Will Conner's SouthernHemisphere

Tue 27th Mar, 2007 in Local News

Byron local Will Conner will be serving up tracks from debut album Southern Hemisphere at a series of festival gigs this April.

Conner’s history is an interesting one. His parents fled to Byron in the late sixties to lead the hippy life. He learnt his first guitar chords on his mother’s knee and his father, the infamous leather hat maker and guitarist, Bill Conner taught him to fashion a mean Stetson at an early age.

By the time he left Australia to attend college in Florida, Conner had the skills to ply a trade anywhere in the world – which is just what he did, as a roaming minstrel and travelling hat salesman for several years.

Cut to the present and Will has finally decided to record all those tracks he had ingrained in his memory and penned to paper. The resulting album, Southern Hemisphere was produced in the USA by Jim Devito, and recorded at his studios in Florida (Devito’s credits include work with Tom Petty, Donavon Frankenreiter and Creed). Along with Jim playing bass and harmonica on all tracks,  Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Stan Lynch plays drums and percussion on 3 tracks, (better known as an original member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers ). Twelve of the tracks also feature drummer George Sluppick from US Blues and Funk act MOFRO. 

Following the official album launch to a packed house at Byron Community Centre last weekend, Will make’s his Australian festival debut on the lineup at the forthcoming West Coast Blues and Roots Festival and East Coast Blues and Roots Festival, respectively. He will be joined by his new band: Dave Sanders on drums and percussion, Maurice Cernigoi on bass and Steve Russell (east coast only) on keys.

Sunday April 1: Big Top, West Coast Blues and Roots Festival, Fremantle Esplanade
www.sunsetevents.com.au

Thursday April 5: APRA Stage, East Coast Blues and Roots Festival, Byron Bay, NSW
www.bluesfest.com