Calmness and sadness share a slow pace. And that’s the intersection at which singer-songwriter Garrett Sale operates. His musical project, William Wild, which shares its name with the homeless man who predicted and encouraged Sale’s eventual profession, melds vulnerably sung musings, acoustic strums and pedal steel into something as comfortably heavy as a stack of winter blankets. Recent single “When I’ve Been Gone” adopts the perspective of Sale’s father, who was homeless for years before his death — two days after Sale resolved to quit helping him. “I’m proud of this song,” he told American Songwriter. “I was so tempted to try and write redemption into the song, but it was a really big moment to decide not to.” The Knoxville-based artist plays a free show at the Town Pump Tavern in Black Mountain on Tuesday, May 17, at 10 p.m. facebook.com/thetownpumptavern. Photo courtesy of the artist
Smart bets: William Wild
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