Aaron Williams & the Hoodoo

Isthmus Newspaper, Madison's Favorites- 2008 Blues Band & 2007 New Band Category
MAMA Award Nominee's 2008-Best New Artist, Best Blues Album, Best Instrumentalist
"You guy's are the tightest, brightest band I've heard in a long time"
Uncle Jack Mckay- KSSS Rock 101- Bismarck, ND
"Kid, you got a real future in this business. Keep it up!"
Coco Montoya- International Blues Recording Artist
"Wow, you guy's rock"
Snapshot- WMEQ 92.1- Eau Claire, WI
"You're best bet!"
Wisconsin State Journal- July 2008
"Aaron Williams on guitar, and he's a huge presence here, playing with a fluid finesse that belies his youth. Favoring a lean, clean sound, his solos are slinky and sly, bursting with ferocious jabs and explosive flurries. He also displays a mature intelligence in his comping behind Joe. I hear a lot of Ronnie Earl in his playing already . . . . Aaron has a future!"
John Taylor- Blues on Stage
Formed in the winter of 2007, Aaron Williams (Vocals, Guitar), Eric Shackelford (Drums, Vocals) and Z.T Auner (Bass, Vocals) have the blues deeply rooted in the music they love to play. The trio all met while Aaron was hosting a blues jam at the now defunct club "The Cuda Cafe." It was here that Aaron was introduced to drummer Eric Shackelford. The two hit it off instantly both personally and musically and quickly decided they needed to start exploring their musical tastes together. Their long search for a bass player ended when the duo was introduced to Z.T in Jan. of 2007. Z.T fit the mold perfectly with his laid back attitude and rock solid bass lines. The search carried on as the trio wanted to add "something" else but didn't know what. As the trio hosted the blues jam every Wednesday they ran into many great players. It was then that the Hoodoo found saxophonist Pete Ross and the final quartet was formed. The newly formed quartet did their first show in Feb. of 2007 to a huge crowd of fans and friends alike. The funky/bluesy/rock sound coming from this quartet had the makings of something special. Not to long after this fateful night the band was playing all over their hometown of Madison, WI. As the word continued to spread beyond their hometown the quartet began to tour all over the Midwest region playing to sold out crowds as far away as North Dakota and Indiana. In May of 2008, Pete left the band and the Hoodoo returned to their trio roots. Moving their sound to more rock and roots has brought the band to new fans reaching all over the globe. This stripped down trio has been catching a buzz nationwide with their first EP release, "Siamese Crocodiles." "Dues for the Blues" has even been featured in a nationally released feature film and tracks from Siamese Crocodiles are getting played by radio stations all over the United States. With their upcoming first full length album release, the excitement surrounding this trio is growing with each show.
Aaron Williams has earned the reputation as one of the finest young bluesman out on the circuit today. This charismatic front man has been working audiences across the Midwest the only way he knows how…….like it’s the last time he’ll ever step on stage. His rich vocals and good time attitude will get the crowd shakin’ in no time. Watch out, when this kid straps on his guitar and digs in, you’re in for a real treat of guitar virtuosity. It’s Aaron's ability to “scream and whisper” in the same musical sentence that separates this young guitar man from the pack.
Aaron, like so many other determined young player’s had a veteran musician to “cut his teeth” with. None other then his father Cadillac Joe Andersen. At the age of 16, Aaron picked up the guitar and became obsessed with the instrument. At the ripe old age of 18 he was already sneaking into some of the areas top jams and was keeping up with veteran players. He eventually found a home at the Silver Moon where many great players would show up on Thursday nights for this blues jam. With the likes of Looper Lucas, Michael Coleman, Glen Davis and Buddy Guy playing, he was in the right place to learn the craft of a blues front man. After noticing this skinny little kid showing up and belting out the blues week after week Michael Coleman dubbed him “Youngblood” and would call him up to get on stage whenever the crowd needed a boost. Aaron still credits these years as the stepping stone to the kind of player he is today.
Cadillac Joe, noticing his kid’s prowess for the blues signed him on for his next project, The Cadillac Joe Blues Band. Touring the Midwest extensively with his father and doing over a 100 shows a year, Aaron was able to learn the craft and business of music. “I wouldn’t trade those years for anything in this world, spending all those miles in a truck with the old man….you learn a lot of things, not only about music, but life.” The road took them to some of the Midwest’s top blues cities and clubs, playing large music festivals all over the U.S. With the stock rising on the Cadillac Joe Blues Band, one of the top blues clubs in the Midwest, Luther Blues in Madison, took them on as their house band. This gave Aaron a large following and he was able to play with some of the foremost blues players in the world. Shemeika Copeland, Bernard Allison, Coco Montoya, Jimmy Thackery, Carey Bell, Lil’ Ed, Jonnie Bassett, Deborah Coleman, Taj Mahal, Canned Heat and the list goes .. hearing Aaron play Coco Montoya said, “Kid, you got a real future in this business, keep it up!” Yearning for that hard driving sound, Aaron knew his calling was in the blues world and decided to strike out on his own. Mixing blues, funk and some rock is the heart of this trio. “The blues ain’t about being sad, it’s about making people feel good.”
Holding down the funky grooves is Z.T Auner on bass. Z. T's no stranger to the music scene, playing anything from funk to jazz; he dials it in and keeps the crowds moving. Z.T's on stage groove shakin' gets the crowd up and dancing in no time. The beat goes on with Eric “Shack” Shackelford on drums. With too many awards to list, he is a true professional in the sense. His love for funk and blues makes for the perfect harmony of the two when drumming for the Hoodoo. Always with a smile on his face you can’t help but tap your toes to his funky beats.
Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo are poised to take its place as one of the finest trio's in the Midwest today. Get ready for some high octane blues for you!