William Clark Green Reveals 1st Album in 4 Years, “Baker Hotel”
It’s hard to not still think of William Clark Green as the “next big thing” in Texas country music. After all, that’s the name of one of his signature songs. When he first appeared on the scene, he did make a monster splash with another one of his signature songs, “She Likes The Beatles,” and with so many living legends still working the Texas circuit, you can be middle aged, and still feel like the new kid.
But active now for 15 years, with five records under his belt, and now 35 years old, the singer/songwriter and member of the Texas supergroup The Panhandlers is taking a more reflective and introspective approach to what will be his sixth record and his first in four years when Baker Hotel hits the streets on March 25th.
“What this record means to me is self-reflection, realizing that I just turned 35 and it’s like, ‘Where am I at in life? Where do I want to be? Where did I think I would be?’ Not being able to work [during the lockdown], I had a lot of time to sit and think about myself, and what’s really locking me down, and that’s what I think this record is about,” says Green.
The Eastland, Texas native has proven his knack for utilizing location in his music with his last couple of records, Ringling Road from 2015 (Dat-na-na-na-na-na), and Herbert Island from 2018. He will try to do the same on Baker Hotel, named after the towering, once opulent, and somewhat ominous 17-story landmark located in downtown Mineral Wells, TX that was originally constructed in the 1920’s and now sits abandoned.
Built to take advantage of the mineral water craze of the roaring 20’s, the hotel was probably a bad idea to begin with, barely got by through the Depression, survived through the war years when a nearby base came to life, but has been closed for good since 1972, with it’s ornate architecture drawing curiosity seekers, but it’s broken and boarded up windows also giving the structure a ghostly quality.
As for the music of Baker Hotel, it’s said to veer between roots rock, Western balladry, swampy country, and Southern rock. To get folks started, William Clark Green has released the song “All You Got” (listen below), which definitely sticks to more of the rock side of the William Clark Green sound.
TRACK LIST:
1. Feel Alive
2. Gun To Your Head
3. Give a Damn
4. Anymore
5. Baker Hotel
6. Dog Song
7. All Pot No Chicken
8. Getting Drunk
9. All You Got
10. Best Friends
11. Love to Hate
12. Leave Me Alone
13. Me, Her and You
CountryKnight
January 28, 2022 @ 8:46 am
About time we got new music from him. His musical blend is awesome.
Is that the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew on the album cover? That is a perfect rendering of children books from the olden day. Why is it that Texas Country and the independent musicians have better album covers than Nashville singers? I suppose less resources drives the creative spirit.
2022 is shaping up to be a banner year for music.
Trigger
January 28, 2022 @ 8:51 am
Enjoying the artwork for this. Yes, numbered in the corner like the Hard Boys/Nancy Drew books, and a really good artistic rendering of the young adult mystery covers.
CountryKnight
January 28, 2022 @ 10:02 am
The Three Investigators were my jam as a lad.
Children’s books aren’t what they used to be. Now we have Captain Underpants and other garbage.
Slyfox07
January 28, 2022 @ 2:38 pm
https://www.threeinvestigatorsbooks.com/
https://www.facebook.com/The-Three-Investigators-Mystery-Series-US-Editions-Collector-Site-297488790179
Ian
January 28, 2022 @ 10:23 pm
I read my daughter classic Nancy Drew, sorry to say the books do not hold up at all to test of time, though we do love to mock the stupidity of all the various characters. Typically the villain could have easily gotten away with the crime aside from doing something insane and unnecessary to that attracts the attention of the titian haired sleuth! Most recent buffoonery was a gang that sent exploding oranges (!) to blow up a manned NSA rocket mid flight! They also had a swimming pool of boiling water, a collection of vicious lions etc and a laser beam that was to be used once the exploding oranges (!) were discovered. Funny thing is that Captain Underpants has a lot better writing, word-play, parody and other elements that in my eyes make it objectively better than Nancy Drew. But it’s fun to read those absolute turd burgers, we are like 15 books in! Many apologies for digressing so far from topic, I came to comment that Tom Russell has a great song about Mineral Wells which takes place around the Baker Hotel so I really look forward to hearing this and reconnecting with a classic TR tune.
