
Event information
Brooks Williams is one of those select few ‘'how on earth does he do it?” artists. He can sing. He can write. And, man oh man, can he play guitar.
Cambridge UK-based, Statesboro, Georgia US-born, admired by both listeners and fellow musicians, Brooks Williams has been a leading light on the acoustic music scene for three decades. FATEA says his performances show “the greatest level of true expertise.”
Listed as one of the ‘Top 100 Acoustic Guitarists,’ his guitar skills are evident as he effortlessly slides in and out of folk, blues and country. "He was playing Americana before it had been given the name,” says CMP . “How soulful a solo guitarist can be when he has talent, taste and astonishing technique,” writes Blues Revue.
Williams left his Georgia home in his late teens and moved to Boston at the height of the 1990’s acoustic music renaissance. He did his apprenticeship in the bars and clubs in New York and New England and cut his teeth supporting artists like Shawn Colvin, Chris Smither, Rory Block, Leo Kottke, Odetta, Billy Bragg and Taj Mahal.
His first album, North From Statesboro, caught the attention of The Washington Post and National Public Radio, which set the ball rolling and Williams never looked back. People took notice and acoustic music radio played him from the very beginning, including WUMB-FM in Boston, where Williams is one of their Top 100 Artists Of All-Time.
In subsequent years he has released a staggering 34 recordings in 35 years for labels like Green Linnet Records, Solid Air Records, Signature Sounds and Reveal, including Diamond Days, his latest, which At The Barrier calls a “stunning collection from the chocolate-voiced, guitar maestro.”
Never one to shy away from the road, the list of venues and festivals Brooks Williams has played is staggering. Newport, Winnipeg, Cropredy, Cambridge, Philadelphia, are but a few of many.
Alongside his solo shows, Brooks Williams regularly performs with a host of fellow-musicians. With three albums under their belts, his shows with fiddler Aaron Catlow are, says AmericanaUK, “live music at its best.” Other collaborations include Boo Hewerdine and Vera van Heeringen.
Rosslyn Court
Expect a small, seated, friendly, quirky, listening venue with a heart – we have a tiny bar selling beer, wine, cider, gin! and hot and cold drinks -nibbly stuff and always a cake. The venue is accessible, on one level. You will be seated at tables or in rows, according to numbers in the audience. If you need to use your phone for texting or lyrics, please turn the brightness of your phone down and consider sitting near the back to minimise the impact.
Arrive at 7pm to get a seat, a drink and a chat before the concert.
The first hour of concerts is livestreamed on YouTube. You can watch it any time after 7.30 on the night of the concert via the Rosslyn Court Website. There is an exclusive second set for the audience in the room, including a Q&A with the performers. We ask you to make a donation, please, when you watch the livestream to help us to continue this service.
There is a Rosslyn Court raffle. £1 a ticket. You may win a CD …or a “Who Gives A Crap” emergency toilet roll! WGAC donate half their profits to water charities and are plastic free. People who donate during the concert are entered into the raffle.
There is usually a floor singer and often a 2-minute community slot informing us of what happens locally. The second half starts with a Q&A and is not livestreamed. If you think of something you want to know more about in the first half, just ask! Sometimes there is another floor song.
The concerts usually finish well before 10. Except for Tim Edey because he is unstoppable. (We also run a B&B here hahaha)
If you want to view the livestream after midnight of the concert date then go to the livestream option on the website where all the old livestreams live.
Tickets are kept as affordable as we can and there are always a few cheaper and others more expensive to help us subsidise the concessionary seats.. Sometimes tickets are a little more expensive to reflect the status of the performer.
This year we are trialling an early bird ticket price to encourage people to book at least a month in advance.
Please ring for more details, 07902140248
See you soon
Morag
Rosslyn Court
morag@rosslyncourt.com
www.rosslyncourt.com/events
07902140248
62 Sweyn Rd Margate CT92DD