“A cowboy for this generation”—Sirius XM The Village

Willi Carlisle is a poet and a folk singer for the people, but his extraordinary gift for turning a phrase isn't about high-falutin' pontificatin'; it's about looking out for one another and connecting through our shared human condition. Born and raised on the Midwestern plains, Carlisle is a product of the punk-to-folk music pipeline that's long fueled frustrated young men looking to resist. After falling for the rich ballads and tunes of the Ozarks, where he now lives, he began examining the full spectrum of American musical history. This insatiable stylistic diversity is obvious in his wildly raucous live performances, where songs range from sardonic trucker-ballads like "Vanlife" to the heartbreaking queer waltz "Life on the Fence," to an existential talkin' blues about a panic attack in Walmart's aisle five. With guitar, fiddle, button-box, banjo, harmonicas, rhythm-bones, and Willi's booming baritone, this is bona-fide populist folk music in the tradition of cowboys, frontier fiddlers, and tall-tale tellers. With a quick wit and big sing-alongs, these folk songs bring us a step closer to breaking down our divides.

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