Sons Of Bill sign with Capshaw
Local country rock outfit Sons Of Bill has become the latest band to sign with Coran Capshaw's Red Light Management, joining a clientele that includes the likes of such heavy music biz hitters as Alanis Morrisette, Cheap Trick, Trey Anastasio, and Robert Randolph & The Family Band. The announcement came via the sudden appearance of the band's name on the homepage of Red Light's website. The group is only the third Charlottesville band to become a Capshaw cohort, after last year's signing of one-time Hook cover boys Sparky's Flaw and some fiddle-and-sax band from the early '90s.
The group's name is meant to be taken literally, as the band's lineup includes the three sons of William Wilson, the assistant dean of arts and sciences at UVA: lead guitarist Sam Wilson, rhythm guitarist and lead singer James Wilson, and Abe Wilson on keyboards and banjo. After the brothers added bassist Seth Green and an ever-changing series of drummers to the mix in 2005, their live act steadily gained a following both at home playing clubs and abroad playing military bases in Asia at the behest of the Pentagon.
Soon, the band caught the attention of several experts from last year's Hook music issue.
"I've heard a live recording of them, and it just knocked me out," said Skip Castro Band guitarist Charlie Pastorfield.
"The world should and will hear of them beyond our garden walls," predicted veteran trumpeter John D'earth. "The band's music is so fresh, varied, masterful in all traditions and free from cliché and dogma that it could only be of the present moment."
And, perhaps the Hook should have seen the SOB/RLM alliance coming because, Red Light's own Bruce Flohr said of the group, "They remind me of everyone from Rust Never Sleeps-era Neil Young to Waylon Jennings to Wilco, and if they're given the right exposure, they'll be huge in this town and beyond."
Already, the band has cut a debut album, last year's A Far Cry from Freedom, which was recorded in Dave Matthews Band's famed Haunted Hollow studio in Scottsville. Fans of local Internet radio juggernaut and recent Hook cover subject the Midnight Barbecue may recognize Sons Of Bill's "Far Cry" as the weekly show's theme song.
Calls to the band's new representation were not immediately returned, but for his part, Sparky's Flaw frontman Will Anderson couldn't be happier about this latest horse to join the Red Light stable.
"Sons Of Bill is best band in Charlottesville. Better than us," he said. "It's only a short matter of time before they blow up."
Before you have to pay to see them, Sons Of Bill will open this summer's free Friday's After 5 concert series at the Charlottesville Pavilion on April 18.
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7 comments
Thanks for weighing in, mb. I know Devon had support from Red Light artists (Stefan Lessard played on her debut record, for example) but I'm not sure if she was ever an actual Red Light artist herself. Not sure about Corey Harris, or TR3, but, now that you mention it, I wouldn't be surprised if they had been with Red Light. We'll look into it. Thanks for the tip, and thanks for reading!
Sincerely,
Lindsay Barnes
third? I specifically remember Corey Harris being managed by red light directly after dmb and agents of good roots were signed... I also think Tr3 had a were possibly represented by red light too in the 90's... And Devon went through a stint through red light a bit too when she first started... Way to go for the SOB's though... Hope they tear up the country waves across the country !
I believe that Far Cry was recorded at Crystalphonics studio not Haunted hollow if i remember correctly. I know that the SOBs have been working independently for so long now--its great to see their getting some help from fellow charlottesvillians.
Country Rules
Also haunted hollow is not in scottsville, that is for sure
cool Lindsay... Devon was managed by Jess Baucom who was working at Red light at the time, but you may be right about not being "signed" to Red light... Corey was definitely a Red Light artist, he was the 1st or 2nd act to be signed to Red light, and Coran was his actual manager too. Also, I remember Old School Freight Train being on Red Light about a year ago, but they seem to not be on their roster anymore... I could be wrong, but I wouldn't have been surprised if Indecision and Baaba Seth may have had a brief time with Red Light as well, when it was a "local" management company... but I think the Sparky's Flaw and SOB's are definitely the only ones right now that are continuing to grow with success with Red Light, so I guess we just have a lot of talent in this growing town!
Where is Haunted Hollow located at?
Dave maintains a house to the north of the county's only Town. It is located on the Hardware River in the former Jefferson Mill. Maybe Dave has a studio there.