NEED TO KNOW
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Don Williams' posthumous album, Epilogue: The Cellar Tapes , includes unreleased recordings discovered in a basement decades after they were stored.
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The album showcases Williams' raw, unpolished vocals in his heyday, which impressed both his son Tim and longtime producer Garth Fundis.
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A comprehensive restoration brought the analog recordings up to modern standards, and listeners have praised the project's soulful sound and legacy.
Nearly a decade after his death, new music from Don Williams has emerged, continuing a nearly 50-year tradition created by one of the genre's most prominent hitmakers.
Posthumous album by Country Music Hall of Fame inductee, Epilogue: The Cellar Tapes , the first collection of previously unreleased works from his discography since Reflections 2014, released before his death in 2017, was accidentally discovered in an unexpected place: a basement.
«"Dad probably had the foresight to... Because they were his, we have a cellar in the house where I basically grew up, and they've been there for 60 years or so," Don's son, Tim Williams, told PEOPLE.
For longtime fans, the prospect of new work from the late legend is certainly cause for excitement, but as an astute descendant of the artist, Tim wasn't initially entirely convinced there was anything worthwhile in it.
Don Williams in Indianapolis in April 1990. Photo: Paul Natkin/WireImage
«"To be honest, I was pretty indifferent at the time," he says of his initial impressions of the discovery. "And then I was thrilled when I heard the vocals. So yeah, when I first heard it, I thought, 'Yeah, that's Daddy in his prime.'".
The same enthusiasm after learning about the contents of the lost recordings was immediately shared by producer Garth Fundis, who worked with Don for decades.
«"And then Don's voice, as Tim said, was 'in its prime,' and I was really happy with it," Fundis tells PEOPLE. "It became very clear that the vocals… His singing was just as strong. It was a very productive period in his career.".
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Given the technical limitations of sound recording at that time, the tracks that were eventually included in the collection «"Epilogue: Basement Tapes", The recordings were originally recorded on two-inch analog tape, requiring restoration to bring them up to modern standards. Fortunately for Tim and Fundis, much of what Don had recorded into the microphone decades earlier was remarkably well preserved on tape in the controlled conditions of the basement.
«"We were practically out of everything," says Fundis. "So everything we could carry over was usable, and it was a great performance.".
Album cover for "Epilogue: Basement Recordings" Source: Craft Recordings
Tim agrees: "We didn't have to start from scratch. We just tried to approach it the same way Daddy and Garth made albums. What we could use, we kept, and what we couldn't, we had to somehow replace.".
Releasing an album under an artist's name after their death is a monumental undertaking, especially when it comes to such a beloved pioneer as Don. Therefore, the album's title simultaneously references its unique origins and the late singer's long-standing tradition.
Fundis says The Gentle Giant "were very famous for coming up with one-word album titles," which inspired the search for something suitable in terms of simplicity and catchiness.
«I kept thinking and pondering over the one word that would best describe this collection,» says Fundis. “And one day, the idea came to me that” Epilogue »" would be appropriate." After the suggestion "add to the title The Cellar Tapes »" — "That's exactly what happened. We liked the idea. We all came to an agreement pretty quickly.".
Tim said the most powerful moment of studying the recordings was hearing his late father's raw vocals in a way he had never heard before.
«"I've never listened to purely unprocessed vocals... When you listen to someone's voice without any processing, there's nowhere to hide," he muses. "Honestly, I appreciate their talent, their craft, more.".
«"As I said before, when you hear unprocessed, raw sound, you imagine a person differently," Tim continues. "Obviously, this was long before tuning and all that. There was nowhere to hide. Between your mouth and the tape, there was just a microphone.".
Don Williams in Indio in April 2013. Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty
For Fundis, the integrity of Don's sound, rooted in a genuine intimacy on both the lyrical and melodic levels, was central to his uniqueness as an artist.
«"He had a very relaxed vocal style," the producer explains. "He sang relatively quietly and held the mic quite close. The result is a truly intimate experience thanks to the quality of his vocals.".
Although nearly a decade has passed since Don's death at 78 from emphysema, the overwhelmingly positive response Tim and Fundis have already received to the album has reminded them how deeply the "Tulsa Time" hitmaker's discography continues to resonate with countless listeners around the world.
«I get a lot of comments like, „Damn, I’m so excited to hear new music!“» says Fundis, describing what friends and fans have been saying about the album. «And it’s really cool. It’s really cool. I can’t wait.».
As for what Don himself would think about the project finally seeing the light of day, Tim says, "Well, he'd be happy," a sentiment echoed by Fundis. "I think he'd be thrilled," he adds.
«"He'd be proud of it," Tim insists. "He'd be proud of what I did, what Garth did with it, and I think he'd approve of it and be pleased.".
Epilogue: The Cellar Tapes is now available on all major streaming platforms.
Read the original article on People.