Bio

Bio

Doug and Telisha Williams have had an incredible year. Not only have they seen continued success for their debut album, Rope Around My Heart, but they've shared stages with some real legends. Lucinda Williams, Darrell Scott, and Charlie Louvin have all had D & T kick off their shows.

Honest grit mingled with a humble respect comes through in songs of redemption, struggle and sacrifice on their new record Rope Around my Heart. Doug and Telisha gathered a stellar group of musicians to lend their talents, including Darrell Scott, Dennis Crouch, Kenny Malone, Eamon McLoughlin and Becki Williams. The project was produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Miles Wilkinson.

“I’m excited about this record, it’s very honest, almost raw,” says Doug, “Some of these songs come from pretty shadowy places.” Of course, it isn’t all dark and depressing, “There are a couple of happy songs! Even a love song, and it’s honest, too!” notes Telisha.

Telisha’s crystal-clear voice floats like a butterfly on a mountain breeze or thunders like a freight train coming down the track. Doug’s guitar playing provides a perfect foundation for either.

Telisha and Doug met in high school marching band and there hasn’t been a time since then that they haven’t been playing music together. She was the Majorette and he was the Drum Major. It sounds like something in a cheesy romance novel, but it's true!

They soon started dating and Doug gave Telisha her first guitar and taught her some chords. They put together a band specifically to play at a school assembly. They learned a few more songs and became the typical high school band, playing some pop tunes, some classic rock, and some country-rock. Like many garage bands, backyard birthday parties and school dances were their specialty.

Eventually the band broke up, but Doug and Telisha continued playing together. Doug says, “Back home in the basement, it was always just us, doing this folksy, country stuff.”

After high school Doug and Telisha went to different colleges. Though five hours apart, they continued to play a few gigs here and there as a duo. Both Doug and Telisha finished college and got 'normal' jobs, still playing music on the weekends. Eventually normal became less and less and their music became more and more the focus of their lives. As touring, writing, and recording picked up it became evident that there just wasn’t enough time for the old ‘normal’ jobs anymore.

Now fourteen years from that first high school assembly they have emerged with the passion and energy of a true calling. There is a strong sense of urgency and purpose. It was a partnership that was meant to be in more ways than one. Married and living in southwest Virginia, they tour constantly around the South and up into the North, crossing ever-widening boundaries with every step.

With their open, inviting personalities and intriguing stage presence, the duo is quickly growing their fan base. First timers at their live shows feel like old friends and part of the family after just a song or two. A single set of their music can bring audience members to their feet in applause, to their knees in prayer, and back to the bar to buy another beer.