Mountain Roads Recordings of Bristol, Tennessee, has announced the signing of Johnny Williams from Danville, Virginia.

Williams is an award winning singer, songwriter and guitarist. He has been named Virginia State Champion Male Vocalist and is an award winning songwriter, having won the bluegrass division of the prestigious Chris Austin Songwriting Contest at Merlefest in 1998 and 1999. He penned four songs for Bell Witch, The Movie soundtrack, three of which were recorded by The Jeanette Williams Band.

Junior Sisk, Larry Stephenson, Special Consensus, Mark Newton and New Classic Grass have also recorded his songs. As well as writing solo, Williams has also co-written with other notable writers, such as Tom T. Hall and Dixie Hall.

Williams is active in many spheres of bluegrass music having been president of the Dan River Bluegrass Association for five years and producer of many local music events. He is a regular member of Big Country Bluegrass and supports and plays with his wife, Jeanette Williams, whenever he can.

Mountain Roads Recordings will release Williams’ first album for the label, Last Day of Galax in early 2009. Joining Williams on the album are his wife Jeanette Williams (bass), Chase Johner (mandolin), Tony Mabe and Debbie Yates (each playing banjo), Billy Hawks and Katheleen O’Connell (sharing the fiddle duties) and Kenneth Berrier (steel guitar).

Of the 15 songs on Last Day Of Galax several were written by Williams alone, two were co-written with Tom T and Dixie Hall. Among the others are songs penned by Greg Allman, Hank Williams and Randall Hylton.

Johnny Williams had this to say about the CD ….

“It features 9 of my originals and 2 songs I co-wrote with Tom T & Dixie Hall. It also includes an old Hank Williams classic, a Blue Grass Cardinals cut, an Allman Brothers song and an Old Time traditional fiddle tune. It’s the first time any of the original tunes have been recorded. It started out to be a song demo for me then turned into a full blown solo release. The great host of singers and musicians really brought it all together; Jeanette Williams, Amber Collins, Debbie Yates, Kathleen O’Connell, Chase Johner, Tony Mabe, Billy Hawks and Kenneth Berrier. Having Wesley Easter engineering at his Eastwood Studio was also a huge plus.”

Mountain Roads Recordings was formed by Karl and Gail Cooler in February this year in order to focus on the unique sounds that originate in the mountains.

Johnny Williams released his most recent CD, Last Day of Galax, in August but we didn’t get a copy until this week. It clearly shows why Johnny has earned his reputation as among the most expressive singers of traditional bluegrass music we have on the scene today.

Johnny is in his element here, singing the sort of driving, soulful bluegrass that has been his staple for years, recording and performing with his wife in The Jeanette Williams Band, or as Johnny & Jeanette Williams. Joining him this album are Jeanette on bass, Chase Johner on mandolin, Tony Mabe and Debbie Yates on banjo, Billy Hawks and Kathleen O’Connell on fiddle, and Kenneth Berrier on steel guitar.

Williams is also a first rate songwriter, contributing 11 of the 15 tracks, 2 co-written with Tom T. and Dixie Hall. The title track is a lament he wrote some time ago as he was preparing to pack up and leave the legendary Old Fiddler’s Convention in Galax, VA. It nicely captures the once-a-year community that exists for this gathering, mixed with many of the familiar jam tunes heard in the field each year.

Another standout is his This Country Living’s Changing Every Day, which includes a clever lyric that will resonate with a lot of bluegrass fans.

This country living’s changing every day.
I spend all my time checking emails instead of bailing hay.
I’m computerized – with ATV’s replacing mules out in the barn.
This country living’s changing every day.I don’t know why I’m complaining ’cause my back don’t hurt this way.
This country living’s changing every day.

Johnny shows his classic country chops on Hank Williams’ I Can’t Help It If I’m Still In Love With You, and even covers The Allman Brothers’ Midnight Rider, which is now as standard in bluegrass as it is in the rock world.

His singing is strong and compelling throughout, with vocal support from Jeanette and Amber Collins. The rhythm section and soloists are spot on as well, and the songs are all honest, and sincerely performed.

Anyone who enjoys traditional bluegrass, country or old time music will surely want this one in their collection. Audio samples and online orders are enabled on the Jeanette Williams site.

A special Johnny Williams & Friends concert is scheduled for this Friday (10/17) at The Rex Theater in Galax, VA, featuring most of the performers from Last Day Of Galax. It will be broadcast on WBRF-FM 98.1 in SW VA, and streamed live online.

Williams is now working with Big Country Bluegrass, on guitar and lead vocals. You can find a tour schedule on their web site.