William Fitzsimmons 'Sparrow And The Crow' album

Fitzsimmons has a haunting sound that evokes references to Iron & Wine, Bright Eyes and Elliott Smith. His forthright album tells the true story of two people who didn't make it: William conceived 'The Sparrow And The Crow' as an apology and a confessional to his former wife...and then set those words to music. The result is a hushed and heartbreaking collection of songs that charts a path from regret to reconciliation.

In a recent 'A-' review, BOSTON HERALD critic Kevin Convey described 'The Sparrow And The Crow' as "A Near Masterpiece": Powerfully heart-wrenching and yet so delicate you fear a breath might blow it right out of the CD player, singer-songwriter Fitzsimmons' chronicle of his divorce is a near-masterpiece. Recalling both the cornhusker folk-rock of early Joe Henry and the doomed intimacy of Nick Drake, "The Sparrow and the Crow" makes art and beauty out of tragedy without selling the tragedy short - as you'd expect from a licensed therapist. It's tough stuff, marred only by repetitiveness. But that does nothing to diminish Fitzsimmons' artistic achievement, which is a huge and lasting.

From an underground, digital-only release last Fall, 'The Sparrow And The Crow', debuted at Number Two on the iTunes Folk Chart. Rave coverage followed, as William toured in support of his indie gem, and by year's end, 'Sparrow' had become the #1 Folk Album of 2008 iTunes.

Fitzsimmons' story is unique: his initial home-studio albums were made while he was simultaneously finishing up a graduate program as a Mental health professional, and it was only upon securing his Maters degree and becoming a practicing therapist that William returned to his burgeoning music career. Paste Magazine (which presented William's recent tour) has lauded heavy praise on him, as has Billboard, and a wide variety of other press outlets. He's also found his songs in demand in Hollywood, with tracks appearing on Gray's Anatomy, Army Wives and more...

Raised in Pittsburgh by two blind parents, and now based in Illinois, William grew up listing to his father's orchestral records and to his mother's collection of James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel. The influences of these seminal artists are left throughout 'The Sparrow And The Crow'.

William Fitzsimmons tour dates
03/25 - Mississippi Studios - Portland, OR
03/27 - Palace of Fine Arts SOLD OUT - San Francisco, CA
03/28 - Club Nokia - Los Angeles, CA
03/29 - LeStat's - San Diego, CA
03/31 - Rhythm Room - Phoenix, AZ
04/02 - Launchpad - Albuquerque, NM
04/04 - Lola's Sixth - Fort Worth, TX
04/05 - Stuff's Jr - Austin, TX
04/07 - The Marquee - Tulsa, OK
04/08 - The Bottleneck - Lawrence, KS
04/09 - Mojo's - Columbia, MO
04/11 - Schuba's - Chicago, IL
04/13 - Radio Radio - Indianapolis, IN
04/14 -The Parlour @ Southgate House - Newport, KY
04/15 - Garfield Artworks - Pittsburgh, PA
04/16 - Tin Angel - Philadelphia, PA
04/17 - Canal Room - The Tripwire Presents - New York, NY
04/18 - Vintage Vinyl - In Store Performance - Fords, NJ
04/18 - Nightcat (formerly Coffee East) - Easton, MD
04/19 - Towne Crier Café - Pawling, NY
04/20 - Jammin' Java - Vienna, VA
04/21 - The Square Room - Knoxville TN
04/22 - Smiths' Old Bar - Atlanta, GA
04/23 - WorkPlay Theatre - Birmingham, AL
04/24 - Tasty World - Athens, GA
04/27 - Proud Larry's - Oxford, MS
04/28 - Juanita's - Little Rock, AR
04/29 - Biliken Club - St. Louis, MO

William Fitzsimmons biography
William Fitzsimmons is one of the oddest people you will ever meet. Born the youngest child of two blind parents, William was raised in the outskirts of the steel city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Due to the family's inability to communicate through normal visual means, William's childhood home was filled with a myriad of sounds to replace what eyes could not see. The house was suffused with pianos, guitars, trombones, talking birds, classical records, family sing-a-longs, bedtime stories, and the bellowing of a pipe organ, which his father built into the house with his own hands. When his father's orchestral records were not resonating through the walls, his mother would educate him on the folk stylings of James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, and Simon & Garfunkel. By the completion of his youth and schooling, Fitzsimmons had become well-versed at a variety of instruments, at the minor expense of social standing, interactional skills, and a knowledge of proper shaving technique.

Fitzsimmons' path into music was likewise unusual, forsaking the hobby for many years to work with the mentally ill and pursue an education in the field of mental health. It was during his last semester of graduate school that William pooled monies from past birthday's, holidays, and snow shoveling outings, and bought cheap home recording equipment to begin creating songs again (the first collection of which eventually became his debut album). After finally achieving his goal of becoming a practicing therapist, William left, and returned again to his love of crafting and playing songs. He felt that is where he most belonged. Somewhere between a singing therapist, and a counselor who writes songs, is where Fitzsimmons endeavors to be. Using songs to address matters that he believes need to be addressed.

William draws from those early folks stylings of his mother's music, and the embellished instrumentation of his father's. He is often compared to contemporaries Sufjan Stevens, Iron & Wine, and the late Elliott Smith, not only for his unique style and skill in writing and proclivity to deal with substantive and evocative subject matter, but also for his use of organic and colorful melodies and arrangements. His first two records were completely self-produced and his new album, "The Sparrow And The Crow," produced by Marshall Altman at Galt Line Studios in Los Angeles, is his first studio recorded work. While his lyricism deals often with darker undertones (his most recent album is said to have been written following his own divorce), a measure of hopefulness is always carefully blended in. Even with his short tenure as a songwriter, William has already received mention in noted publications such as Billboard, Paste Magazine, and Performing Songwriter Magazine, and his music has been featured on several television programs such as "Grey's Anatomy" and "Army Wives."

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William Fitzsimmons - Sparrow And The Crow