William Elliott Whitmore brings his death-folk hymns to Will's Pub

An evening of 'grit, gravity and blues'

By Bao Le-Huu on Fri, Feb 16, 2024 at 12:12 pm

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Photo courtesy William Elliott Whitmore/Facebook

William Elliott Whitmore and Jordan Foley play Will's Wednesday

When William Elliott Whitmore first emerged with his 2003 death-folk magnum opus Hymns for the Hopeless, he cast an immediate spell over the alternative-folk cognoscenti. Since then, the haunting Iowa artist’s work has become a splendid compendium of American roots music, packing prime specimens of folk, blues and country all in a single catalog.

Whitmore’s calling card is a preternatural voice that conjures prewar ghosts with a patina that’s stunning for a modern artist of his age. Grit, gravity and blues like this usually only come from a lifetime of tribulation.

Opening will be country-rocker Jordan Foley, who himself owns one of Orlando’s most distinctive voices.

8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 21, Will’s Pub.