Every eye will see You
The mystery is finally revealed
I seek You and all the world will know
That You’re alive
Growing up, my backyard was a corn field. On Friday nights you’d find me in the bleachers at the high school football games and on the weekends cruising the ‘Bash with my windows down and the music turned up. Back then, pretty much all I listened to was country music. Not the country music we hear on the radio today… I’m talking good country music like Brooks & Dunn, Alabama, Diamond Rio and Garth Brooks. Over the years I started listening to rock music falling in love with bands like Breaking Benjamin, Nickelback, Papa Roach and Jimmy Eat World. Lately all I listen to is dance music. Until I found Devin Williams.
Devin grew up listening to Ray Charles, Elvis and Kenny Rogers. But it was bands, similar to those aforementioned, that inspired him to starting producing his own sound. I can’t stop listening to Devin’s hit single “Every Eye” and know every word to the song. I did some digging on him and just had to learn more. Jeff Deyo of sonicflood said, “His voice is amazing, his talent is very evident and his heart and commitment to seeing God work through him is steadfast and contagious.” And he’s right. A voice like this doesn’t come around too often, and it has been an honor getting to know him. Devin also has a strong focus on religion and has shared the stage with some of the world’s most popular Christian artists. Some might argue that he is using music to deliver God’s message. Whatever the reason, I’m glad we get the chance to experience it. It is my pleasure to introduce you to Devin Williams.
I heard your single “Every Eye” on Spotify the other day. Wow, man. Amazing. Tell me more about that single.
Thank you so much for taking a listen to my new song! “Every Eye” is one that has been on my heart for a long time to complete. The last two years were so chaotic it took me a while to get into the studio and record and now it’s finally out there for the world to hear! The inspiration originally came from my childhood when I first heard the story of the second coming of Jesus and how amazed and scared that it made me. Before everyone carried a cell phone and 24-hour news was a thing, I wondered how it would even be possible for everyone in the world to see something at the same time. A few years ago when we experienced the total solar eclipse I was intrigued that this event could be similar to how it might be when Jesus returns. During the eclipse, it seemed like every person in the entire world had their eyes on the sky, glued to the TV, and eagerly waiting to see what would happen. Jesus didn’t tell us the day or the hour when he will come back, but when he does, every eye is going to see him and it is going to be a moment of complete awe for the world!
“Every Eye” is on your new Every Eye EP. What other singles are on that release?
Yes, the Every Eye EP has two more songs, “Sunshine” and “Riverside” and an acoustic remix of “Sunshine”, four songs total. The other songs have not been officially released yet, but fans can hear the songs now by purchasing a CD but will have to wait until later this year to hear them on Spotify and other digital retailers. I won’t go into too much detail but “Riverside” is another heavy rocking song with a soulful groove. “Sunshine” is a powerful ballad that deals with one of the tragedies of our generation, human trafficking.
What is your songwriting process like? I mean… “Every Eye” is amazing. The lyrics tell a story and I can’t stop listening! Do you sit down with a yellow pad, or do lyrics just come to you?
Songwriting is something I love to do! Yes, I sit with a pen and yellow pad or my laptop and grab a guitar or sit at the piano and start pouring over ideas. Sometimes I write the music first and then lyrics or vice versa. I usually write the lyrics and music at the same time, as though the music inspires the lyrics and then the lyrics inspire the music. It’s a tricky thing that happens! Writing can be a painful process at times as I do my best to dig as deep as possible into my soul/psyche or try to place myself into someone else’s shoes and truly understand their pain or joy.
Tell me about the other guys in the band.
I have some of the most talented musicians on the planet that work with me in the studio and on live performances. Nashville is a unique town where musicians can work for multiple bands at the same time, mainly to keep the gigs and income consistent. The guys in my group have been playing with me for over 10 years and they also tour with other groups when I’m not busy. I currently have Branndon Center playing drums, Nick Mills on bass, and John Provost on lead guitars and backing vocals. These guys all studied music at Belmont University (widely known for its music program) they are very talented musicians.
When did you know you wanted to be a musician? Curious who inspired you to make this a career.
My main inspiration comes from my parents who were both traveling musicians. My mom was a singer who could belt it out in the vein of Aretha Franklin and my dad was a soulful organ/piano player similar to Ray Charles. I loved watching these two play and sing together! I got my first guitar at 10 years old but didn’t have an amp, so I plugged my guitar into my dad’s Hammond B3 Leslie speaker, it was awesome! Another huge influence on my musical style was Chris Cornell. I purchased the Soundgarden Superunknown album the day it was released and when I heard Chris’ soaring vocals and intriguing songwriting, it blew me away!
