FIRST SINGLE IN OVER A DECADE FOR LEEDS BASED SINGER-SONGWRITER

Gary C Williams
FIRST SINGLE IN OVER A DECADE FOR LEEDS BASED SINGER-SONGWRITER

It's been 14 years since Gary C Williams released his last single, Three Cheers For the Underdog, as Mr Gary C. But all that is about to change with the release today of Freckly Jill, recorded at Loom Studio in Birstall, Leeds.

So where has this hugely talented musician been for all these years? Williams says:"I've been away from the [live] music scene since just before Covid. I felt that I'd achieved a great deal, done what I wanted to do, and in all honesty, I was getting a bit tired of the songs I was playing. I took my time away to focus on my family and to work on songs that I considered reflected on my influences better."

Williams' music has a retro 1960's feel to it, with influences from Rubber Soul era Beatles, Laurel Canyon bands, Baroque Pop and French Ye-Ye, reminiscent of simpler times when the sun always seemed to be shining.


Cover art for the first two singles
Freckly Jill is a masterful piece of songwriting, beautifully realised. But where did the idea come from?

"My favourite poet is Sir John Betjeman. I was watching an old recording of him on Parkinson, where he was speaking about his life, his poetry and his poems that had recently been set to music (in collaboration with Jim Parker). He performed A Russell Flint, which was a poem about his former secretary, Jill Menzies. My song Freckly Jill is essentially a song about an interview about a song, based on a poem, about a girl (hope that makes sense)!"

Another single, You're Not As Lonely (As You Say You Are), is planned for release in the coming weeks, as is a mini-album, out later in 2026.

Freckly Jill by Gary C Williams is out now on Bandcamp. Click the link to listen and buy ...
https://garycwilliams.bandcamp.com/track/freckly-jill

Written and Photographed by Kevin S Petch