The Lone Bellow Singer Zach Williams on the Band’s Origin, Current Tour and Working with Aaron Dessner

Stephanie Hernandez

The Lone Bellow’s self-titled debut was released in 2013 to critical acclaim. However, long before the three members found each other and combined their voices, they were all pursuing solo careers. Brian Elmquist had been writing and recording solo material for over a decade, Kanene Donehey Pipkin was living with her husband in China playing local clubs and teaching music lessons, while Zach Williams had begun writing songs to cope with his wife’s possible paraplegic diagnosis. Williams’ journal entries would eventually become The Lone Bellow’s first set of work. Following his wife’s recovery, Williams moved to New York City, joined forces with Elmquist and Kanene to form their three-piece folk inspired, gospel-drenched country rooted trio. Currently on tour in promotion of their sophomore album “Then Came Morning,” frontman Zach Williams took the time to talk to Entertainment Voice about the Lone Bellow’s start, finding their sound, and what the group is looking forward to most on the road.

The Lone Bellow has a very compelling back story, with your initial material stemming from time spent in the hospital following your wife’s accident, what did it mean to you to start the group and share your story?

I pinch myself thinking about being able to make music with my best friends. We have been through all sorts of wonderful and terribly tough things together and I feel like the way we started had a lot to do with what we love most about making music. Carrying each other’s burdens and celebrating each other’s triumphs has been a major part of our writing and our shows since the beginning.

The Lone Bellow is a Brooklyn based band with alternative country roots; did you find it difficult to build an audience in the city when you were starting out?

I started out in NYC back in 06. I was fortunate enough to find a good crew or songwriters and musicians in the music scene. Rockwood Music hall and the open mic at Bar 4 were basically home base for us all. It didn’t really matter what style of music we were making. We championed each other’s work and stuck together as long as the work was honest and worthwhile. Once The Lone Bellow came together in 2011 we were deeply rooted in https://entertainmentvoice.com/authors/fred-hernandez/this community of musicians and listeners in NYC. We will always consider NYC our home and the city that made us who we are.

Your self-titled debut album created so much buzz around your name very quickly, but you spent years working on the record before its official release; what finally provided the push to release it in 2013?

We made it in 2011, but got some good advice from friends to find a good team of people to get behind it. Making our album ourselves and having a strong NYC crew gave us the chance to hand pick our team. Label, management, agency, etc….Once we had the team we believed in we knew we were ready to launch the record and give it the chance we felt like it deserved.

The Lone Bellow was invited to play SXSW in 2013, what was that experience like for such a young band?

It was the gauntlet. Seventeen shows in 5/6 days. It was also the week we all quit our day jobs and hit the road. I loved it. So much energy from all the bands and music lovers, and Austin is wonderful.

Your Sophomore album “Then Came Morning” was released earlier this year, what was the process for the record like and how was it working with producer Aaron Dessner of The National?

We wrote the majority of the songs while touring on the road. A major part of the process was trying to figure out which songs would not make this album. Once we figured that out we had the opportunity of working with Aaron in Dreamland Studios up close to Woodstock, N.Y. It’s an old church in the woods turned into a studio back in the 60s. I loved how spacious it was. Aaron had the idea of us recording all the vocals together in what used to be the sanctuary. The sounds everyone was able to capture had a lot to do with Jon Low (the engineer) being so good at his job and Aaron pushing the boundaries of our instruments and sound. It was an unforgettable time.

What has been the most exciting or rewarding moment for the group thus far?

My favorite so far must have been the first show outside of N.Y. after our first record came out. It was Boston, we started singing the first song and the entire room sang the entire record with us. That was it for sure.

What are you looking forward to most on this tour?

We haven’t had the chance to play a proper show in L.A. since December 2013 at The Troubadour. It has been way too long. L.A. is one of our homes away from home. I can honestly say I can’t wait to play the El Rey. I’m also pretty pumped about playing Euax Claire festival since Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner are the brains behind it and the Newport Folk fest has so many great bands I can’t wait to watch.

The Lone Bellow will be Performing at the El Rey Theatre June 16. Tickets available here.