“He sings from the heart,” and “it left an impression on me” are the two most common testimonials after Willi performs. After years of writing poetry, collecting folklore, playing or calling square dances, and working in the avant garde, Willi Goehring has turned to his first and best craft: telling stories through song. With a style forged in the fires of Arkansas old time music and his ever-growing collection of antique music, Goehring’s multi-instrumental stories scathe and lilt through the beauties and troubles of southern living and the friction between old and new. Equally comfortable on banjo, fiddle, and guitar, Goehring has earned accolades for his versatility with performances at
the Arkansas Folk Center, the Fayetteville Roots Festival, Ozarks at Large, public libraries, Arsaga’s at The Depot, and bars across the region. While his powerful voice draws comparison to old balladeers and blues men, Goehring sings even new songs for the oldest reasons: love, heartache, and joy. People who watch and listen will find that Goehring sheds a tear onstage almost as often as his audience does, proof of
a young man with full faith in his task, a man with no other choice: “A few scented candles and pictures on mantles/ don’t fix an angry young man!” he sings. And, “It cuts to the bone, there’s a stone in my throat just to sing it,/ but I carved out a home of my own with no one’s forgiveness.” His debut EP will be available in Spring of 2016.
Come welcome Willi back to Arsaga’s at The Depot for a live performance, Friday, April 8th, 7pm-9pm.