Three decades after his first recordings, there is still a whole story unfolding around him. Will Oldham — or Bonnie Prince Billy, as he likes to sign — has maintained an intense artistic life, mainly in music, but also in film and narration. He has seen his songbook interpreted by legendary figures such as Johnny Cash, Marianne Faithfull, Mark Lanegan and even Rosalía. A veteran folk troubadour whose roots in punk ethics and independent rock creativity continue to sprout albums that are not only relevant in such an overcrowded musical landscape, but also untouchable due to the disarming quality with which he does it.
No less important has been his relationship with country music — a genre still often viewed with suspicion, but one that Oldham embraces and through which he gives us some of the finest writing on the complexity of human nature. The disconcerting humour, raw honesty and sometimes enigmatic tone of his lyrics lend a certain magnetism and mysticism to his work. Frequent reissues invariably add new insights. No matter how well we know him, there will always be room for revelations. And that is an unshakeable virtue, in life and in art.
This year, he has once again delivered an album that disconnects us from the hyper-sonic reality outside. The Purple Bird sounds almost out of its time, but firmly rooted in the imaginary space that Bonnie Prince Billy has created. Calling on legendary producer Dave ‘Ferg’ Ferguson, the diary of one of the greatest singer-songwriters of our time opens once again. Accompanied by a discerning group of musicians linked to the Nashville sound, he takes us on a journey through vast meadows, infamous bars and absurd stops — in the voice that has so often made us smile, moved us or allowed us to recognise ourselves in small details. Now, he returns to Lisbon — to the venue where, in 2014, he gave a memorable concert — too many years and a few albums later. He performs in a quintet with Eamn O’Leary (bouzouki), Jacob Duncan (flute and saxophone), Nuala Kennedy (flutes/pipes) and Thomas Deakin (baritone guitar, clarinet, cornet) in an intimate concert that promises to be memorable.