Biography

There's a certain spark, an intimate electricity, that flutters through a listener's nerves at the gruff countdown to "A Piece of Work", the opening track to Will Kimbrough's sophomore solo release Home Away. It's not just the spark ignited by a good rock and roll record, but one of intensely personal, almost confessional and thoroughly honest work.

From that skip-stepping Bo Diddley-tinged braggart's blues opener through to the hushed, melancholic closer "You Don't Know Me so Well", Home Away is a gripping record full of sweat, blood and energy. Home Away is a record about life. It's not your typical exploration of love's vagaries as seen by a musician with pretensions to poetry. It's a collection of solidly crafted songs about the all-too-important stuff that makes up the daily life of a grownup - making a living, managing the family, seeing the kids, staying together.

Will Kimbrough's resume as both songwriter and guitarist is as impressive as they come. As songwriter and frontman for Will and the Bushmen, Kimbrough crafted hugely popular southeastern independent pop. Alongside bassist Mike Grimes and Government Cheese's Tommy Womack, he created a no-nonsense, unapologetic rock band with the Bis-Quits. As a guitarist, Kimbrough has played with some of the best of the independent rock and alt-country scenes, including Kim Richey, Todd Snider, Garrison Starr, Matthew Ryan and Josh Rouse. Along the way, he has honed the songwriting sensibilities that made Will and the Bushmen such a popular act. The results have been Kimbrough's critically loved solo debut This, and now Home Away.
"This is my Double Fantasy or whatever you want to call it," Kimbrough confesses. His comparison to John Lennon's lovely exploration of his own family is apt. Home Away is a study in the life of a family grown beyond the platitudes of teen-pop songs and rock and roll bluster. Instead, this is a life everyone leads - filled with tiny victories, setbacks, mortgages and bills to pay. "I'm talking about my version of what home is and having a family and trying to be a grownup," Kimbrough says. "Everybody's got one of those stories. This is mine."

With old friends and stalwart musicians including drummer David Gehrke and bassist Mike Grimes, Kimbrough hammered out most of the record in single takes. With guests including alt-country siren Kim Richey on vocals, standout John Deaderick on keyboards, session veteran Craig Krampf providing drum and percussion assistance and indie producer \ extraordinaire Brad Jones contributing an upright bass track, Kimbrough is in good company on Home Away. Co-producer Eli Shaw took the artist in new directions here as well, dragging him to some unadorned, unguarded moments.
On Home Away, Kimbrough's strengths shine. He possesses the soaring pop strengths of Neil Finn, the unapologetic howl of Lennon and the gritty punch of Alex Chilton. He experiments with folk, soul and country. And, most importantly, he tells it like it is. He's an ordinary guy telling an ordinary story in a very extraordinary way.


Will Kimbrough Discography

Will and the Bushmen- "Gawk" cassette, self released-1985

Will and the Bushmen- single, "500 Miles" b/w "Dear Alex", Dirt Road Records-1986

Will and the Bushmen- "Gawk" LP, Mustang Records-1987

Will and the Bushmen- "Raga", from "Ghost Snake Monster Friend" compilation LP, Mustang Records 1988

The Chapel Singers (aka Will and the Bushmen)- "She's Falling Apart" (Flamin' Groovies cover), from "Meanwhile, Back at Edmund's" compilation LP 1988

Will and the Bushmen, self-titled LP, cass, CD, SBK Records-1989

Will and the Bushmen, "Suck On This" live EP (promo only release), SBK Records-1989

Will and the Bushmen "Blow Me Up" 7" single b/w non-LP b-side "Dabble On", SBK Records-1989

Will and the Bushmen "Blow Me Up" promo only 12" single b/w non-LP b-sides "Dabble On" and "You Say You Don't Love Me" (Buzzcocks cover), SBK Rrecords-1989

Will and the Bushmen "Book of Love" promo only CD single (no b-side), SBK Records-1989-90

Will and the Bushmen "Blunderbuss" CD and cassette, Core Records-1991

The Bis-quits "The Bis-quits" CD, Oh Boy Records-1993

Brad Jones- "Gilt Flake", CD, Ginger Records, 1995

Todd Snider "Step Right Up" CD and cassette, MCA/Margaritaville Records-1996

Kim Richey "Bitter Sweet" CD and cassette, Mercury Records-1996

Todd Snider, "Live from Mountain Stage" (1996) Blue Plate Music

Todd Snider, "Rock Live from Mountain Stage" (1996) Blue Plate Music

Todd Snider "Viva Satellite" CD and cassette, MCA Records-1998

Jason Reed "Iowana" CD-1998

Park Chisolm self-titled EP CD-1999

Will Kimbrough- "Fireworks, Vol. 2" (Swedish Compilation), CD, 1999

Tommy Womack "Stubborn" CD, Sideburn Records-2000

Matthew Ryan "East Autumn Grin" CD and cassette, Interscope Records-2000

Josh Rouse "Home" CD and cassette, Slow River/Rykodisc Records, 2000

Amy Rigby, "The Sugar Tree" CD, Koch Records 2001

Will and the Bushmen, "Gawk" CD reissue w/bonus tracks, Waxy Silver Records, 2000

Todd Snider, "Happy to be Here," Oh Boy Records, 2000

The Bis-quits- "Lucky 13" (Oh Boy Records Compilation), CD, 2000

Will Kimbrough, "This" CD, Waxy Silver Records, 2000

Jess Klein, "Draw Them Near" CD Slow River/Rykodisc Records 2000

The Autumn Defense- "The Green Hour", CD, Broadmoor Records, 2001

Jenifer Jackson- "Birds", CD, Parasol Records, 2001

Neilson Hubbard- "Why Men Fail", CD, Parasol Records, 2001

Todd Snider- "New Connection", CD, Oh Boy Records, 2002

Garrison Starr- "Songs From Takeoff to Landing", CD, Backporch/Virgin Records, 2002

Tommy Womack- "Circus Town", CD, Sideburn Records, 2002

Amy Rigby- "18 Again: An Anthology", CD, Koch Records, 2002

Will Kimbrough- "Home Away", CD, Waxy Silver Records, 2002

Jeff Finlin- "Somewhere South Of Wonder", Gravity/BMG Records (UK), 2002

Rodney Crowell- "Earthbound", CD, DMZ Records, 2003

Adrienne Young, "Plow To the End of the Row", 2003, Addie Belle Records

Steve Forbert, "Any Old Time", 2002, Koch Records

Vienna Teng, "The Waking Hour", 2002, Virt Records

Donal Hinely, "We Built a Fire", 2002, Scuffletown Records

Carlene Carter, "Lonesome, On'ry and Mean: A Tribute to Waylon Jennings" (2003) Dualtone

Oxford American Southern Music CD, 2003

Billy Joe Shaver, "Freedom's Child", 2003, Compadre Records

Kate Campbell, "Twang on a Wire", 2003, Large River Music

Will Kimbrough, "Godsend", 2003, Waxy Silver Records

Jeff Black, "Honey and Salt", 2003, Blue Rose Records

Amy Rigby, "Til the Wheels Fall Off", 2003, Signature Sounds

Mindy Smith, "One Moment More", 2004, Vanguard Records

Greg Trooper, "Floating", 2003, Sugar Hill Records

Jimmy Buffett, "License to Chill" (2004) Mailboat Records

Todd Snider, "East Nashville Skyline" (2004) Oh Boy! Records

Kate Campbell, "The Portable Kate Campbell" (2004) Compadre Records

Kate Campbell, "Sing Me Out" (2004) Compadre Records

Vienna Teng, "Warm Strangers" (2004) Virt Records