Willie Nile
Willie Nile | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Robert Anthony Noonan |
Born | Buffalo, New York | June 7, 1948
Origin | Buffalo, New York |
Genres |
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Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
Instrument(s) |
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Years active | 1976–present |
Labels | |
Website | Official website |
Willie Nile (born Robert Anthony Noonan; June 7, 1948)[1] is an American singer-songwriter.
In 1980, Nile released his self-titled debut album. His early career was interrupted by various problems, but he eventually returned to recording and performing in the US and Europe, establishing himself as a singer-songwriter.[2]
Early life
Born in
Nile studied philosophy at the University at Buffalo and lived in Greenwich Village while beginning his music career. He contracted pneumonia and wrote songs while he spent a year recuperating. Afterward, he began frequenting such clubs as CBGB, where he saw performers including Patti Smith, Television, the Ramones, and Talking Heads.[1]
Career
Early years
Nile established residency at Kenny's Castaways, a Greenwich Village club, where he was discovered by
Following the release of his debut album, Willie Nile, he joined The Who's 1980 summer tour.[8][9][10]
After his second album 1981's Golden Down, Nile became involved with protracted legal problems which curtailed his career for a number of years.[11]
Re-emergence
Although he continued to write, Nile did not perform live or record again until a 1987 performance in
Nile has recorded and performed with several musicians, including Ringo Starr, Tori Amos, Elvis Costello, Lucinda Williams, Ian Hunter, and Barenaked Ladies. A live Central Park concert album, Willie Nile-Archive Alive, was released on Archive Recordings, and Nile was one of the vocalists on the 1998 ensemble album Largo, along with Joan Osborne, Cyndi Lauper, Levon Helm, The Chieftains, Taj Mahal and Carole King. Another project found Nile writing and performing most of the songs for the soundtrack to the Kevin McLaughlin film Pinch Me!.[12]
Gathering together his resources over time, he put out his first self-released album, Beautiful Wreck of the World, in 1999. It was chosen as one of the Top Ten Albums of the Year by critics at Billboard magazine, The Village Voice and Stereo Review.[citation needed]
Lucinda Williams called "On the Road to Calvary," Nile's song for Jeff Buckley, "One of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard." The album reached the finals of the Independent Music Awards for Best Rock Album of the Year.[13]
21st-century renaissance
In the fall of 2003, Nile was invited to share the stage at three concerts with the E Street Band, including the two final Giants Stadium shows as well as the two last shows of that particular tour at Shea Stadium.[14][15]
In 2006, Nile released
House of a Thousand Guitars was released to positive reviews on April 14, 2009.
On November 22, 2009, Nile joined the E Street Band for the cover of Jackie Wilson's "Higher and Higher".[16]
On April 23, 2013, at a ceremony in Leeds, UK, Nile was named Legacy Ambassador for the Buddy Holly Educational Foundation.[17]
On June 25, 2013, Nile released his eighth full-length studio album, American Ride through Loud & Proud Records.[18] Nile originally had planned on self-distributing through money raised on PledgeMusic.com. The decision to sign onto a record label occurred after he was approached by Tom Lipsky, president of Loud & Proud Records.[19] The New Yorker said "One of the most brilliant (and most confounding) singer-songwriters of the last thirty years....he reappeared this year with “American Ride,” another stellar album of tough, insightful rock and roll.[20]
On November 11, 2014, Nile released If I Was a River, a 10-track all piano album, composed by Nile with assistance from his long-time collaborator Frankie Lee.[21]
At a surprise appearance at the 2015 Light of Day Benefit in Asbury Park, New Jersey, Bruce Springsteen joined Nile on stage to perform Nile's "One Guitar".[22][23][24] On May 28, 2015, at the Best Buy Theatre in New York City, Nile joined Springsteen, Joan Jett, Roger Daltrey and Billy Idol at the 11th annual MusiCares MAP Fund benefit concert to honor Pete Townshend for his commitment to helping other musicians with addictions.[25]
