ALBUM:
Special Delivery
TAYLOR USED:
814ce
SONG CLIPS:
The Road Less Traveled
28K | 56K | MP3
Breakup School
28K | 56K | MP3
CONTACT INFO:
P.O. Box 21344
Washington, DC 20009
Auburn Moon Agency
Tel:
(800) 566-6653
Fax:
(610) 274-8492
E-mail:
bill @songs .com
Web:
www.billparsons.com
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Bill Parsons is an eight-time WAMMIE (Washington Area Music Award) Nominee for Best Contemporary Folk Vocalist
and Best Contemporary Folk Recording), and an artist clearly in love with the songwriting craft. With a dulcet
voice, clever pen, and tasteful ear, he blends humor and heartfelt emotion, creating a versatile acoustic-based
sound that draws from many points along the musical spectrum, and always avoids a flatfooted musical stance. He'll
come at the listener from all angles: from a subtle tap on the shoulder to straight between the eyes; through a
vividly etched character, or a detailed, nuanced metaphor. "To be hopeful without being trite or naïve," Parsons
says in describing his musical m.o. "Acoustic music for a post-politically-correct world."
Special Delivery arrives three years after his previous release, Unskilled Labor, and features the studio shine of
some great players, including guitar maestro Stephen Bennett, bassist Dave Pomeroy, and drummer/percussionist Larry
Emanuel. Hearing Parsons' voice is like sinking into a comfy couch, as his expressive phrasing kneads his lyrics into
shape, undercutting heartache with barbed humor in "Breakup School," playing the torch singer in "Easy Affection,"
knowing enough to lay back on the spare, tangy "Gloria's Blues" so the slide guitar and harp can season the mood;
and derailing a metaphor with humor in "The Road Less Traveled". He even has the guts to strip down the '80s Thomas
Dolby hit, "She Blinded Me With Science" and reupholster the melody with an intimate acoustic guitar, hand percussion,
and sinister electric cello strokes, casting a more heartfelt glow on the lyrics.
Parsons used his 814ce on seven of Special Delivery's ten tracks. "The soundscape on Special Delivery borrows from
styles as diverse as alternative, gospel, jazz, and folk," he says. "But no matter where the music took me, my Taylor
814ce was always there to make it sparkle. It's an incredibly versatile instrument."
Special Delivery has received AAA airplay internationally, on such programs as the World Café, Acoustic Café, and
National Public Radio's Morning Edition. Parsons averages 125 dates a year, and has shared the stage with such
performers as The Burns Sisters, Don Cognoscenti, Catie Curtis, John Gorka, The Nields, Martin Sexton, Richard
Shindell, Michael Smith, and Dar Williams. He's been honored in numerous songwriting contests, sponsored the likes
of the Austin Songwriters' Association and Billboard magazine. Parsons is also a columnist for Performing Songwriter
magazine, and contributed to the 2000 Songwriter's Market (Writer's Digest Books).
"An emerging voice in the east coast folk music scene."
— The New York Times
"Clever and touching."
— The Washington Post
"Out of this smoldering heap of sentiment and sarcasm emerges a singer-songwriter who uses a bittersweet sense of humor to deliver honest messages."
— The State College Centre Daily Times
"Parsons possesses a full, mellifluous voice, descriptive lyrics and superb guitar work. His songs display a sharp eye for nuance and are personal in a way that makes you want to call him up and ask for advice."
— The Hudson Current
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