Why Musicking?

I come to the delightful world of music naturally in many ways -- my late father, Parker Otwell Willson, III, made several recordings throughout his career as a singer, dancer, and actor and was possessed of a powerful and beautiful tenor voice. My birth mother had a lovely sopralto. I took the obligatory piano lessons as a boy and performed in a local bell choir, loving whatever music I could participate in and all the while basking in the gifts my older brothers gave me: a love of Pink Floyd, the Dead, Bowie, the Doors, Boston, the Beatles, and the entire host of classic rock legends. Exiled to military school for high school, I was at least able to sing with the chorus for two years, which is where I learned the basics of and gained an affinity for choral singing and choral music (Renaissance polyphony still being some of my very favorite music). 

Going to college in Virginia, I found my way into the world of collegiate a cappella which led me to studying with my first voice and music mentor, Dr. Jennifer Cable, whose influence would help shape my musical world view as much as the music of Roger Waters. With my a cappella group, the UR Octaves, I gained all my early recording, mixing, mastering, and producing experience, having the insightful opportunity of working on two albums before graduating in 1998. After four years spent in service as an officer in the Marines, I returned to UR to begin studies pursuant a Bachelor of Music. After two years, I graduated with a degree in Vocal Performance. 

My love of traditional Irish music coupled with several summers of study at the University of Limerick led me to professional performance in the genre for about six years. This time period saw my membership in the Irish trad groups The Patched Hats and Sojourn, extensively touring the East Coast and Midwest. I recorded “Steppin' Large and Laughin' Easy” with Andreas Transo (as The Patched Hats) in 2005 and released the album later that summer. After three years in New York City where I briefly owned and operated Taolchemy Records, LLC, a small independent Irish trad record label, and did some freelance journalism, I moved back to my native Colorado for some much-needed reinvention and musical renaissance where I currently reside. 

My best friend and business partner, Will Rawls, and I founded The Lot Scene together almost a decade ago.  Working through this endeavor I was able to flex my writing chops once again in the realm of music journalism, specifically in the the jam music universe: festival experience archiving, live music reviews, album thoughts, etc. Coupled with the incredible photography and friendship of Mr. Rawls, I enjoyed an incredible tenure with the company until retiring in 2020.  It was life-altering arc with TLS which allowed me to delve into many, many aspects of the live music industry, especially in Colorado such as videography, photography, promotions, presentation, marketing, merchandising, and event management just to name a few.  I will always cherish my time with The Lot Scene and my TLS family.

These days, I reside in the mountains outside Denver with my wife and family.  As for music, I have quite a few projects in store in addition to my extensive music parody work.  Please check my Music page regularly for updates and new material.

Why Arting?

Admittedly, I have zero formal art training beyond the 6th grade.  I have often kept myself from visual artistry for some reason…probably to focus on music most of the time.  And there was always the self-doubt and hesitation.  However, it is funny how life works, no?  Once Quarantine got fully underway in the US in 2020, I quested for things to fill my time and balance my sanity.  While so many things helped me accomplish this, the day I grabbed a small rectangular canvas and a fistful of paint pens truly changed me.  I became rather consumed with creation.  It was a magical feeling…one that continues until this day.  Art for me became a new way to relate to the Universe, a new way to meditate, a new way to heal.  It was fantastic and it seemed to stretch on with endless possibilities.  Spurred forwards by the supportive comments of my amazing wife and lovely friends I continued to enjoy this passionate expression of myself for the remainder of that tumultuous year.  Simply put, I think I’ve fallen in love with Art in many important ways.  As such, I continue to express myself through the medium of canvas and paint as much as possible.  And I just freaking love it.  No…really.

Please head over to my Artwork page for examples of my visual artistry.  I sincerely hope you enjoy consuming the Art that finds its way to you through me

Why Writing?

Wow.  This one is way too easy.  Short answer?  As a child, I loathed Mathematics and Mathematics seemed to loathe me right back.  As such, I took solace and safety in words and grammar and vocabulary and literature.  We all have our natural inclinations and I seemed to have a gift of the gab and a knack when it came to the impossibly vast and magnificent world of words.  Ergo, I jumped enthusiastically into poetry and writing and reading and haven’t looked back.  And I don’t intend to.  While I used to be able to write a mean five paragraph essay and was quite the music journalist, these days I tend to stick to fiction writing (short stories and novellas) and poetry.  Creative writing is a huge part of my expressive side and my creative release.  

Please check out my Writing page for some of my written works.  Please enjoy!!