Will Stewart: 5 Questions With A Birmingham Musician On The Rise

BIRMINGHAM, AL - The rise of the Birmingham music scene in the last several years has not gone unnoticed by the rest of the world, judging by the success of artists such as St. Paul & the Broken Bones, Maria Taylor, Matthew Mayfield and Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires. And veteran musician Will Stewart has been a part of the local scene for years, performing with a variety of Birmingham bands, including the popular Willie and the Giant, which has played festivals in Birmingham and shows throughout the region. But Stewart is now testing the waters as a solo artist with the recent release of the single "Sipsey" off his album County Seat, which is due out in April. The album was recorded and produced in Birmingham, and is being released on the Birmingham record label, Cornelius Chapel Records, which makes the album a true Birmingham gem.

Stewart left Birmingham for a time, living and working in Nashville, but returned to the Magic City in 2016 after a decade away, and it is in Birmingham where he says he rediscovered his muse: the Modern South, whose characters, complexities, open spaces, and strange beauty are all channeled into Stewart's full-length solo debut. Patch caught up with Stewart to discuss his motivation, his influences and his experiences as a true southern musician.

What played into your decision to release an album on your own?

While I love collaborating with other musicians and writers, I've always wanted to make an album where I had total creative control. This collection of songs is probably the most personal and intimate I've ever recorded, so that played a part in wanting to make this a "solo" record, too.

What would you say are your biggest influences, musically?

This is always a tough question for me because I listen to a pretty wide array of genres at any given time. But speaking directly to this album's sound, I'd say Bill Frisell's take on americana/roots music has been a huge influence on me for quite some time - just in terms of creating the atmospheric and pastoral vibe that he has mastered. Neil Young is always in my periphery. William Tyler, Nathan Bowles and Hiss Golden Messenger's recent work is a more immediate source of inspiration, too. I could go on and on.

Bring us through the recording process for this new album. How long did it take, and who all was involved?

We tracked all instruments and vocals in two days at Ol Elegante, a studio here in Birmingham, AL. Les Nuby engineered and mixed the album and he's always so great to work with - not only very talented but just a good hang. I like to track as much live as possible. Most instruments and a few vocals were tracked live. A few overdubs here and there, but very minimal. There's nothing wrong with overdubs, but for these songs it's all about feel and vibe. It's hard to get into a zone and feel the vibe of the song when you overdub, in my opinion. It becomes more robotic and choppy. I handled guitar and lead vocals, Ross Parker played bass, Tyler McGuire on drums, Ford Boswell on pedal steel, Janet Simpson on back-up vocals, Les Nuby played guitar and percussion on a few tracks.

What are your plans for promoting the album? Shows? Tours?

I'm finalizing a tour in late March to promote the album. My hope is to be as active as possible. We're going to SXSW for the first time this year, too, which i'm very excited about.

What was the last album you purchased?

I bought a vinyl copy of Courtney Marie Andrew's last release "Honest Life" at her recent show here in Birmingham. I was astonished the first time I listened to it the whole way through - she's an immense talent and should be a household name.

Stewart's first single, "Sipsey," can be heard here.

Photo courtesy of Wes Frazer