Willi Carlisle

Folk singer and multi-instrumentalist, Willi Carlisle, brings a unique blend of performative, academic, and teaching experiences to his music. With an MFA in Poetry and a BA in Writing and Performance Studies, he approaches folklore and theatre-arts with an interdisciplinary perspective. Known for his all-ages programming, Carlisle calls square dances and plays fiddle, banjo, squeezebox, and guitar. He also presents and publishes folklore while occasionally creating moving panoramas. His style is rooted in Ozark old-time music combined with antique influences.

Carlisle's versatility shines through as he effortlessly switches between banjo, accordion, fiddle, and guitar during performances that have earned him accolades across the USA as well as in the UK and Canada. Sharing the stage with acts like Dom Flemons and Los Texmaniacs has solidified his reputation as a talented musician. Despite drawing comparisons to old balladeers and bluesmen due to his expressive voice and commanding presence on stage,

Willi Carlisle's songs are fresh yet timeless - exploring themes of love, heartache, joy with authenticity. Audiences will find themselves laughing or shedding tears alongside him as he weaves larger-than-life stories into his performances.