The Little Willies

Five friends — all involved in separate, outside projects — wanted to play music together. Quite simply, this desire is what led to the formation of the Little Willies in 2003. Comprised of Lee Alexander (bass), Norah Jones (piano/vocals), Richard Julian (guitar/vocals), Dan Rieser (drums), and Jim Campilongo (guitar), the group started with an evening gig booked at the Living Room on New York’s Lower East Side. The quintet found they shared a common fondness for classic American music like Hank Williams, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson, and they began playing covers of some of their favorites. This one-off performance ultimately turned into sporadic shows at the venue whenever their individual schedules would allow, slowly incorporating original songs into their set along the way. In time, the Little Willies began considering the release of a live album, but instead wound up documenting their sound in the recording studio. Milking Bull Records issued the resultant self-titled album in March 2006. A second album of alt country classics, For the Good Times, which included covers of Cal Martin’s “Diesel Smoke, Dangerous Curves,” Loretta Lynn’s “Fist City,” Kris Kristofferson’s “For the Good Times,” and Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” appeared early in 2012. ~ Corey Apar