Gillian Howard Welch
(born October 2, 1967 in New York City) [1] is a singer-songwriter whose musical style combines elements of bluegrass, neotraditional country, Americana, old-time string band music, and folk into a rustic style that she dubs "American Primitive". [2] Her recordings feature the harmonies and unconventional guitar work of her musical partner, David Rawlings. Welch pronounces her first name with a hard G rather than .
|
GILLIAN WELCH TICKETS
| EVENT | DATE | AVAILABILITY |
|---|
| Gillian Welch & David Rawlings Tickets 3/3 | Mar 03, 2025
Mon, 7:30 PM |  | | Gillian Welch & David Rawlings Tickets 3/4 | Mar 04, 2025
Tue, 7:30 PM | | | Gillian Welch & David Rawlings Tickets 3/6 | Mar 06, 2025
Thu, 7:30 PM | | | Gillian Welch & David Rawlings Tickets 3/7 | Mar 07, 2025
Fri, 7:30 PM | | | Gillian Welch & David Rawlings Tickets 3/9 | Mar 09, 2025
Sun, 7:30 PM | |
|
Biography and career
Welch was born in
Manhattan and was adopted when she was three days old. She moved to Los Angeles at the age of four. On her eighth birthday she wished for and got a guitar and lessons, and learned soon to play the
guitar. Studying at the
University of California, Santa Cruz,
[3] Welch discovered
bluegrass music through the "mountain soul" stylings of
The Stanley Brothers.
[4] After a short stint in a local
camp band called
Söfa
, Welch moved to
Boston and studied at the
Berklee College of Music.
In Boston, Welch met and began dating
David Rawlings, who would become her long-time musical partner. In 1992, they moved to
Nashville and began building a career. In Nashville, she met
T-Bone Burnett,
[5] producer to such artists as
Los Lobos,
Sam Phillips,
Bodeans,
Counting Crows, and
Elvis Costello. In 1996, Welch released her first album,
Revival
, which was nominated for a
Grammy for Best Contemporary
Folk Album in 1997.
Since then, she has recorded other albums and collaborated on the songs "
Didn't Leave Nobody But the Baby" and "
I'll Fly Away" on the Grammy-winning soundtrack of the
Coen Brothers hit film
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
.
[6] Welch also had a cameo in the film, as a woman in a record store trying to obtain a copy of the Soggy Bottom Boys' recording of "Man of Constant Sorrow".
Welch has also collaborated with good friend and singer/songwriter
Ryan Adams on the albums
Heartbreaker
and
Demolition
. She and Rawlings toured with
Emmylou Harris,
Patty Griffin, and
Buddy Miller in 2004 as The
Sweet Harmony Traveling Revue. Welch and Rawlings have collaborated with
Old Crow Medicine Show and appear in their video of their song "Wagon Wheel". Recently, Welch and Rawlings have been touring with
Bright Eyes in 2007 on their American
Cassadaga tour. Also in 2007, her song
Elvis Presley Blues
was covered by
Jimmy Buffett on his
Take the Weather With You
album. Her song "My First Lover" is featured in the motion picture
The Strangers
.
[7] Welch and Rawlings made surprise appearances in
Baltimore, Maryland;
Washington, D.C.;
Richmond, Virginia;
Norfolk, Virginia; and
Asheville, North Carolina opening for
Rilo Kiley in June 2008 to showcase new songs the two had been working on.
Discography
Solo
| Year
| Album
| Chart Positions
| Label
|
| US
| US Heat
| US Indie
|
| 1996
| Revival
|
|
|
| Almo
|
| 1998
| Hell Among the Yearlings
| 181
| 9
|
| Acony
|
| 2001
| Time (The Revelator)
| 157
| 5
| 7
|
| 2003
| Soul Journey
| 107
| 1
| 3
|
Other appearances
- Return of the Grievous Angel: A Tribute to Gram Parsons
(1999 - Almo Sounds) - "Hickory Wind"
- Ryan Adams – Heartbreaker
(2000 · Bloodshot)
- Old Crow Medicine Show – O.C.M.S.
(2003 · Nettwerk)
- Jay Farrar – Sebastopol
(2001 · Artemis)
- A Tribute to John Hartford: Live From Mountain Stage
(2001 - Blue Plate)
- Lifted: Songs of the Spirit
(2002 · Sony/Hear Music) - "Orphan Girl"
- Ryan Adams - Demolition
(2002 . Lost Highway)
- Bright Eyes – Cassadaga
(2007 · Saddle Creek) - "Classic Cars"
- The Deep Vibration (band) – Veracruz (EP)
(2008 · Dualtone) - "Tennessee Rose"
- Dark Was The Night
with Conor Oberst - "Lua"
- Mark Knopfler – Sailing to Philadelphia
(2000)
Videography
- The Revelator Collection
, DVD, 2002
Notes
- The Ghostly Ones
- Gillian Welch Thrives In An Old-time Niche
- http://review.ucsc.edu/summer.01/alumni_profile.html
- Hillbilly Millionaire
- There Are Still Struggling Artists
- Bluegrass at forefront of CMA awards
- Rogue Pictures new motion picture, The Strangers http://www.thestrangers.net
References
- The Ghostly Ones
- Gillian Welch Thrives In An Old-time Niche
- http://review.ucsc.edu/summer.01/alumni_profile.html
- Hillbilly Millionaire
- There Are Still Struggling Artists
- Bluegrass at forefront of CMA awards
- Rogue Pictures new motion picture, The Strangers http://www.thestrangers.net