Renowned troubadour William Fitzsimmons at The Soiled Dove on September 13 as part of his headlining North American tour!
Illinois-based producer and renowned troubadour William Fitzsimmons unveils another look into his forthcoming album, Covers, Vol. 1, with a warm rendition of Taylor Swift’s “the 1.” He cleverly leans into the breezy energy of the original while infusing his subtle sense of soul.
“I loved Taylor’s last two albums: ‘folklore’ and ‘evermore,'” explains William. “I respect the hell out of her, but I give a ton of credit to Aaron Dessner from The National. It’s a cool wedding of the energy and vitality she brings and the interesting arrangements he comes up with. I love what they did.”
Listen to “The 1” on all digital retailers HERE: https://williamfitzsimmons.ffm.to/the1
“I just wanted to do songs that meant a lot to me for varying reasons,” he says. “I share some of the songs with other people. Some of the songs remind me of my childhood. Some of the songs are low-key messages to individuals from my past—and they’re not necessarily positive. Some of the songs are just pure joy. Ultimately, they are all songs I love and respect from artists I think are incredible.”
Music means a lot to everyone, but it means everything to William…
“Once the Global Pandemic hit, I found myself at home with time and a basement studio. I needed something to work on, so I just started doing covers,” he shares. “I didn’t even make a list; it was just a way to keep from going crazy. It was self-therapy so that I wouldn’t lose my mind. However, it ended up one of my favorite periods of being a musician.”
He initially teased out Vol. 1 with his take on Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart.” He strips down this classic to delicate acoustic guitars, the hum of airy keys, and gentle vocals, tapping into its stark emotional core. Elsewhere, he pays homage to “life-changing” artists such as Sufjan Stevens (“Futile Devices”) and R.E.M. (“Sweetness Follows”) and shows reverence to Gen-Z songsmiths a la Chelsea Cutler (“Please”) and Phoebe Bridgers (“Smoke Signals”). Meanwhile, his take on Elton John’s “Your Song” forever holds a special place in his heart as it effectively turns the page on the next chapter of his life.
“On Valentine’s Day a couple of years ago, I recorded it for my now-wife,” he reveals. “She’s not a big flowers person, so I cut the cover and sent it to her instead. It became our song. She even walked down the aisle to it.”
For the first time in a long time, William Fitzsimmons will embark on a headlining tour through the US & Canada this coming September and October with special guest Stuart Smith. The tour kicks off at City Winery on September 8th in Chicago, IL. Tickets for all shows are on sale now. Find out more information and details at https://williamfitzsimmons.com/tour/.
William Fitzsimmons Fall 2022 US/Canada Tour Dates:
Thurs, September 8 Chicago, IL @ City Winery
Fri, September 9 Milwaukee, WI @ The Black Room
Sat, September 10 Minneapolis, MN @ Icehouse
Sun, September 11 Davenport, IA @ The Racoon Motel
Tue, September 13 Denver, CO @ The Soiled Dove
Wed, September 14 Fort Collins, CO @ The Aggie Theater
Thurs, September 15 Salt Lake City, UT @ The State Room
Sun, September 17 Seattle, WA @ Ballard Homestead
Mon, September 18 Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret
Tues, September 19 Portland, OR @ The Old Church
Wed, September 21 Berkeley, CA @ Freight & Salvage
Thurs, September 22 Felton, CA @ Felton Music Hall
Fri, September 23 Venice, CA @ The Venice West
Sat, September 24 Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy & Harriet’s
Sun, September 25 San Diego, CA @ Casbah
Wed, September 28 Austin, TX @ Parish
Thurs, September 29 Fort Worth, TX @ Tulips FTW
Fri, September 30 Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
Sat, October 1 New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa
Mon, October 3 Decatur, GA @ Eddie’s Attic
Wed, October 5 Vienna, VA @ Jammin Java
Thurs, October 6 Philadelphia, PA @ World Café Live
Fri, October 7 New York, NY @ Rockwood Stage 2
Sat, October 8 Northampton, MA @ The Parlor Room
Sun, October 9 Boston, MA @ City Winery
Tues, October 11 Toronto, ON @ The Drake Hotel
Wed, October 12 Ann Arbor, MI @ The Ark
Thurs, October 13 Columbus, OH @ Woodlands Tavern
Fri, October 14 Indianapolis, IN @ HI-FI
Sat, October 15 St. Louis, MO @ Off-Broadway
Track List:
1. the 1 (Taylor Swift)
2. Love Will Tear Us Apart (Joy Division)
3. The Commander Thinks Aloud (The Long Winters)
4. Solsbury Hill (Peter Gabriel)
5. Annie’s Song (John Denver)
6. Please (Chelsea Cutler)
7. Futile Devices (Sufjan Stevens)
8. Sweetness Follows (R.E.M.)
9. Naked As We Came (Iron & Wine)
10. Your Song (Elton John)
11. Lovin’s For Fools (Sarah Siskind)
12. Smoke Signals (Phoebe Bridgers)
Visit williamfitzsimmons.com for more information.
