Singer and guitar player William Lee Ellis grew up listening to deep American roots music. His godfather was bluegrass music pioneer Bill Monroe and his father was songwriter and banjo player Tony Ellis, who was member of the Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys. From a very young age he immersed himself in roots music and, many times, he went with his father when he was booked to play. He soon learned guitar, banjo and violin, also becoming interested by the fingerpickin’ technique, as well as performing at all bluegrass and old-time music festivals around the country. After a bright growing career, William put music aside for a few years to earn a PhD in ethnomusicology at the University of Memphis under famed scholar David Evans and today, he is Associated Professor and Chair at Saint Michael’s College in Vermont, an activity he combines with his musical performances.

Now he has just released a new album with twelve tracks composed and recorded during pandemic and post-pandemic time. All the songs are an interesting mixture of acoustic blues, folk, bluegrass and old-time music, styles he mastery and perfectly knows, developing them with cleverness and good taste, giving them a very personal and aesthetic vision.

William Lee Ellis has surrounded himself by a group of musicians who totally know how to play the most traditional and essential instruments used in those particular styles, always managing to create the relaxed, dancing and party country atmosphere which becomes distinctive when you play all those music genres.