On July 27, 2018, Nile released the album Children of Paradise. The album was well received and given excellent reviews. Associated Press' Kiley Armstrong says it is "his best album to date".[26] In a July 2018 review of the album Audiophilie says "Willie Nile has a lot to say and clearly some great songs in his back pocket. You just need to listen. If you have even a bit of conscience remaining, you should listen to Willie's albums of the last 10 years or so. You might just get inspired by his 21st century renaissance".[27]
On March 15, 2020, Nile released his 13th studio album,
In 2022, Nile's 2006 album Streets of New York was chosen "Classic American Album" by David Jarman of Americana-UK.[13]
Band members
- Current members
- Jimi K. Bones – guitar
- Johnny Pisano – electric and upright bass, backing vocals
- Jon Weber – drums
- Former members
- Brad Albetta – electric & acoustic Bass
- Matt Hogan – lead guitar
- Alex Alexander – drums, percussion
- Clay Barnes – guitars
- Jay Dee Daugherty – drums and percussion
- Peter Hoffman – guitars
- Rich Pagano – drums, percussion, background vocals
- Fred Smith – bass
- Andy York – lead guitar, background vocals
Discography
Studio albums
Year | Title |
---|---|
1980 | Willie Nile |
1981 | Golden Down |
1991 | Places I Have Never Been |
1999 | Beautiful Wreck of the World |
2006 | Streets of New York |
2009 | House of a Thousand Guitars |
2010 | The Innocent Ones |
2013 | American Ride |
2014 | If I Was a River |
2016 | World War Willie |
2017 | Positively Bob: Willie Nile Sings Bob Dylan |
2018 | Children of Paradise |
2020 | New York at Night |
2021 | The Day the Earth Stood Still |
Other releases
Year | Title | Format |
---|---|---|
1992 | Hard Times in America | EP |
1997 | Live in Central Park – Archive Alive! | Live CD |
2007 | Live at Turning Point | Live CD |
2008 | Live From the Streets of New York | Live CD & DVD |
2011 | Live Hard Times in the UK | Live CD |
2015 | The Bottom Line Archive Live (1980 and 2000) | Live CD |
Other appearances
Year | Album | Contribution |
---|---|---|
1990 | Acoustic Christmas | "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" |
1991 | Stages: The Lost Album | Electric Guitar, various songs |
1995 | Troubadours of Folk, Vol. 5 | "Behind the Cathedral" |
1998 | Largo | "Medallion" |
2003 | Light of Day: A Tribute to Bruce Springsteen | "I'm On Fire" |
2007 | The Sandinista! Project | "Police on My Back"[31] |
2007 | The Dream Jam Band | Composer, performer |
2012 | Music is Love: A Singer-Songwriters' Tribute to The Music of CSN&Y | "Rockin' in The Free World" |
2020 | Blue Rose Collection 13 | "Trouble Down in Diamond Town" |
Awards
- 1980 Sterio Review Magazine - Willie Nile - Record of the Year[32]
- 2005 Nile was inducted into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame.[33]
- 2013 Winner - AIM Independent Music Awards: "One Guitar" – Best Social Action Song[34]
- 2013 Nominee - AIM Independent Music Awards: "The Innocent Ones" - Best Album Rock/Hard Rock[34]
- 2014 Nominee - AIM Independent Music Awards: "American Ride" - Best Album Rock/Hard Rock[34]
- 2018 Nominee - AIM Independent Music Awards: "Earth Blues" - Best Social Action Short Form Music Video [34]
References
- ^ a b c Skelly, Richard. "Willie Nile Biography". AllMusic.com. Archived from the original on May 16, 2016. Retrieved December 16, 2016.
- ^ Deming, Mark. "All Music Review". AllMusic. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
- ^ "Biodata". Willie Nile official website. Archived from the original on May 12, 2016. Retrieved December 16, 2016.
- ^ The Aquarian. Archivedfrom the original on March 2, 2013. Retrieved December 16, 2016.
- ^ Palmer, Robert (July 29, 1978). "Willie Nile Sings Rock and Folk". The New York Times. Retrieved August 18, 2018.
- ^ "Willie Nile recently played an unannounced midnight set at Kenny's Castaways, the Greenwich Village club where he was discovered by Arista's Clive Davis". Stereo Review. January 1981.
- ^ Holden, Stephen (1981). "Willie Nile Sings His Tales". The New York Times. Retrieved August 15, 2018.
