Rod's story

Rod Williams is a singer, songwriter and guitarist with a multi-textured voice and country-rock sound that shows off his Texas roots. Think cross between country star Keith Urban and rocker Brett Scallions from the band Fuel and you might come close.

Born and raised in Conroe Texas, Williams grew up in a family of singers. While Williams’ mother sung in the local church choir, older brother Brad was destined for the opera stage. Rod did not follow suit. An avid Beatles fan growing up, it’s no surprise that Williams’ calling was rock’n’roll.

Williams was signed out of Houston in 2005 with Warner indie label SMG, launching his band Stillife. A timely introduction to five times Grammy recipient, producer Randy Miller, saw the pair work magic with Williams’ debut album Just Another Day.

Beautiful Again, the first single to be released from the album, was a hit for a couple of different reasons. Aside from Williams being voted Best New Artist at the 2006 World Music Festival, Beautiful Again was voted best video and the song later grabbed the attention of MTV’s reality hit series The Hill’s, featuring in the season 2 finale.

Invited to perform on numerous TV shows around the country, Williams toured extensively. It was during this period he caught the eye of some major promoters finding himself performing inside the biggest stadiums in the US and sharing the stage with some of the hottest rockers in the business – Counting Crows, Vertical Horizon, Goo Goo Dolls, Creed, Chris Daughtry, MatchBox Twenty, Sting and many more.

Then tragedy struck in 2008, almost ending Williams’ singing career. During a performance in front of 40,000 plus fans at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Williams’ throat seized during the final song of the concert. Sidelined for almost two years with a torn larynx, doctors wanted to operate but Williams refused, seeking alternative therapy. Miraculously with the help of some incredible people, Williams’ tenor voice was brought back to life.

With a new lease on life Williams returned to the recording studio, this time helping raise money and awareness in the US with his song Warrior for the Wounded Warriors - the men and women returning from the war in Iraq and Afghanistan with debilitating injuries.

A chance meeting with New Zealand Pop Songstress, Shelley Mac, turned Williams’ world literally upside down! The chemistry was undeniable both on and off stage. Following numerous shows together in the US, Williams joined Mac on tour in New Zealand. Whilst Mac and Williams were in the recording studio working on new material, they got a surprise call from Sting’s promoter to open for Sting during the New Zealand leg of his Symphonicity world tour. Performing together in front of 35,000 people was definitely the highlight of the tour.

Mac and Williams eloped in May of 2011. Fast forward 8 years, the pair are now embarking on their first collaboration 'Sweetness & the Storyteller'.