET PUB Nederland, Co., SCOOT n' BLUES, Durango, Co., THE SUMMIT Durango, Co., TURN OF THE CENTURY Montrose, Co., THE PRESS CLUB Sacramento, Ca., THE SPOTLIGHT LOUNGE Grand Junction, Co., WOODY'S TAVERN Moab, Ut., CLUB RIO, Moab Ut., BRUSHCREEK SALOON Eagle, Co., THE ROOSTER CLUB Roseville, Ca., PAT'S BBQ Salt Lake City, Ut., INFERNO'S Sacramento, Ca., THE RED BARN Montrose, Co., LA CABANA Montrose, Co., THE PHATT DIZZUMP, Sacramento, Ca., PINE GABLES Colorado Springs, Co., KRPA CHANNEL 12 Roseville, Ca., KCPR STUDIOS Sacramento, Ca., 95 Rock STUDIOS Grand Junction, Co., KAFM STUDIOS Grand Junction, Co. , KREX CHANNEL 5 STUDIOS Grand Junction, Co., KZMU STUDIOS Moab, Ut., & THE KAFM RADIO ROOM (also simulcast & web cast) Grand Junction, Co.
GJ Free Press Aug 2005; That has Operations Manager Clara Ward feeling pretty confident about the Williams Brothers Band performance scheduled for Friday at the gardens, considering they were the biggest draw of last summer's concert series. "They brought in the most people last year so we thought we'd better have them back," Ward said. "They were a lot of fun.""
