Keller Williams @ Marquee Theatre

Feeling good must make Keller Williams feel good. There's never a dull moment in the guy's catalog, which now includes merry versions of Marcy Playground's "Sex and Candy" and Kris Kristofferson's "Don't Cuss the Fiddle." Williams aims to entertain as well as enlighten audiences with Appalachia renditions of these tunes...

By Jeff Casale

January 27, 2011

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Feeling good must make Keller Williams feel good. There's never a dull moment in the guy's catalog, which now includes merry versions of Marcy Playground's "Sex and Candy" and Kris Kristofferson's "Don't Cuss the Fiddle." Williams aims to entertain as well as enlighten audiences with Appalachia renditions of these tunes and covers of songs by Beck, Amy Winehouse, Pink Floyd, and The Raconteurs. But let's not confuse a night with Keller Williams with any other night filled with jammy covers. Williams' songwriting and acoustic-guitar prowess have drawn accolades throughout his career, and writers have long tried to pigeonhole the Virginia native as a one-man jam band. They're half-right. Yes, he plays barefoot and has a penchant for blending bluegrass with funk, but Williams has proved over the years that he's anything but a stereotypical hippie. This time, he's teaming up with husband-and-wife combo Larry and Jenny Keel again. Williams released Keller & The Keels' second album, Thief, late last year and has been featuring it prominently during his winter tour. And though he also recently released a kids-themed album, aptly titled Kids, Williams has shown he's still the "freaker by the speaker" capable of unleashing the frenetic funk and quirky grooves he's known for.

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