Miss Dixie and I met Josh at Bean Blossom several years and a lot of picking and singing ago. His father, Tony, brought him around to our motor home.  

He was a bright-eyed young man who was, and had been for some time; working on his music and learning everything he could about the music and the business. We visited for nearly an hour talking music.  After Josh and Tony had left, Miss Dixie said, “Wow, that young man is going to be somebody some day.” 

And that day has arrived. Tonight we were going downtown Nashville to the world-famous Station Inn to hear Josh and his own band perform live for the first time.

When we got to the Station we had to look for a parking space in the large parking lot, it was full. We got to the door and saw that it was standing room only, the place was packed. Much to our surprise and pleasure we learned that Josh had reserved a table for us and our friends. On our way to our table we ran into Alecia Nugent, Carl Jackson, and a lot of celebrities in the bluegrass world. Josh’s father, mother, and uncle and a lot of family friends had come from all over.

At nine-fifteen, a hush lay over the crowd and then suddenly a wild burst of applause swept the room as Josh, Clayton, Tim, Jason, and Chase took the stage; after all the years of playing in other bands, including Rhonda Vincent’s Rage, we were now looking at The Josh Williams Band.

All of the songs that Josh had recorded over the years could now be performed at his own discretion. He made mention of the fact that he had worked many nights when he got to sing only one song. And now he had the stage all to himself with his own band.

Miss Dixie and I looked at one another and smiled.  After all the learning, practice, watching, patience and dedication to his craft and his art, Josh Williams had arrived.

He opened the show with one of my older songs and later did one that Miss Dixie and I wrote together. I, reporting this, could be a little biased.

Josh Williams has arrived, and all over the world where bluegrass music is played, loved, and revered; thousands of people will wait in gleeful anticipation for the arrival of Josh Williams.

Tom T. Hall 
February 23, 2008

by Joe Ross, 07/19/2004

One of the “new generation” of young hot bluegrass pickers and smooth singers, Josh Williams, from Kentucky, formed his first band in 1990 at age ten. He then received national recognition as a young bluegrass prodigy when he appeared in the 1993 IBMA Awards Show as part of a “youth in bluegrass” band. He recorded his first album in 1991, played with The Young Acoustic All-Stars (1994-98), Hyperdrive (1998), and The Special Consensus (since 2000). His stellar debut album called “Now That You’re Gone,” (Pinecastle PRC-1115) established Josh's name as a shining star on multiple instruments, as well as a great singing and songwriting talent. Josh primarily sticks to guitar and mandolin, but he also serves up some tasty mandola licks on “The Cave.” Besides lead vocals, he also sings some baritone and low tenor harmonies. If you don’t think this young man can pick with a vengeance, one need only listen to his jaw-dropping performance on his self-penned “Golden Pond Getaway.”

This is another first-rate production of contemporary bluegrass and includes some excellent accompaniment from Don Rigsby, J.D. Crowe, Missy Raines, Ron Stewart, Randy Kohrs, Kristin Scott Benson, Otis Dillon, Dwight McCall and Jared Ribble. This album also shines in its choice of material.
Besides a couple from Josh (“Down Another Lonesome Highway” and the instrumental “Golden Pond Getaway”), some of the other songs were penned by outstanding songwriters such as Tom T. and Dixie Hall, Jim Eanes, Becky Buller, and Ronnie Stewart. Williams is equally comfortable with older material (like “The Legend of the Johnson Boys” and “Don’t Stop Now”) as he is with newer offerings like “Ol’ Brown Suitcase” and “Sweet Forgiveness” and “Mordecai.” Songwriters Ron Spears and Charlie Edsall penned the album’s closer, “Cold Virginia Rain,” that is also getting some excellent airplay as a result of its inclusion on Prime Cuts of Bluegrass’ volume 69.

Fantastic bluegrass music albums like this one must have a number of things to succeed. Josh Williams is a singularly impressive talent, but he also runs with a crowd of superior instrumentalists who get plenty of room to strut their musicianship here. Good songs, arranged with consummate care, are another integral element for success. Young, creative, and talented, Josh Williams is a tremendous and virtuosic force in the bluegrass community. His broadly-appealing personalized sound shows that bluegrass music is in good hands and has a bright future. (Joe Ross)

http://www.bluegrassworks.com/review.php?reviewID=73

On first listen to the lead and baritone voice of this 23 year old bluegrass performer you may think of the likes of Ricky Skaggs. Josh Williams has a voice that is as well suited for Bluegrass as anyone. On Lonesome Highway, Josh Williams sounds more like a seasoned veteran than a relative newcomer to the scene. Bringing some of the older bluegrass standards to some new tracks, Josh Williams can handle the classics as well as pen some that could very well become standards in their own right.

I was pleasantly surprised to hear the amazing talent Josh Williams brings to the plate. The vocal ability is only the beginning, this talented young man is also just as well suited for the guitar or mandolin as he is the vocals. Bluegrass music is an art form of it's own, there are many times that I have in the past just been floored by the sheer talent the players have in the bluegrass scene. To be able to play bluegrass is not a feat that just anyone can accomplish, at least not to the point that Josh Williams has achieved.

In a time when bluegrass is finally achieving some more notice, thanks in part to Allison Kraus and Union Station, Ricky Skaggs, Mountain Heart and others that have brought the popularity back. The music has never gone anywhere, it just hasn't had the focus it once had from the general populous. Lonesome Highway is as good a bluegrass CD as you will find today, and it is a joy to listen to. If you like Bluegrass, Josh Williams is a name you won't soon be forgetting.

You can hear some standards here, "Killer On The Loose" written by Tom T. and Dixie Hall, and The Legend of the Dixie Boys" is a Flatt and Scruggs favorite. You also get some new treasures such as the Josh Williams originals like "Down Another Lonesome Highway" and the instrumental "Golden Pond Getaway". The best of the best, which are the true standouts? Well that's an easy one, no other track on this CD shows off the vocal talents of Josh Williams as the woeful "Cold Virginia Rain". A true bluegrass album from one of the new breed, highly recommended!

http://www.rikksrevues.com/josh_williams_lonesome_highway.htm

Where do I even begin to start when trying to speak about the talents of Josh Williams? Should I rave about his incredible flat-pickin' on guitar? Should I go on and on about his incredible mandolin chops? Should I inform the world there's not a better singer around? Do I dare even mention what an awesome banjo player he is? If I had my way Mr. Webster would be required to place a picture of Josh beside the word "talent"... he's that good. The word "great" is thrown around very casually sometimes in describing someone's ability, but in this case... I can assure you that it applies completely. Josh Williams is a GREAT musician and singer and I'm most proud to say that he is an even GREATER friend.

As longtime family friends, not only did we watch Josh Williams grow from a youngster to adulthood, we also saw him mature from a curious, eager student of music to a competent, self-assured, talented, versatile instrumentalist and vocalist.  Over the years, Josh has been extremely dedicated to learning and refining his banjo, guitar, mandolin and vocal stylings with an open mind, hard work and willingness to continually improve.  And, it’s paid off!  He has a wide circle of musical friends, many recordings under his belt, was a band member of the Special Consensus and is currently with Rhonda Vincent’s Rage.  But, we know him better as a down-home, humble, fun kid and are proud to call him our friend.

Kirk & Becky Brandenberger - Prime Cuts of Bluegrass - December 5, 2006