William Blackart

Arkansas' William Blackart plays a lo-fi country brand of folk music. With lyrics described as “poetic and captivating,” vocals pegged as “rough and emotive” and guitar work called “hypnotic and spare” (Dakota Discography), his influences range from Townes Van Zandt to Leonard Cohen to The Clash. With roots in the punk rock bands The Fraggin Monarchists (1998-2005) and Ray Brower’s Body (2005-2006), Blackart’s musical focus shifted toward the stripped-down acoustic tunes he’d begun exploring, when moving to Chicago, Ill. in 2006. Honing his craft around Chicago’s open mic circuit, proper show opportunities soon arose, and the following spring he recorded the solo debut, Left, a ten-track collection of bare-boned and gritty songs. After a year in Chicago Blackart resettled in Arkansas and began touring in support of Left. He’s been on the road steadily since, playing with acts like Richard Buckner, The Legendary Shack Shakers, Joe Jack Talcum (The Dead Milkmen) and Dax Riggs. Return, the sophomore follow-up to Left, was released September 28, 2018 on vinyl, CD and digital. Produced by fellow Arkie songster Adam Faucett, Return is a thicker album, featuring Faucett on electric guitar and bass, and Chad Conder (Hard Pass) on drums. Lyrically, Return journeys through a land where love and loss co-mingle with ghosts and musings on philosophy and the supernatural. Booking/Contact: williamblackart1@gmail.com - www.williamblackart.com