LISTEN: Willi Carlile Drops Lyrically Sharp Country Folk Number “Higher Lonesome”

Willi Carlisle is joining an elite group of younger performers along with Vincent Neil Emerson who are ringing in a legit country sound mixed with lyrics that give the “feels.”

“Higher Lonesome” is the only completely true story from his upcoming album Critterland. While the other nine tracks are certainly based on real people in real places, “Higher Lonesome” is wholly Carlisle living through dark, searching times in the tail end of 2021 and into the new year. “I wasn’t sure I wanted to live, was a disaster, wandering through the country, falling in love with strangers,” remembers the folksinger whose most recent single, “When The Pills Wear Off,” raised money for Appalachian recovery charity, Hope in the Hills.  Check out the latest from Carlisle below – a track that might make Conor Oberst take notice….

Critterland Tracklist: 

Critterland

Dry Country Dust

The Arrangements

The Great Depression

Two-Headed Lamb

Higher Lonesome

I Want No Children

Jaybird

When the Pills Wear Off

The Money Grows on Trees

Catch Willi Carlisle On Tour:

Feb. 1 – Newport, KY – The Southgate House

Feb. 2 – Columbus, OH – Rumba Cafe

Feb. 3 – Pittsburgh, PA – Club Cafe

Feb. 4 – Lakewood, OH – Mahall’s

Feb. 7 – Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark 

Feb. 8 – Milwaukee, WI – Cactus Club 

Feb. 9 – Chicago, IL – Schubas Tavern

Feb. 10 – Kalamazoo – MI – Bell’s Eccentric Café 

Feb. 12 – Wisconsin Dells, WI – Showboat Saloon

Feb. 13 – St. Paul, MN – Turf Club

Feb. 15 – Des Moines, IA – xBK

Feb. 16 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown

Feb. 17 – Lawrence, KS – The Bottleneck

Feb. 18 – Oklahoma City – OK – Resonant Head

Feb. 22 – 25 – Kansas City, MO – Folk Alliance International 

Apr. 6 – Fayetteville, AR – George’s Majestic Lounge 

Apr 12. – Asheville, NC – The Grey Eagle

Apr 13. – Nashville, TN – The Basement East 

Apr. 14 – Lexington, KY – The Burl 

Apr. 26 – Wilkesboro, NC – MerleFest

Apr. 28 – Tallahassee, FL – Word of South Music and Lit. Festival 

May 24 – Adams, MA – Adams Theater 

June 2 – Virginia Beach, VA – Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater*

June 5 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre*

June 7 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre*

June 8 – Alpharetta, GA – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre*

* Supporting Tyler Childers