When we hear music, we often visualize memories in our heads and associate sounds with experiences we’ve once heard in the background of our lives.
For example, if Jack Johnson’s, ‘Banana Pancakes,’ came on your iPod, it might remind you of that long morning after prom when you sang his song and made breakfast with friends. Or maybe hearing ‘Bye Bye Bye,’ by Nsync was the soundtrack to summer when you still had a single digit birthday.
Music becomes a part of our senses that we easily forget and often take for granted. But for many of us, we often feel music is a part of our being and cannot imagine not hearing it.
Growing up with two blind parent singer/songwriters, William Fitzsimmons, found his voice and love of music by learning to play instruments from his parents. Through their lack of sight, they helped him see the beauty of music.
Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Penn., Fitzsimmons had a knack for music at a very young age.
With two musically inclined parents, finding the right harmony in his music style was almost second nature. While in elementary school, he learned how to play the piano and trombone, and he taught himself to play the guitar during middle school. Since then, he has expanded his talents, accomplishing the banjo, ukulele and mandolin to name a few.
This capability has allowed him to create a distinctive voice in the industry, mixing opposite styles like folk and electronic to develop his ballads.
Although he considers himself and his style of music unique, Fitzsimmons is often compared to artists like Iron ‘amp; Wine and Sufjan Stevens. Surprisingly, music was not his first choice of study.
Upon entering college, he set his sites on counseling and finished with a Master’s degree in the field, helping with mental health therapy.
One summer break between schooling, he embarked on recording various tracks that would end up making their way on his first album. In 2005, he debuted his first album, ‘Until When We Are Ghosts,’ which had several intrinsic tracks and would help create the foundation to his musical career.
‘I just want to be not what I am today, I just want to be better than my friends might say, I just want a small part in your passion play.’
One short year later, he released his second record, ‘Goodnight.’ Unlike most recording artists, both his first and second albums were completely self-produced, allowing him the freedom to display and embellish his album in the direction of his choice.
On April 7, Fitzsimmons released his album, ‘The Sparrow and the Crow,’ and for the first time, is represented by a record label.
Like his former albums, you may note his lyrics are quite heavy, alluding to his recent divorce in several tracks on this album alone.
But despite the weight, a level of optimism interweaves itself into each of the tracks, colliding depression with happiness. On the track, ‘I Don’t Feel It Anymore,’ you can clearly hear his heart on the strings of the guitar as the melody follows the journey of his divorce.
‘We’ll fall just like stars being hung by only string; everything, everything, here is gone; no map can direct how to ever make it home; we’re alone, we’re alone, we’re alone.’
Through the peace within his voice and the solace within the harmony, Fitzsimmons is a therapist through his music.
To hear more of William Fitzsimmons, log on to williamfitzsimmons.com or myspace.com/williamfitzsimmons.’
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