Cris Williamson profile picture

Cris Williamson

About Me

“A voice like honey on a cello...Cris has been a lot of women’s heroes, including mine.”-- Bonnie Raitt.Decades before indie labels were the norm, and years before women had any real access in the industry, in her own way, Cris Williamson was busy changing the face of popular music. She hasn't looked back since.Cris's stellar vocals and compelling persona are regarded as legendary for good reason. Despite being like a well-kept secret, and dwelling almost completely in the independent music world, she nonetheless had an impact worldwide. During an interview in Washington, D.C., she conceived of a national all-women's record company, which subsequently issued her now-legendary classic, The Changer and the Changed -- one of the best-selling independent releases of all time. Cris's Music was embraced and so-called by audiences hungry for fresh, bold sound able to match the uncharted waters of the mid-seventies. It took close to a decade for the genre to earn a critical reception, and by that time Cris's astounding vocals were earning reviews sounding as though they were penned by close relatives. Finally, the stage had been set for women, and particularly for lesbians, to write, produce, record, and issue their own material -- on their own terms. Heralded by The Boston Globe as, "a brilliant lyricist and composer", Cris's music has always defied categorization. Whether it's the vibrant clarity of Blue Rider, or the live concert recording celebrating the (then) fifteenth anniversary of the anthemic Changer, Williamson continues to traverse the musical and lyrical map. A dynamic performer, she electrifies, empowers, and enlightens audiences across the generational and musical spectrum. For over 30 years, Cris has toured incessantly, performing in Russia, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. One of the most sought-after performers on the acoustic circuit, she continues to criss-cross America, selling out Carnegie Hall three times. For Cris, the music has always been the vehicle for something larger. Her lyrics appear on a regular basis in books and thesis papers. Her albums are part of the curriculum for women's studies courses, and thousands of people who may not even know her name join their voices in "Song of the Soul" around campfires and places of worship. She is often considered a treasure, passed hand-to-hand, person-to-person.Says the Boston Phoenix, "Williamson is an heroic character whose tireless activism continues." Indeed. She has appeared on a multitude of benefit records including On A Winter's Night and Legacy, the late Michael Callen's final project. On behalf of Native American issues, she has helped the weavers of Big Mountain, and performed with Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Brown, Floyd Westerman and John Trudell on the Water for Life Tour, Holly Near, Vicki Randle, and Laurie Lewis. She also played a part in Kate Wolf's tribute CD. Recently, Cris has devoted a portion of her heart and time to The Songbird Foundation, sharing the stage and cause with Bonnie Raitt, Danny O’Keefe, Tom Robbins and Keb Mo.With her latest CD, Fringe, Cris revisits the Western prairies of her youth. Like messages tied to tumbleweeds, driven by the western wind, Cris’s songs roll out of the subtly powerful prairie landscape, right up to your heart’s door.

My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 4/5/2007
Band Website: criswilliamson.com
Band Members:
Sounds Like:
Record Label: Wolf Moon Records
Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

My Trip to Berklee

            As an artist for over 30 years, I had, of course, played the large theater at Berklee School of Music many times over the years, but I had never experienced the School itself until April w...
Posted by on Sun, 17 May 2009 15:55:00 GMT

New CD - Workshops - HomeTeam

Hello, and greetings everybody! It must have seemed as though I'd fallen into a hole somewhere, it's been so long since I've told you anything about my goings-on. The truth is, I've fallen into the d...
Posted by on Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:34:00 GMT

HEADING EAST

Just wanted to update you re: the trip we all took to New Orleans. I can tell you this: it was life changing. We saw a lot of devastation, a lot of hopefulness, wish-lists from many, many groups whi...
Posted by on Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:02:00 GMT

Women Center Stage

I've been asked - along with Vicki Randle, Alix Olson and Pamela Means- to take part in an extremely interesting and important cultural event taking place on March 2-5. A group from New York called E...
Posted by on Tue, 12 Feb 2008 18:04:00 GMT

Welcome

Hi everyone and welcome to my first MySpace Blog. I am dashing this off as I get ready to head out on the Road again. For me,"getting ready" includes walking more, staying healthy, practicing...all o...
Posted by on Mon, 11 Feb 2008 21:19:00 GMT