At the ripe old age of 24, Charlottesville, VA native Ian Gilliam is creating a name for himself as a hot, young blues guitar slinger. While the terms "prodigy" or "wunderkind" are often used to describe the gifted and precious, Gilliam (pronounced "Gillum") doesn't necessarily see himself that way.
"I really don't feel like a kid anymore," said Gilliam in a recent phone interview from his home. "I've been playing seriously for about 13 or 14 years now."
Married, and with two small children, Gilliam recently released his first CD titled "Where I Stand," and gave his boss two weeks' notice after deciding to hit the road and play music full time. "Where I Stand" displays a maturity, in both playing and songwriting, that's often lacking from other young players, most of whom are content to pay homage to their generation's blues mentor, Stevie Ray Vaughan. Gilliam says he was not different, at least at first.
"When I first started playing, it was all I used to do, my goal was to sound like him," said Gilliam. "Luckily, I think I've gotten that out of my system."
Gilliam shows he can spew blues licks with anyone on standard-sounding numbers like "I Wonder" and B.B. King's "Sweet Little Angel," but he's actually more impressive and fiery on more intense numbers like the churning title song or the hyper-funk/disco "After All This Time." Songs like the super-boogie "To Stop Myself," which features touches of "alternative" sounding guitar, and the angular and manic "Will You Be My Girl," with its laid-back, jazzy middle section, also show Gilliam isn't a "purist" afraid to mess with tradition.
Already a popular attraction within the very discerning University of Virginia music scene, Gilliam now hopes to realize the same success in other venues. Should his ship come in, however, he's insistent that he won't forget about his hometown.
"This place is a like a little oasis in the South," he said. "If I ever get anywhere, I'll make it a priority of mine to let people know what a great place this is."
-Lou King