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Saturday, January 22, 2011

Sharrie Williams at Billy's Lounge Jan 22: “I’m going to get right into your spirit.”

Sharrie Williams gonna tell you one thing; it’s about to get all spiritual up in here. Dig: her live shows dare conjure up such power side music that it just about threatens the known senses; this, friends, is when her inner side arises. "I'm just grateful when I'm able to use the lyrics of my songs to bring forth that power,” Williams said of her mostly original compositions described as “rockin" gospel blues.” The Saginaw-native Williams says she was raised in the gospel and still, as expected, infuses that flavor in her music. But her sound represents all the various shades of blues, she says. So while not a traditional blues band per-Se, she somehow incorporates into her show the hard-driving Tina Turner; the powerhouse blues of Etta James and Koko Taylor. “I do know some shuffles. I want to touch everybody in the audience and not just one sect of people,” Williams said. “I think that’s what's made me a ‘keeper’ in this business. People call me back because I love to entertain and I bring the audience into the experience.” Williams brings her 5-piece Wiseguys band back to Billy’s Lounge on Jan 22 on the eve of a week-long tour of Dubai. According to Williams there is more to helping people forget their problems for a of couple hours on a Saturday night. “I say forget about your problems and then get over them if possible,” she said. But that thought can be a tall order for just about anyone, Williams admits. “Nowadays with the killings in Arizona and the foreclosures and such, we live in a very blue moment.” But Williams proves again the importance of real belief. “We have to be strong enough to overcome all of that," she explains. "A lot of times people go into deep depression and they don’t come out. I want to be the blues buster and bust you out of that depression.” In substance abuse recovery for fourteen years Williams proves the Creator can see anyone through. “We all have the power to make it,” she said. “There’s a song on my latest album (I’m Here to Stay) called 'Power'. It's about the power we have within ourselves,” said Williams. “A lot of it is laying there dormant and we don’t know how to tap into it. That’s why I call it a musical movement. It’s there--we just have to find it. And we are going to find every bit of that power on the 22nd of January," Williams said with a hearty laugh.

Click here to listen to Sharrie's MySpace Page.

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