Craft Recordings To Release Don Williams’ ‘EPILOGUE: THE CELLAR TAPES’

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Don Williams‘ EPILOGUE: THE CELLAR TAPES, a collection of previously unheard tracks, will release on May 29 via Craft Recordings.

“Fans from Abilene to Zimbabwe (really) will delight in discovering these never-before-released gems from the incomparable Don Williams,” says Ed Morris in the album’s liner notes. “Recorded and held in reserve during his 1979–1984 era of hits, these songs present Williams in his artistic prime.”

Found in the cellar of the Williams family’s rural Tennessee home, the tapes were brought to Williams’ four decade long co-producer Garth Fundis. The tapes contain recordings from 1979 to 1984, which involved hits such as “Good Ole Boys Like Me,” “It Must Be Love,” “I Believe in You,” “Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good,” and “Love Is on a Roll.”

The collection will be available on vinyl, CD, and digital formats. The lead single, “Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight,” is available now, with a music video directed by West Webb. The song was co-penned by Rodney Crowell and Donivan Cowart, and was previously recorded by The Oak Ridge Boys and Emmylou Harris.

Don’s son, Tim Williams, served as Executive Producer on the project. Joe Allen is noted on bass, with Kenny Malone on drums and congas. String arrangements, piano and organ were done by Charles Cochran. Additional players include Lloyd Green on steel and Jimmy Colvard, Dave Kirby and Billy Sanford on guitar.

“These songs Dad recorded are—as music can be—a time machine,” shares Tim. “Obviously, I grew up always hearing what he was doing. He’d bring home three to four songs at a time from the album he was working on at different stages. In working on this project, we tried above all to stay true to how Dad approached production, made much easier for me with Garth’s involvement, and then just to stay out of the way of the music.”

“Don liked every one of these songs,” adds Fundis. “I remember recording all of them… He was very particular about the songs he recorded and the sound we created for each of them. But, if a song didn’t make in to an album, it wasn’t necessarily because he didn’t like it. Moreover, it was because of how songs fit together to create an album. I think he’d be thrilled to know that people could hear him sing these new songs they didn’t know existed. I’m certain Don would be proud of this album.”

Epilogue: The Cellar Tapes Tracklist:
1. “Try Me Again”
2. “You Came True”
3. “I’m The One (Alternate Version)”
4. “Leaving Louisiana In The Broad Daylight”
5. “I Wish I Was Crazy Again”
6. “I’m In Love For My Last Time”
7. “Spinning Around”
8. “A Matter Of Time”
9. “I’m The One (Original Version)”
10. “How Can I Miss What I Never Had”
11. “Goldy’s Gone From Golden”
12. “Growing On Me”

Madison Hahnen
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