Stringbuzz
January 28, 2022 @ 1:46 pm
First thing i thought of was the Hardy Boys too!
Frank Bock
January 28, 2022 @ 11:36 am
I thought that Ringling Road was good but Hebert Island was too long. It didn’t have a obnoxious run time but 14 songs regardless seemed like a big investment to listen to for some reason. I liked him a lot in the context of the Panhandlers… I feel like he did well in a band like that.
JW
January 28, 2022 @ 12:48 pm
I have been looking forward to this album for quite some time. Hopefully its as good as Hebert Island.
Also, side note. I didn’t see this album show up on the anticipated album list of 2022, but The Kernal’s “Listen to the Blood” album that came out a few weeks ago is damn good. It popped up on my list this morning and just listened to it and it is probably my favorite country album of the year so far….
Jeff
January 28, 2022 @ 2:13 pm
Been waiting for this. Loved his last two albums. His album artwork is so good per usual.
Jerseyboy
January 28, 2022 @ 4:50 pm
Love the guitar on this, the cover of the album reminds me of downtown Bovina, Texas, in 1982.
Looking forward to hearing the whole enchilda.
Traveler
January 29, 2022 @ 1:51 am
Love the Baker Hotel, there is so much history and ghost stories about the famous hotel. I took a tour through the hotel once and it is pretty opulent for the time period it was built. A big ballroom is on the top floor where all the big names and big bands of the time performed. It is a sad situation that it has been neglected for years. There have been a few owners who have tried to renovate the hotel but, it never works out. I remember it was used as a haunted house that I and some friends went to around Halloween 1999. I am looking forward to hearing this album.
Countryfan68
January 29, 2022 @ 2:49 am
Sounds like Keith urban. I like it. Well if it sticks to the rock side, then that will be for me, I liked what I have heard so far, will have to check out his album.
(Still) The Ghost of OlaR...
January 29, 2022 @ 6:10 am
The album is not a blind buy…but i’m sure i will find a song or two i like.
Since WCG will have his next hit on the Texas Charts…here are a couple of new & current hits i have on my (new) Texas & Beyond playlist:
– Best Track 2022 (so far): Jarrod Morris – “Truth Like A Lie”
– Most Played Track 2022 (so far): Evan Ogden – “Everybody Knows Somebody”
Corey Kent – “Highways”
Keller Cox – “Strange Times”
William Beckmann – “Follow”
Logan Samford – “Have At It”
Ellis Bullard – “Roller Coaster”
Nathan Perry – “Looking Down”
JP Campbell – “Triggers Dreams”
Larissa Boyd – “Alone In Your Mind”
Kendall Shaffer – “The Waterin’ Hole”
David Adam Byrnes – “I Find A Reason”
The Ransom Brothers - “Why Does It Rain”
Tanner Sparks – “Lightning Up An Old Flame”
Pecos & The Rooftops – “Last Night’s Lashes”
Taylor
January 29, 2022 @ 3:10 pm
Two things that are good here: 1. WCG has a new album coming out. Saw him several years ago in Manhattan, KS. I have a few of his albums, always good to listen to on a lyrical standpoint. 2. The Baker Hotel is in the process of being restored. I remember stumbling across it on my way back to Kansas several years ago. I hope to stay there once it it done.
Cool Lester Smooth
January 31, 2022 @ 4:10 am
Fantastic. Legitimately one of my favorite artists – and one of the best live shows you’ll ever see.
Jake Cutter
January 31, 2022 @ 8:39 am
I like a lot of his stuff, so I wanted to like this song and even sat on it for a few days. I hope the rest of the albums is less generic sounding.
Timothy
January 31, 2022 @ 4:12 pm
Yes, the Baker is currently close, but currently undergoing a massive restoration. The hotel is NOT abandoned, and slated to be open to the public for bookings beginning in 2024
Kit
March 10, 2022 @ 8:07 am
YES!! -BAKER HOTEL IS NOT ABANDONED!
Major restoration and renovation, to “historical” building specs, has been under way for 3 years now, and progressing daily. go to baker hotel website for updates, and make plans to visit.
Michael
April 3, 2022 @ 1:02 pm
The Baker Hotel website
https://thebakerhotelandspa.com/