Surviving and thriving in the music industry
Fall 2013 • Quad Magazine
-by Lauren Peeples (‘10)
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Just living the dream is what many would say about Lindsey Williams from Kingston Springs, Tenn. With a lifelong passion for music, Williams began writing theme songs for multimillion dollar corporations, including Walmart, McDonald’s and Nike in the 1990s. “I love waking up every morning and not having any idea what I’ll be doing. I may be taking care of office stuff, writing and playing anything from Southern Gospel to an orchestral hybrid tune for a film, to blues, country, rock and indie singer/songwriter,” he says. “When I was 20 years old, I was saved and needed to do something positive with my life. I had been touring the Southeast with a Southern rock band living a rock band lifestyle when I gave my heart to The Lord in August 1975. I arrived at EC in January 1976,” he recalls. After completing EC’s music program, Williams earned a bachelor of music degree in classical guitar performance in 1980 from the University of Georgia. He toured with Rick Bonfim of the United Methodist Evangelist in North Georgia Annual Conference until 1983 when he moved to Nashville. “I played sessions and toured with artists. Holly Dunn, Paul Overstreet, Brenda Lee were the name acts I played guitar for. There are other regional and local artists I’ve played guitar for. Such is the life of a guitar slinger—you work where you can,” he says. In the mid-1990s, Williams wrote music for brands including Texaco, Shell, Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge, Tylenol, Burger King, Payday, Logan’s Road House, FEMA, Ambien, Bush Gardens, Captain D’s, Shoney’s, Home Depot and Lowe’s. By the late 1990s, he began freelancing for major music houses in Nashville, which led to writing/ producing TV promos and themes, including CMT’s Most Wanted Star, The CMA Festival on CBS, Where In The World Is Matt Lauer - NBC Today Show, Animal Planet and Peachtree TV. “I have hundreds of jingles airing for businesses across the country. The national stuff that’s running on TV is the Late Night With David Letterman promo and the theme for Hoda and Kathy Lee’s
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hour on the Today Show,” he says. “That music was nominated for a Daytime Emmy in 2009 in the Outstanding Original Song (Main Title and Promo). It didn’t win the statue, but my wife and I had a great time going to L.A. and attending the ceremony.” Williams says he enjoys the spontaneity of his profession and contributes his success to trusting God’s will. “I personally don’t think there Lindsey (‘77) and Susan Williams are any breaks in my business. I believe you just keep doing what you do, trust God to take care of paying His mortgage, and see what the day brings. It really is a lot of hard work,” says Williams, who insists EC served a significant purpose in his life. “At Emmanuel, I was able to get away from the distractions and get grounded in The Word. I plugged into campus ministries that involved making music as well as ministering in the prison at Alto,” he says. “There’s no doubt that the time I spent at EC helped to prepare me for what was and what is coming in my life.” Williams and Susan, his wife of 26 years, have two children. Beau is a freshman at Union University in Jackson, Tenn., and Caroline is in high school. As for the future, Williams said his main focus is to remain faithful to God and be the best husband and father possible. “As far as career, I am going to continue creating music,” Williams says. “I have no plans to retire because I really am not done yet.”
Tower Three of Roberson Hall opens As resident students moved on campus during a rainy August weekend, Roberson Hall’s third tower opened to add another 72 beds. The fourth tower, with another 72 beds, will be ready in time for Spring Semester 2014. It will be open for tours Saturday afternoon of Homecoming Weekend October 4-6, 2013.