An article by Les Kerr, Contributing Writer
Each year, The Southland Music Line’s management team, along with a body of consultants and contributors, chooses an artist to be the “Music Artist of the Year.” Unlike the annual “Readers’ Choice Award,” this is entirely voted on by those listed above and not based solely on popularity. The Southland Music Line strives to choose music artists who have not only had a successful year locally but have also best represented our region of the country. Few music artists have done this as well as Will Kimbrough, this year’s recipient. A longtime favorite, Will has had an exciting year in 2024.
My introduction to Will Kimbrough began in the 1980s, listening to a local band known as Will and The Bushmen. I lived in Mobile, Alabama where the group frequently played, with my time divided between being a radio news director and playing music. I watched the group’s loyal following grow and start Will’s journey to a life in music.
By the late 1980s, Will’s group moved to Nashville and grasped the ever-elusive goal of performers: a record deal. They played notable Music City venues such as the Exit/In, and national television covered them as a rock band on the rise. As time went on, the record deal went away. But Will didn’t go away. He went ahead.
Top photo: Will Kimbrough Live in Concert (photo by Stephen Anderson); Above photo: Will Kimbrough’s 2024 album “For the Life of Me” received rave reviews from music critics everywhere and topped The Southland Music Line’s music chart upon its release.
No longer a band member, Will offered his talents to others, including the nearly mythological songwriter Rodney Crowell, for whom he played lead guitar. His name appeared on album covers for various artists as well as in instrumental and production credits. And while Will continually made other people sound good, he never stopped performing, writing, and producing work for himself.
Some of his words and music caught Jimmy Buffett’s ear, and a decades-long professional and personal relationship between the two emerged. “Piece of Work,” a song Kimbrough wrote and recorded, was covered by Buffett on his 2004 album License to Chill. Will became an active co-writer with Jimmy and an honorary member of the Coral Reefer Band. Buffett recorded Will’s music until his death in 2023.
Will Kimbrough at the “Along the Pontchartrain Concert Series 2023” in New Orleans, LA (photo by Stephen Anderson)
In a 2023 one-man concert in Pascagoula, Mississippi, where Buffett was born, Will described how his writing process with his prolific co-writer had developed. As Buffett’s cancer treatments became more numerous, Will said, “Jimmy called and said, ‘I’ve got some homework for you.'” Buffett sent numerous notes and, long distance, they completed what became the signature song, “Bubbles Up,” for his last album Equal Strain on All Parts.
The year 2024 was productive for Will and included releasing his eleven-song album, For the Life of Me, for which he penned or co-wrote every song. He joined Emmylou Harris for shows around the U.S. and shared the stage with other luminaries, including Joan Baez and Carlene Carter. He is also featured prominently with the Coral Reefer Band in Keep the Party Going: A Tribute to Jimmy Buffett, a concert series that rolled into three cities this August: Orange Beach, Alabama; Atlanta, Georgia; and Cincinnati, Ohio. On the anniversary of Buffett’s death, Kimbrough joined a very special “second line” in Key West, Florida.
Will Kimbrough never forsakes his roots by returning close to his hometown, Mobile, Alabama, to perform at Gulf Coast venues such as the legendary Frog Pond at Blue Moon Farm, Callaghan’s Irish Social Club, and the Grand Magnolia Showroom; and at events such as the 30A Songwriters’ Festival and the Frank Brown International Songwriters’ Festival.
Rodney Crowell and Will Kimbrough at the Grand Magnolia in Pascagoula, MS, the birthplace of Jimmy Buffett (photo by Stephen Anderson)
Will’s work on the Grammy-nominated album Blame it on Eve with dear friend and longtime collaborator Shemekia Copeland has obviously been a highlight in his incredible year. Not only is the album produced by Kimbrough, but the title track, written by him, Copeland, and John Hahn, is up for a Grammy in the category of Best Americana Roots song.
A Note from the Editors:
The editorial staff at The Southland Music Line is pleased to name Will Kimbrough as this year’s “Music Artist of the Year.” We consider Will one of our favorites and have featured him in numerous articles and photo collections over the past twelve years. Past recipients of The Southland Music Line’s Music Artist of the Year include Willie Sugarcapps, which included Will Kimbrough (2014), The Mulligan Brothers (2015), Lisa Mills (2016), Grayson Capps (2017), Abe Partridge (2018), Sugarcane Jane (2019), The Red Clay Strays (2020), Eric Erdman (2021), Blue Mother Tupelo (2022), and Cary Hudson (2023). We continue to enjoy Will’s incredible music and look forward to his future endeavors.
We would like to thank Les Kerr for his contribution of this article. Les is a singer, songwriter, and journalist. Les spent much of his youth on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and presently resides in Nashville, Tennessee.
Will Kimbrough performing live at Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, GA (photo by Stephen Anderson)
Click Here for Will’s official website.
The Southland Music Line’s editorial staff is Johnny Cole, Stephen “Andy” Anderson, Robby Amonett, and Deborah Chatham.
