Country singer Alex Williams has found his success keeping it real

By Sue Hughes | For The Times-Post

PENDLETON — PENDLETON — Alex Williams went from singing on the stage at Pendleton Heights High School to singing on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, in just 15 years.
When he was 15, Williams — who is now 32 — decided he like to sing and write songs.
His dad heard him singing in his room and suggested that he try out for Wintertainment, a program at the high school. Although he was shy, he agreed to do it. He loved it, and the audience loved him.
After graduating from high school in 2009, Williams moved to the mecca of country music — Nashville.
While attending Belmont University and trying to make his break into country music, he worked several part-time jobs. He delivered pizzas and worked at a Ford dealership.
“They expected me to get out of bed at 7 a.m.,” he said with a laugh.
One day he was driving past Tootsies Orchid Lounge, a country bar, and decided to stop in. He asked the owner if he could sit in with the band.
That led to a five-night-a-week gig with the house band and his leaving college.
He and his band, Williams & Co., performed around Nashville.
He was fortunate enough to win first place out of 500 other contestants at the Crazy Horse, another local country bar.
He was then invited to play at the Grand Ole Opry.

“I was so nervous to be singing where all the big country stars had sung, that I played two songs and walked off the stage. I was supposed to play three songs,” he said.
But he was invited back, this time to play just two songs.
He said it was an honor, but he felt it was a bigger honor to play at the Ryman Auditorium, the original home of the Grand Ole Opry.
He opened for his friend and fellow musician, Whitey Morgan.
“It was amazing,” he said.
Last year he was contacted by a show on Paramount Network, “Yellowstone.” They wanted to use one of his songs on the show.
“Somebody who knew somebody who knew somebody told them about my music,” he said. “It tripled my Spotify play”
He has released albums, including the most recent one, “Waging Peace,” late last year.
His music has been used on a music app, Beatstar. He is paid every time the song is played. Williams makes music videos, too.
Recently, Williams moved back to Pendleton, but he’s still working on his career.
He and his three-piece band travel all over the country with their music.
He said he has more than 200,000 miles on his van.
The biggest show he has performed was opening for Hank Williams Jr. in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
He said there were about 10,000 people there.
Williams usually is on the road Wednesdays through Sundays.
He says he has been supporting himself with his music for about four years.
The band did more than 150 shows in the year before COVID.
That year he stayed home and wrote songs.
“It’s work to write a song. It’s a learning process. ‘Old Tattoos’ took a year to write. I get up every day and write.”
Williams said he feels that taking 15 years to be where he is isn’t a bad thing.
“We’re not pushing our songs, we want to build from grass roots, have control over ourselves — it’s more rewarding.
“We’ll continue to write songs and do as many shows as we can,” he said.
Williams said Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams Sr. and Willie Nelson influenced his music style, as did Tom Petty, The Allman Brothers Band and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
When he is not on the road, Williams is spending time with his 2-year son, Walker. Walker loves his dad’s music and wants it played over and over.
Williams said he thinks traditional country music is making a comeback.
“More traditional songs are coming out of the cracks,” he said. “The roots of country music are coming back.”