ISSUE #24 MMUSICMAG.COM INDIE SCENE arlowe Kristin b Kristin

hoLLy wiLLiams Back on the highway and serving notice that she’s here to stay

It can be tough to lIve up to oversees her own label, georgiana Records. of her first album, 2004’s The Ones We family legacies—and holly Williams carries “I try to balance it all,” says Williams, 31. Never Knew, she was involved in a near- one monster pedigree. her grandfather “but at the end of the day, my touring fatal car crash that severely injured her arm, was legendary hank Williams. her father, and my music life reign over everything.” and forced her sister to undergo a series hank Williams Jr., is also a country giant, the new album—which Williams of 26 surgeries. “after the accident, I didn’t and her half-brother, cow punkster hank produced with charlie peacock—is a star- know if I’d ever be able to play again,” she III, has broken his own barriers. Is the long studded affair featuring contributions from says. “but after a near-death experience shadow of such success intimidating? Jackson browne, Jakob Dylan, gwyneth like that, it makes you want to live every “If anything, it’s been kind of a paltrow and Dierks bentley. “I’ve gotten to day to the fullest. It sounds cliché but it’s challenge,” she says. “there will always be work with my heroes,” she beams. “We sent so true. So I took a break for a while, got people who say, ‘of course you’re a singer. a song to Jackson browne’s management, married [to musician chris coleman], spent Yawn.’ With the first record, I got comments and I thought, ‘he’s never going to reply.’ time at the store and reassessed. I thought like, ‘She’s just another famous person’s and he wrote back saying, ‘I think she’s a I’d adapt to the family mode, but the daughter.’ So you just have to keep proving great songwriter; I’m available tuesday.’ to highway came calling again. I can never get yourself over and over, letting people know have someone like him say, ‘I support you’— away from that live performance because you’re not just doing this because your that to me is what it’s all about.” I love telling stories through my music.” dad and grandfather did it. I’m different. although Williams’ songs came Despite Williams’ previous success I’m not wearing a cowboy hat and going to quickly—she wrote or co-wrote all 11 she feels her new record is helping her country radio. people might compare me to tracks—the recording itself was often make a career statement. “It’s funny—I’ve my grandfather, but no one can really difficult. “I was trying to get it just right had two albums, I’ve been touring forever, live up to that.” without having it sound too polished. It was I’ve had critical acclaim, but yet I feel like as her new album’s title The Highway a stressful few weeks,” she says. “but I like this is my first album in a way,” she says. suggests, this Williams is keenly adept to call it ‘exciting stress.’ In the big picture, “I’m reintroducing myself and telling people at plotting her own path, and is happy to I’m glad to have control. I’m so much more that it’s real this time. I’m not going to take stake her name on individual achievement. involved on a day-to-day basis than I was another four-year hiatus. In fact, I have part She’s recorded three albums, owns and with a major label because there isn’t that of the next record written already. I’m a operates a high-end nashville clothing disconnect, and I love that.” traveling singer-songwriter, and the music boutique called h. audrey, maintains a food Williams’ career trajectory hasn’t been will keep coming.” and lifestyle blog, theafternoonoff.com, and easy. In March 2006, following the release –Lee Zimmerman

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