Biography
Will Oldham (born Joseph Will Oldham on January 15, 1970, in Louisville, Kentucky) is an American singer-songwriter and actor who records as Bonnie "Prince" Billy.[5]
His mother was a teacher and artist and his father an attorney and photographer. He began acting as a teenager, with a first film role as a young preacher in Matewan, and started writing songs partly as a project for an ethnomusicology professor while at Brown University.[5]
From 1993 to 1997 he recorded under several Palace names, beginning with the Palace Brothers debut There Is No-One What Will Take Care of You, each tied to different collaborators.[5] In 1998 he adopted Bonnie "Prince" Billy, drawing on Bonnie Prince Charlie, Nat King Cole and Billy the Kid.[5]
His 1999 album I See a Darkness became his best-known work, and its title song was covered by Johnny Cash on American III: Solitary Man, with Oldham singing backup.[3][5] He has also made collaborative albums with Matt Sweeney and Tortoise, among others.[5]
References
- I See a Darkness (Wikipedia) — Release date, personnel, critical reception, and track listing.
- Will Oldham (Wikipedia) — Biography, Palace names, the Bonnie "Prince" Billy pseudonym, and collaborations.