Joy Williams (singer)

Joy Elizabeth Williams (born November 14, 1982) is an American singer-songwriter. The winner of four Grammy awards, Williams has released four solo albums and four EPs since the release of her self-titled debut in 2001. She performed with John Paul White as The Civil Wars from 2009 until 2014.

Early life

Williams was raised in a Christian home in Santa Cruz, California, where her parents worked in ministry. She attended Valley Christian High School in San Jose and graduated as the class valedictorian in 2001.

In addition to singing in church, Williams began writing faith-based pop songs while living in Santa Cruz. At 17, she was signed by Reunion Records, a subsidiary of Sony/BMG based in Brentwood, Tennessee. Williams moved to Nashville in 2001, in part to be closer to the label’s headquarters.

She cites Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel, Massive Attack, and Portishead as being her influences.

Music career

Williams achieved significant success between 2001 and 2005. She was nominated for 11 Dove Awards, and the three records she released on Reunion cumulatively sold more than 250,000 albums. In 2005 she left the label, noting that her perspective had changed considerably since she had started recording for Reunion at 17. “My worldview shifted like tectonic plates from 17 to mid-twenties, and over time, I just started to feel less and less comfortable with the type of music I was making. I wanted to write things that moved me and not feel like I had any parameters telling me what to do or not to do," she said in a 2014 interview.

Joy Williams

Joy Williams may refer to:

  • Joy Williams (Australian writer) (1942-2006), Australian author of poetry
  • Joy Williams (American writer) (born 1944), American author of fiction
  • Joy Williams (singer), American musician
  • Joy Williams (album), debut album of the above
  • Joy Williams (album)

    Joy Williams is the self-titled debut album by contemorary Christian music singer Joy Williams, released on August 7, 2001. In an interview after the album's release, Williams said: "Working on my first album, I wanted the music to be indicative of my relationship with Christ and how I was growing." The album featured the hit singles "Serious" and "I Believe In You".

    Track listing

  • "It's All Good" - 3:55
  • "No Less" - 3:51
  • "I Believe in You" - 4:24
  • "Up" - 3:19
  • "Touch of Faith" - 4:02
  • "Serious" - 3:57
  • "Home" - 4:42
  • "Second Nature" - 3:44
  • "Better Than I" - 3:52
  • "Do They See Jesus in Me?" - 5:55
  • References


    Joy Williams (Australian writer)

    Joy Williams (born Eileen Williams; a.k.a. Joyce Riley Williams, Joy Williams Wiradjuri, Janaka Wiradjuri) (born 13 September 1942 in Sydney; died 22 September 2006 in Primbee, New South Wales, Australia) was an Aboriginal Australian author of poetry.

    Biography

    Joy Williams was born Eileen Williams at the Crown Street Women's Hospital in Sydney. Joy was born illegitimate so her mother gave her to Bomaderry Home. At the age of six she was sent to the Lutanda Children's Home run by the Plymouth Brethren, first at Wentworth Falls and later to Pennant Hills, Sydney. Williams was sent to Lutanda, where she was the only indigenous resident, rather than the Cootamundra Domestic Training Home for Aboriginal Girls because of her fair skin. Williams went to Hornsby Girls' High School and then at the insistence of the Brethren was sent to the Nurses' Home at Parramatta District Hospital at sixteen to become a nurses aide. She was later sent to the North Ryde Psychiatric ward and while on weekend leave she became pregnant with her first child, a daughter. Being heavily sedated Williams was forced to sign adoption papers.

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