Will Overman w/ Sam Foster

Will Overman is a singer-songwriter based in Charlottesville, VA.

Will’s genre-bending, storytelling approach to songwriting is a product of being born and bred on the east coast, finding love and being tested on the west coast, and finding a renewed passion for his art around the world.

The central VA based singer-songwriter’s music carries a maturity to match the up-and-down life he has lived over the past 26 years. From fronting a touring band while attending college, through-hiking the Appalachian Trail and traveling around the world for several months, to witnessing his parents divorce, standing by his wife as she fought and beat cancer twice, and going through tough financial situations while trying to make it as a creator; Will’s songs evoke the wisdom of an old soul with youthful optimism. Listeners can easily recognize a blending of genres such as Folk, Pop, Country and Rock n' Roll in Will’s music, bearing to mind the approach that legends Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, or James Taylor took, and how today’s singer-songwriter heroes such as: John Mayer, Jason Isbell, and Josh Ritter, have expanded on it.

Will initially found success with his collaborative project, Will Overman Band, touring up and down the east coast on the weekends while attending college at UVA. Consisting of musicians from central VA, the Southern Rock ‘n Roll influenced Americana project released two EPs and an LP, playing bar gigs and festival slots (Merlefest, Appaloosa Music Festival, Roosterwalk) until in the spring of 2017, Will graduated and the band decided to go their separate ways. Not sure what to do next, Will began writing again, culminating in the release of his first solo studio work, 2017’s Crossroads EP.

In the three years following the recording of his EP Crossroads, Will underwent a major growth and maturing period as life threw everything at him - both good and bad, all of which is captured on his debut solo LP, The Winemaker’s Daughter (released Feb. 12, 2021). Will says, “The Winemaker’s Daughter is about as close as you can get to a concept album without calling it one.” Consisting of nine songs, The Winemaker’s Daughter, is a retelling of the stories and moments from the last three years, of beauty made possible through pain, all with an undertone of hope for the future.

Although the record focuses on Will's pursuit of his wife Janey, his intimate, personal lyrics and dynamic melodies invariably lead listeners to trade places with Will and find their own romantic moments, intense heartbreaks, and fight for hope, woven in the songs on The Winemaker's Daughter.

Sam Foster is a road dog. He lives and breathes the idea that repetition and regularity are the chisels to refine his craft. Hailing from Winston-Salem, Foster emerged on the North Carolina music scene in 2014 as a solo artist and he’s brought his brand of tenacity to eager crowds all over the Southeastern United States ever since. 

Foster is a little bit country, a whole lotta rock and roll. While drawing much inspiration from legends of country music past and present, Foster’s sound can be more broadly described as rock. His roots run deep into the vein of American music, and he’s continually inspired by folk, soul, Southern rock, and rhythm and blues.

Foster’s debut album Rough Edges (The First Cuts) was released in 2015. Rough Edges was just what it sounds like -- a collection of gritty, raw home recordings cut in the living room of James Vincent Carroll. An embodiment of Foster’s DIY spirit, Foster and Carroll played all instruments on Foster’s original compositions. To follow up, Foster began working with producer and engineer Doug Davis at Flytrap Music Productions. The result was 2018’s Hardened Hearts, a conscientious nod to the gamut of Americana music.

In 2017, Foster co-founded Whiskey Foxtrot with singer-songwriter Seth Williams. After filling out their numbers, the five-piece Whiskey Foxtrot dove headfirst into touring, playing hundreds of shows across the South over four years. Whiskey Foxtrot established a following on local, regional, and global levels. The band released their debut, Hard Lines & Headlights, in 2020. Produced and engineered by Benjy Johnson at Earthtones Recording Studio, the album is a testament to love, heartbreak, and hard work that’s characterized by driving guitars and mournful lap steel and grounded by a pounding rhythm section. Hard Lines & Headlights was well-received by fans and critics alike.

Either as a solo artist, or with Whiskey Foxtrot, Foster has shared the stage with national touring acts such as Seth Walker, Ward Davis, The Way Down Wanderers, John Howie Jr. & the Rosewood Bluff, Sunny Sweeney, Caleb Caudle, and Justin Wells.

Like most people, Foster was changed by global pandemic. Spending less time on the road and more time at home writing, Foster focused on songwriting, resulting in a long list of new songs ready to showcase live and record for posterity. Whiskey Foxtrot disbanded in early 2021, and Foster finds himself once again a solo artist. As the world enters a new chapter, so too does Foster. The good news is that he’s got new stories to tell, new shows to play, and new music to debut.

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**IMPORTANT HEALTH REQUIREMENT**

The band has requested that all attendees provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test within 72 hours of the show. They also recommend wearing a mask. Currently New Hanover County does not have a mask mandate, but we will update patrons accordingly closer to the date of the show.  When purchasing tickets for this event, you agree to the above conditions. If you do not provide proof of vaccination or negative COVID test at the door prior to the performance, you will not be allowed to enter.

Doors open at 7pm, show from 8-10pm. Tickets are $15.