hey all,
I've got a new YouTube page up, featuring fantastic videos of myself and Chance McCoy, plus links to archives of Forge Mountain Diggers performances.  Check it out here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/allisonwilliamsmusic

Chance and I are talking about our next tour.  It may be in the US, or the UK, but we will be back out on the road before too long.  If you want to book us, contact:

info@allisonwilliamsmusic.com

love,
allison.

Well, we're almost at the end of it. I'm ensconced over a heating grate at the Purple Fiddle in the West Virginia highlands. it's snowing outside, but we're keeping warm here.

Morgantown was lovely; Rachel Eddy sat in with us on guitar, and took us to the Big Damn Jam across from the Black Bear afterwards. Chance & I stayed at her cabin that night, overlooking the town. In the morning Rachel & I did a breakfast dance to make the toast toast faster, and I left my soap in her shower.

We played a house concert at Cindy Harris' in Pittsburgh, and i got to visit my old friend Mike Roth, from back in the old DIY punk days of playing shows at Mr. Roboto.

the Philadelphia house concert, at the PSALM, was absolutely packed. Wiyos bass guy Joebass drove out from Brooklyn to play with us, and we rocked it down. The concert was caught on film by a wonderful crew, and should appear on Pennsylvania public television very soon. Look for it!

New York! Nothing else like it. We stayed in Brooklyn, ate serious breakfast at Cafe Shane, and I got a bass lesson from rockstar Jason Sypher. Our gig at Banjo Jim's went well; only minor drunken heckling quickly quelled by a ballad about alchoholism. Thanks to Eli Smith for his curation of the evening, and for being a parking Jedi! He found us a parking spot on the Lower East Side, only half a block away... that's some mystical shit.

The gig at Shepherdstown's Blue Moon Cafe was packed. They fed us really good food, and the audience was wonderful. I think that was our best set of the tour. Afterwards, I was too wired to sleep, so I drove the snowy mountain passes to Thomas, arriving just in time to catch the last of the Wiyos set at the Purple Fiddle, with Matt Brown sitting in. They're all sticking around for our gig tonight, so if you come out, be prepared to party! Hopefully it will all dissolve into crazy oldtime jam and squaredance action.

I'm ready to get back home to Nashville, to play with the Can Kickers on the 19th, and kick it with the Jake Leg Stompers again.

Thanks again to everyone who helped make this tour a success! Chance and I have had a great time, and will very likely do this again. If you'd like to book us in the future, just holler!

info@allisonwilliamsmusic.com

Love,
Allison Williams

Well, it's been a whirlwind these past few days. Chance McCoy and I have a few days off, and I'm staying with some dear friends in Virginia, eating all their bacon and pancakes and using up their wireless with my blogging.

We had an interesting first few shows... I caught the stomach flu the night before the Warren Wilson concert, and we barely made it through that one. The Old Farmers' Ball the next night was much easier. It's always a pleasure to play a dance with caller Phil Jamison, though sometimes I get jealous of the dancers! I was also surprised that night by an old friend from middle school, whom i hadn't seen in many years.

By the time we got to Augusta, GA's Stillwater Tap Room, I was much recovered, just in time for an awesome meal at the Blue Sky Cafe. Gabrielle got piped away by an amazing brass band playing in the street. About halfway through our concert, we noticed a strange array of inflatable toys popping up in the crowd. Apparently someone was celebrating a bachelor party, and i can tell you, if you haven't played hillbilly music for a crowd of people toting giant inflatable penises, you just haven't lived.

Rory Mullenex and Sam Linkaus joined us as rhythm section for the Blacksburg Square Dance, and they whupped it down. Great dancers there as well.
Jen Pollard graciously hosted our Blacksburg house concert, with generous organizational assistance from Scott and Susan Nelson. The oldtime scene here is truly supportive and nurturing, and I want to play here again as often as possible.

Chance & I have a few days off before we head up to Morgantown, then to Pittsburgh, Philly, and New York! Hope to see you on the road,
Allison Williams

Hey ever'body,
this is the first installment of what i hope will be a regular tour blog for the next 2 weeks.

I'm in West (by God) Virginia, rehearsing with Chance at his farmhouse. We are way out in the country, with very few distractions, and it's great. This is going to be an awesome tour, and I really hope you can come see us somewhere on the road.

We have special guests joining us for several of the dates. Gabrielle Macrae, of the Macrae Sisters, will be along for the first three dates, in North Carolina and Georgia. Rachel Eddy may be persuaded to join us in Morgantown, WV, and our Philadelphia concert will be graced by the rhythmic talents of Joebass, from the Wiyos, and possibly some super-secret other special guests. In Thomas, WV, at the famous Purple Fiddle, the Wiyos will also be on hand, so who knows what will happen? Maybe we'll give up hillbilly music for a night and play you nothing but jugband swing...

Tour starts Wednesday, at Warren Wilson College in North Carolina. Come on out from your winter cocoon and get deep into the roots of American music with us; it's hot down here.
Love,
Allison Williams

http://www.allisonwilliamsmusic.com

for all y'all that like Facebook, there's a new Allison Williams page up.  Come be my fan, and you can post pictures, ask questions, whatever!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Allison-Williams/47551517401?ref=share
rockin the intertubes,
allison.
 

Here's a link to video and interviews from London, Chance McCoy and myself.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/musictv/folkamerica/concerts/video/allisonwilliams/2/


Right now this only works in the UK, but if enough folks ask the BBC, maybe they'll fix that.

Hey all,
Chanc​e McCoy​ and I spent​ most of last week in Londo​n,​ Engla​nd,​ where​ we perfo​rmed at the Barbi​can conce​rt hall.​ The 2,​000 seat venue​ was sold out, and the BBC was there​ to film it all!

Those​ of you acros​s the pond can watch​ the resul​ting docum​entar​y:​ "​Folk Ameri​ca at the Barbi​can:​ Holle​rers,​ Stomp​ers,​ and OldTi​me Rambl​ers"​ tonig​ht on BBC Four.​

More info,​ and possi​bly an onlin​e playe​r can be found​ here:​

http:​/​/​www.​ bbc. co. uk/​iplay​er/​episo​de/​b00gv​k93/​b00gv​k7p/​Folk_​Ameri​ca_​at_​the_​Barbi​can_​Holle​rers_​Stomp​ers_​and_​OldTi​me_​Rambl​ers/​

and here:​

http:​/​/​www.​ bbc. co. uk/​progr​ammes​/​b00gv​k93

It was an amazi​ng,​ magic​al night​,​ with our frien​ds the Wiyos​,​ and Cedri​c Watso​n'​s badas​s Creol​e/​zydec​o band,​ among​ other​s.​ Danny Knicely and Aimee Curl rounded out our band with their formidable talents.

Chanc​e and I will be on a tour of the Easte​rn U.S. start​ing Febru​ary 4, in North​ Carol​ina,​ so check​ my Myspa​ce for dates​ and come see us!
love,​
Allis​on.​