I enjoyed playing guitar and attempting to write songs as a teenager but I loved playing baseball too. I wanted so badly to become a pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers! My freshman year in college I was studying music and I played for the baseball team. I loved every minute of both but after the year was finished I made the decision to fully pursue music as a career and let the baseball dream go. It was a little bittersweet but I don’t regret it and I have enjoyed every step I’ve taken on this music journey!
What can fans expect from seeing you live? Glad to see the pandemic coming to an end so we can get back to normal!
Fans who come to my shows know they are going to experience rock music with passion and purpose. They will hear some amazing guitar solos, drum breaks, and depending on the venue some intimate acoustic songs. My band and I have missed playing so much we have all this pent up energy, so we will probably rock the faces off the fans!
You started a cover band when you were 15. Amazing! What are some of your favorite singles to cover?
We had a great time playing music when we were kids. I loved all of the 90s rock bands! For specific songs: Pearl Jam, I covered “Alive”, “Jeremy”, and “Black”; Led Zeppelin, “Black Dog”, and “Cashmere”; Alice In Chains, “Down In A Hole”; Soundgarden, “Black Hole Sun”; and Nirvana, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and “Lithium”, just to name a few! Of course we had to cover “Paradise City” by Guns N’ Roses!
Your music is Christian Rock. Tell me more about your relationship with God and how a band that sounds like this can be considered Christian.
I’ve always loved rock music! When I accepted Christ as my savior I had an honest prayer/conversation with him. I felt like if I write my songs with hope and faith, God would use them to encourage people in their walk of life. Over the years I’ve been blessed to hear people share with me that my music helped them through situations in their lives.
As far as the sound and style of the music, yes it has been difficult in the Christian market. I feel that as long as the message remains, the style/genre shouldn’t matter. What better way to tell a story of victory than with raging guitars and passionate vocals?
Let’s say I own a bar or a concert venue, and I want to book you to come play. What does that process look like?
A venue/concert promoter would reach out to me through email, text, or a call and let me know they are interested in having my group. I usually ask if the venue has a budget for the band and then work out the final contract rates. Once we nail down the details, I send a one sheet contract so that we all understand what we have agreed to, like the down payment, acts of god like bad weather, length of show, what the band provides and what the venue will provide, etc. We both sign the document and we are ready to rock!
Your name on Twitter is Devo The Rock Show. Can you explain that to me, please?
My friend Todd Reynolds, who played drums for my band for several years, said we all needed to have catchy nicknames. His was Todd the Bod, the guitarist’s name was Evan the King, and then Todd decided that mine was Devo The Rock Show! So the name kind of stuck. I even wound up naming a YouTube series I did with that same name.
Tell me more about Superfans… What sort of content do they have access to and how can folks at home become Monthly Supporters?
Superfans are the ones who love the music and also want to help support me by becoming a monthly subscriber. I set the minimum to join at $2 a month but fans can give any amount above that they would like. I have some fans that give $50 a month! All of my Superfans/monthly subscribers are the first to know about upcoming concerts, new music, and breaking news before anyone else. For all new Superfans, I send them a free CD and DVD along with some other welcome goodies. I do everything I can to show my appreciation for their support. To become a supporter, fans can go to my website and sign up through there or use Patreon.
What’s the best concert you’ve ever been to?
One of my favorite concerts was surprisingly DC Talk on the Jesus Freak tour in Lexington, Kentucky. Maybe because I was young and it was one of my first concerts but they put on such a great show. It was really rocking, had a little pop, and they even threw in an acoustic setup. They also took time out to share their faith and gave an opportunity for anyone who wanted to accept Christ.
You have some amazing photography on your website. Who took all those photos?
The current photos that I’m using are from an amazing creative named Jordan Fremgen and edited by my friend Terri Morris.
You are on Facebook… Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. I could go on! Who manages all of these popular social media accounts for you? That’s a full time job!
At one point I had some help with posting updates but the last couple years I’ve been doing it all by myself… It is a little time consuming but I enjoy keeping my friends and fans up to date and interacting with them. So yeah, it’s just me! (Laughs.)
You have a store on your website. What are you selling there?
