William Mimnaugh (stage name wiL or @ibreakstrings on socials) is a contemporary roots artist who makes his home on Vancouver Island, Canada. Known for his fiery live show, enigmatic stage presence and mad skill with an acoustic guitar, the 47 year old roots rock singer and songwriter (he tours as a duo with his drummer Keith Gallant and occasionally with other accompaniment) is also known for penning songs like ‘Roam’ flagship anthem to Travel Alberta’s award winning international media campaign called 'Remember to Breathe'.
Not one for school, his youth consisted of skateboarding and holing himself up in his room listening to everything from Chet Atkins to ACDC but It wasn’t until 1998, after hearing the flagrant use of an overdrive pedal on an acoustic guitar in Neutral Milk Hotels ‘In an Aeroplane over the Sea, an album and song that stunned his musical senses, that WiL really started refining and defining both his sound and his style. Stylistically, has been compared to everyone from Ryan Adams and Ray LaMontagne to Frank Black and Ani DiFranco but his style is not easy to peg because he draws inspiration from a wide variety of artists across a multitude of genres.
Gold Digger, a track by rapper, Kanye West, is the first in a line of genre bending cover songs that this Canadian contemporary roots artist has decided to tackle, all while writing and recording new music for his sixth full length album.
Read more...