Bonnie “Prince” Billy
“He has settled into character as an uncanny troubadour, singing a sort of transfigured country music, and he has become, in his own subterranean way, a canonical figure.” – The New Yorker
The man who acts under the name Will Oldham and sings and composes under the name Bonnie “Prince” Billy has, over the past quarter-century, made an idiosyncratic journey through, and an indelible mark on, the worlds of indie rock and independent cinema. With his highly individualistic approach to music making and the music industry, one that cherishes intimacy, community, mystery, and spontaneity; his brilliance has captivated fans and made Bonny one of our most influential and beloved songsmiths. One of singer/songwriter Will Oldham’s many aliases, Bonnie “Prince” Billy is the most prolific, with Oldham releasing nearly all his material under the moniker since 1999’s breakthrough album, I See a Darkness. Whether known as Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Palace, Palace Brothers, or Palace Songs, the Louisville, Kentucky native always uses vintage folk and country influences as a framework for his songs about the joys and failings of human nature. His voice can be clear or creaky and the arrangements may be full-bodied or spectral, but the literacy and emotional power of Oldham’s songs are a constant in his work, and he’s grown from an intriguing alt-country outlier to a respected figure in folk and roots music circles. His most recent album, Keeping Secrets Will Destroy You, was released in 2023. The new album dispenses the wisdom of his life and the anxiety of his present into some of his most intimate and compelling musical settings.
