William Fitzsimmons (musician)
William Fitzsimmons (born 1978 ) is an American singer-songwriter. He lived for a time in Jacksonville, Illinois, but is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He now lives in Springfield. The most famous songs of Fitzsimmons are Passion Play and Please Do not Go, which were used in the American television series Grey's Anatomy in central scenes as background music. The first two albums Until When We Are Ghosts ( 2005) and Goodnight (2006) are a matter of production and were recorded at Fitzsimmons in his former home in Pittsburgh. The 2008 released album The Sparrow and the Crow was his first studio album, # 1 on the iTunes Top Folk Albums chart ( U.S.) and reached number 56 in the iTunes Top Albums chart ( U.S.).
His music was also used in the American television series Brothers & Sisters, MTV's Life of Ryan, One Tree Hill, Family's Greek and Lifetime 's Army Wives. In the magazines Billboard, Rolling Stone, Paste, Spin, Music Express, Uncut, Q Magazine and Performing Songwriter Magazine was pointed at him.
Biography
William was born as the youngest son of a blind couple and grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He says that he had the talent to play a variety of instruments from his parents. Since the family is not like other can communicate through visual impressions, his home was filled with myriad sounds that replaced the what the eye just does not see. They even had an organ, which his father had built by hand. During his primary school days William learned to play the piano and the trumpet. In the years to junior high school, he taught himself to play the guitar. Furthermore, he can play music with the banjo, ukulele, mandolin and melodica. Fitzsimmons is known that he mixes folk with electronic music. He is often compared to Iron & Wine, Simon & Garfunkel, Cat Stevens, Sufjan Stevens and Elliott Smith.
The career of William began after studying psychology at Geneva College and his work as a psychologist. During the summer holidays Fitzsimmons took his first songs at home, which were later released on his debut album.
His songs usually goes to personal and family events. In the 2006 released album Goodnight he processed his parents' divorce from his youth. The songs of the published in 2008 album The Sparrow and the Crow arose during his own divorce.
The music of Fitzsimmons was initially known through the social networking site MySpace and through a tour with fellow like Ingrid Michaelson and Cary Brothers, but also by series such as Grey's Anatomy. In June 2011, Fitzsimmons was on tour in Europe.
In February 2014 appears his new album Lions, the publication will be accompanied by a European tour.
Awards
- U.S. iTunes Best Singer / Songwriter Album 2008: The Sparrow and the Crow
- ITunes Australia Best International Singer / Songwriter Album 2009: The Sparrow and the Crow
- ITunes UK Best of 2009 Singer / Songwriter category: Goodnight
- The poster for the European Tour to The Sparrow and the Crow ( designed by Stefan Guzy and Björn restart from the Berlin design office Twelve ) was voted one of the 100 best posters of Germany, Austria and Switzerland in 2009.
Discography
Albums
- 2005: Until When We Are Ghosts
- 2006: Good Night
- 2008: The Sparrow and the Crow
- 2010: Derivatives
- 2011: Gold in the Shadow (Greenland 1146493, Rough Trade )
- 2014: Lions
More
- 2008: You Can Close Your Eyes
- 2009: Heartless
- 2009: Covered in Snow
- 2009: If You Would Come Back Home