Biography
Josh Williams, recognized for his awards as a guitarist and vocalist, also commands mastery of the banjo along with expert command of mandolin and fiddle. Professional performances began when he reached ten. Born in western Kentucky during 1980 and raised near Paducah, he received a toy keyboard one Christmas at age seven and quickly gained command of the instrument. Guitar chords from his father sparked parallel interests in banjo and mandolin. Focused banjo work started at nine, while guitar and mandolin studies continued without pause.
The banjo-centered debut Tall Pickin' was captured locally and issued independently at age ten. Though reviews stayed scarce and copies proved hard to find, “Over the Rainbow” and “Nashville Blues” surfaced on Prime Cuts of Bluegrass collections. Those tracks drew nationwide notice and earned a Nickelodeon Nick News profile at twelve. Banjo lessons proceeded first with Scottie Henson and then Alison Brown. At twelve he formed Josh Williams & High Gear. Numerous appearances included an opening slot for Ralph Stanley before he entered the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Bluegrass Youth All-Stars, which also featured mandolinist Chris Thile. The ensemble later became the Young Acoustic All-Stars and recorded Somewhere Down the Road for New Haven Records in 1993. Josh Williams & High Gear next released The Old Town of Home in 1994 and the all-gospel Come to That River in 2007, both on Copper Creek Records.
After high school, Williams joined Chicago’s Special Consensus on mandolin and fiddle, remaining until 2003, when he switched to guitar with the hard-touring Rage. His first solo album, Now That You’re Gone, appeared on Pinecastle Records in 2000. Lonesome Highway followed in 2005, the same year he performed on Rhonda Vincent & the Rage’s Ragin’ Live. Drug and alcohol problems led to his dismissal from the band. In 2008 Tony Rice recruited him for mandolin, the same year Williams captured the first of three consecutive International Bluegrass Music Association Guitarist of the Year awards.
Even as substance difficulties intensified, the quality of his playing stayed high. Down Home was tracked for Pinecastle in 2009, yet the project stalled when founder Colonel Tom Riggs fell ill and the label closed. Five years without a release did not stop voters from naming him Emerging Artist of the Year at the 21st IBMA awards; Rounder then issued Down Home in 2010.
He entered rehabilitation in 2011, the year he became a father. Vincent rehired him at the close of 2012.
Sessions resumed in 2015 with producer J.D. Crowe and engineer Steve Chandler at Hilltop Studios. The lineup included Sam Bush, Sierra Hull, Rob Ickes, and Doug Jernigan. Modern Day Man came out in March 2016.
The banjo-centered debut Tall Pickin' was captured locally and issued independently at age ten. Though reviews stayed scarce and copies proved hard to find, “Over the Rainbow” and “Nashville Blues” surfaced on Prime Cuts of Bluegrass collections. Those tracks drew nationwide notice and earned a Nickelodeon Nick News profile at twelve. Banjo lessons proceeded first with Scottie Henson and then Alison Brown. At twelve he formed Josh Williams & High Gear. Numerous appearances included an opening slot for Ralph Stanley before he entered the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Bluegrass Youth All-Stars, which also featured mandolinist Chris Thile. The ensemble later became the Young Acoustic All-Stars and recorded Somewhere Down the Road for New Haven Records in 1993. Josh Williams & High Gear next released The Old Town of Home in 1994 and the all-gospel Come to That River in 2007, both on Copper Creek Records.
After high school, Williams joined Chicago’s Special Consensus on mandolin and fiddle, remaining until 2003, when he switched to guitar with the hard-touring Rage. His first solo album, Now That You’re Gone, appeared on Pinecastle Records in 2000. Lonesome Highway followed in 2005, the same year he performed on Rhonda Vincent & the Rage’s Ragin’ Live. Drug and alcohol problems led to his dismissal from the band. In 2008 Tony Rice recruited him for mandolin, the same year Williams captured the first of three consecutive International Bluegrass Music Association Guitarist of the Year awards.
Even as substance difficulties intensified, the quality of his playing stayed high. Down Home was tracked for Pinecastle in 2009, yet the project stalled when founder Colonel Tom Riggs fell ill and the label closed. Five years without a release did not stop voters from naming him Emerging Artist of the Year at the 21st IBMA awards; Rounder then issued Down Home in 2010.
He entered rehabilitation in 2011, the year he became a father. Vincent rehired him at the close of 2012.
Sessions resumed in 2015 with producer J.D. Crowe and engineer Steve Chandler at Hilltop Studios. The lineup included Sam Bush, Sierra Hull, Rob Ickes, and Doug Jernigan. Modern Day Man came out in March 2016.
Albums

Rosalie's Firestorm
2024

Jesus You Are
2021

One Another
2020

Three Open Tables
2020

Two Skies Awake
2020

Highway Ambience
2020

Songs for an Orphan Generation
2018

Modern Day Man
2016

Down Home
2010

Lonesome Highway
2004

Now That Your Gone
2001
Singles

Frameless Fire
2022

Breath of Air
2022

Winding Web
2022

100 Rings
2022

Everglades
2021

Perpetuity
2021

Hanging Leaves
2021

Stacked Books
2021

Pink Clouds
2021

Holiday Love
2021

Comfortable Couch
2021

Hills of Joy
2021

Find Our Way
2021

I Know a Shortcut
2021

Eleven
2021

Footpath
2021

Slap City
2021

The Ever Expanding Nothingness
2021

Green Pastures
2021

Gravity
2021

Gargantua
2021

Binary Star
2021

Stay
2021

Deep Space
2021

Until Dawn
2021

Comet
2021

Frozen Clouds
2021

Wormhole
2021

Tranquil Sea
2021

Winter
2021

Wilderness
2021

Gathering Swallows
2021

Firewood
2021

Altogether Unexpected
2021

Time's Edge
2021

Creaking Ship
2021

Candles Lit
2021

Twilight Wondering
2021

Dark Jungle
2021

Autumn
2021

Soul Stepping
2021

Don't Forget the Feeling
2021

Tell Me How It Is
2021

Say That Again
2021

Coffee Blend
2021

Forest Walking
2021

Sad to See You Go
2021

Silver Creek
2021

Bellowing Call
2021

Guitar Dreaming
2021

Recycle
2021

The Borderlands
2021

Gunslinger, Pt. 2
2021

Draw at Noon
2021

Low Lit Saloon
2021

Lit Fuse
2021

Nearest Town
2021

Windswept
2021

Adventure
2021

Jackson
2021

Near End
2021

Her Echo
2021

Sleeping and Soul
2021

That Smile
2021

Pretty Power
2021

This Madness
2021

Hero
2021

Talk About Desire
2021

She Said to Me
2021

Cool for the Friends
2021

Battlefield Day
2021

Colour of the Day
2021

Troubles
2021

Make a Point
2021

Heart for Money
2021

Lincoln Way
2021

Maryland
2021

Tuesday
2021

Punk Kid
2021

The Fade out
2021

Cadillac
2021

February
2021

Anteric
2021

Imagine the Future
2021

Metanoia
2021

Garden Island
2021

Chilling
2021

Broken Mold
2021

Rich in Love
2021

Darker Night
2021

Dark Dreams
2021

Gunslinger, Pt. 1
2021

Chtulu
2021

A Fight in Me
2021

Ephialtes
2021

Pandemonium
2021

Africa
2017
