Уилли Найл: Америкалық рок және фолк музыкантының өмірі мен шығармашылығы

Rock and folk musician
the musician

Willie Nile (born Robert Anthony Noonan; June 7, 1948) is an American singer songwriter. In 1980, Nile released his self titled debut album. His early career was interrupted by various problems, but he eventually returned to recording and performing in the US and Europe, establishing himself as a singer songwriter.

Born in Buffalo, New York, into what he called "a gregarious Irish Catholic family". He grew up with two older brothers who played piano, and a mother who "used to always have music in the house. Whether it was classical or big band or popular hits of the times, something was always playing." His grandfather ran an orchestra in Buffalo and was a vaudeville pianist who played with Bill "Bojangles" Robinson and Eddie Cantor. This led to a meeting with Clive Davis and a record deal with Arista Records. He went into the studio with a band that included Jay Dee Daugherty from the Patti Smith Group and Fred Smith from Television. He was described by Stephen Holden of the New York Times as a "live wire" in concerts. Following the release of his debut album, Willie Nile, he joined The Who's 1980 summer tour. After his second album 1981's Golden Down, Nile became involved with protracted legal problems which curtailed his career for a number of years.

Although he continued to write, Nile did not perform live or record again until a 1987 performance in Oslo, Norway, with Eric Andersen. A videotape of Nile's performance in Norway prompted a Columbia talent scout to sign him to the label in 1988. For reasons that are unclear, production on his album didn't start for two more years. It was another significant delay in the troubadour's career. Issued in 1991, His Columbia Records CD Places I Have Never Been contained the songs "Everybody Needs A Hammer" and "Heaven Help The Lonely." Places I Have Never Been featured appearances by backing musicians including Richard Thompson, Loudon Wainwright III, Roger McGuinn, and members of The Hooters and The Roches. Gathering together his resources over time, he put out his first self released album, Beautiful Wreck of the World, in 1999. It was chosen as one of the Top Ten Albums of the Year by critics at Billboard magazine, The Village Voice and Stereo Review. Lucinda Williams called "On the Road to Calvary," Nile's song for Jeff Buckley, "One of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard." The album reached the finals of the Independent Music Awards for Best Rock Album of the Year.