On my website, I have multiple CDs, a DVD of a live performance, and a few t-shirts. I am currently looking for a fulfillment company so that I can have much more merchandise available and it can be printed on-demand.
You are crowdfunding your video for “Every Eye”. Why did you decide to do that? Curious what that process looks like. Also, how much money have you raised from your fans?
I’m an independent artist, which means I don’t have much funding. Making a music video is expensive and can cost anywhere from $5000 to $15000 depending on the company. Also, videos don’t have a great return on investment as they are used more for promotion and for the creative aspect. I set up crowdfunding so that my fans and friends can have an opportunity to be part of the process. I am so thankful to all those who have helped and continue to help with the costs. As far as how much I’ve raised, I don’t like to kiss and tell, but every gift truly helps and it inspires me to know that people believe in my music.
You have a mailing list on your website. How many subscribers do you have and how often are you emailing folks?
Right now we have about 300 on the mailing list and in the past I’ve been bad about not emailing much. I’ve always been a little afraid of over emailing and that my fans would get upset if I messaged them too much. I understand now that they do want to hear from me, and once a week to even twice a week isn’t too much at all. So, this year, I’ve stepped up my communication to about once a week and my fans seem to be enjoying the email. I’ve only had a few people unsubscribe but it’s perfectly ok.
I am going to be in Nashville soon… Any chance we can connect? I’d love to meet you while I am in Music City, U.S.A.
Just let me know when you’re in town and we can meet up for some coffee or a cheeseburger!
Have you ever heard of the Ichthus Festival? I could see you guys being a part of that!
Ichthus Festival was at one point such an amazing festival! My band played there a few years before they stopped having it every summer and it had changed a lot from its original glory… But I have some awesome news! A new company purchased the farm and they have asked my band to play the next festival they have. So I am super excited to have the chance to play at Ichthus again!
Do you ever make a mistake on stage? Curious what that’s like… I am sure you practice, but can’t imagine making a mistake!
Oh yeah, we all make mistakes on stage… I don’t like it when we do because we work so hard to give the best show we can. When our fans come to see us live I don’t think they are looking for perfection, they want connection and to hear some of their favorite songs. I honestly feel like if you are too perfect on stage the songs don’t feel real or it feels too robotic. Having a flaw or two shows a little humanness and realness that can’t be faked. So it doesn’t bother me too much when we miss a hit or I screw up a lyric. It’s all part of the journey and we can walk through it together with our fans!
Speaking of Nashville, it will be my first visit. What do I need to see while in town? Anything I can’t afford to miss?
There are so many great places to eat and hang out. A good burger joint is Burger Republic, great tacos at Taco Mamacita, Italian food at Bella Napoli Pizzeria or Maggiano’s Little Italy, too many to name, brother! You’ll enjoy just about all that Nashville has to offer.
Where can folks at home learn more about Devin Williams?
My website has pretty much all my links to social media so it is probably the best place to start.
What’s next for Devin Williams?
For 2021 we are promoting the newest EP so all my effort is going into marketing to get these songs out to the world. We just recorded the video for the first single “Every Eye” and will be releasing and recording videos for the other songs throughout the year. Now that things are opening back up, I’m looking forward to scheduling some tours later in the fall and spring of 2022. Man, I’ve missed playing live shows so much. Kind of gets me teary eyed knowing that we are returning to normal and we can get out and see our fans again.
Thank you for doing this. Wow. What a treat! In all of the interviews I do, I always give the artist the last word. Go.
Ricky, thank you for the opportunity to share my music and a little bit about my story with your readers. I’ve been creating music my entire career to share passion and life and to tell the “greatest story ever told” in a way that is real and honest. I’m not perfect. I make stupid mistakes just like everyone else. I realized a long time ago that being a Christian isn’t about perfection but it’s a walk of faith. God isn’t a grandpa or some kind of Santa Claus who gives us whatever we want. The Creator knows us better than we know ourselves and loves us dearly. The world is filled with terrible tragedy, pain, and also overwhelming joy. I do my best to share all of this in my music and that in the darkness there is hope and light in Christ. May God bless you and keep you my friend!
Connect with Devin Williams:
Website: https://www.devinw.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/devinw
Instagram: http://instagram.com/devininc
Twitter: http://twitter.com/devininc
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/devinwilliamsmusic
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5mZnl0igQGmw0BVY9ZT4lZ