- ^ "Arenas (6,000 to 20,000), page 32". Billboard. Billboard Magazine. July 1, 1980. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
- ^ Palmer, Robert (August 21, 1980). "Willie Nile: busting out of Bleecker Street". Rolling Stone. No. 324. p. 20.
- ^ Parker, Thomas M. "Memphis, TN, Mid-South Coliseum The Who, Thursday, 10. July 1980". The Who Concert Guide. Bob Smoochie Productions. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
- ^ Orwat Jr., Thomas S. (March 14, 1916). "Interview – Willie Nile". rockmusicstar.com. Rock Music Star. Archived from the original on April 4, 2017. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
But, soon after his 1981 album, 'Golden Down,' Nile's career was put on hold, due to music business legal issues that derailed his career for a decade.
- ^ Pinch Me! movie website Archived July 15, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, pinchme-themovie.com; accessed June 20, 2017.
- ^ a b Jarman, David (August 24, 2022). "Classic Americana Albums: Willie Nile "Streets of New York"". Americana-UK.com. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
- ^ Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Tour 2003 Set List Archived May 10, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Billboard Magazine October 6, 2003 Archived September 21, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Goldstein, Stan (November 23, 2009). "Bruce Springsteen plays the final show of his 2009 tour in Buffalo on Sunday night". NJ.com. Archived from the original on November 26, 2009. Retrieved December 16, 2009.
- ^ Willie Nile named legacy ambassador for the Buddy Holly Educational Foundation Archived January 8, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Carey Baker's Conqueroo Archived July 19, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Willie Nile takes rock on an 'American Ride'". June 6, 2013. Archived from the original on May 10, 2014. Retrieved August 4, 2013.
- ^ "Night Life Rock and Pop Willie Nile". newyorker.com. Condé Nast. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
- ^ Harr, Dan (November 6, 2014). "Willie Nile to Release Album of Piano-Based songs Nov 11". Music News Nashville. Archived from the original on November 10, 2014. Retrieved November 9, 2014.
- ^ Angermiller, Michele Amabile (January 18, 2015). "Watch Bruce Springsteen Perform at Light of Day 2015 Benefit in New Jersey". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 21, 2015. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
- ^ Volpe, Allie (January 19, 2015). "Bruce Springsteen Plays Surprise Concert in Asbury Park". philly.com. Archived from the original on May 10, 2014. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
- ^ Skelly, Richard (January 23, 2015). "Light of Day Memories". Asbury Park Press. Archived from the original on May 10, 2014. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
- ^ Ives, Brian (May 29, 2015). "Bruce Springsteen, Joan Jett, Roger Daltrey Pay Tribute to Pete Townshend at MusiCares Event". radio.com. Archived from the original on May 10, 2014. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
- ^ Armstrong, Kiley (July 26, 2018). "Review: Willie Nile delivers depth, danceable defiance". Associated Press. Retrieved July 28, 2018.
- ^ "Review of Willie NIle's New Children of Paradise Album, Tidal". audiophilereview.com. July 9, 2018. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
- ^ "Willie Nile Announces New LP "New York at Night"". glidemagazine.com. Glide Magazine. March 2, 2020. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
- ^ Horowitz, Hal (May 14, 2020). "Willie Nile Takes A(nother) Rockin' Bite Out of The Big Apple". americansongwriter.com. Long Beach, CA: American Songwriter. Retrieved May 16, 2020.
- ^ "Album Reviews: Willie Nile – New York at Night". elmoremagazine.com. New York City: Elmore Magazine. May 6, 2020. Retrieved May 17, 2020.
- OCLC 178980813.
- ^ Goodfriend, James, Music Editor (February 1981). "Record of the Year Awards for 1980". Stereo Review.
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has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Willie Nile's entry at Buffalo Music Hall of Fame".
- ^ a b c d "Past IMA Programs". Retrieved September 25, 2020.
External links
- Willie Nile Official Website
- Willie Nile at AllMusic
- Willie Nile discography at MusicBrainz
- Willie Nile discography at Discogs
- Willie Nile at IMDb
- "Willie Nile". @ Madison House Agency.
- "Willie Nile". @ Congaroo.