Today we’d like to introduce you to Will Wells.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born in South Jersey near Philadelphia, and am the youngest of six children. There was never a dull moment in the house growing up, and I had two very loving and encouraging parents that made sure every one of their children knew that they could do anything they set their mind to. My mother often recounts my excitement and passion for music from the moment I was barely walking, and as I progressed through middle school and high school, that passion blossomed even more. I decided to pursue higher education at Berklee College of Music in Boston, focusing on writing music for Film and TV, as well as writing, producing, and recording music. This was pivotal for me because learning the trade of Audio Engineering ended up proving incredibly vital to my career path. Having a specialized skill that I could offer to clients or recording studios out of college provided a consistent flow of work and sustenance within my field, allowing me to gain experience in professional settings while also amplifying other skill sets that I was eager to move to the forefront of my portfolio, such as songwriting and production.
My first year out of college set me on a whirlwind of a path that I would choose to take again and again. My first employer was Alex Lacamoire, who hired me as Music Department Assistant on Bring It On The Musical, at the Ahmanson Theatre In Downtown Los Angeles. This was my introduction into the world of professional Musical Theatre and eventually led to the opportunity to contribute to Hamilton. Shortly after that show opened, I began working for an incredible composer and thought leader named Richard Gibbs, who also happened to own one of the most magical studios in the world. Woodshed Recording in Malibu California has been home to many great artists such as Coldplay, U2, Barbra Streisand, Lady Gaga, Chance The Rapper, Pink, Kanye West – the list goes on. Richard pushed me to utilize whatever skills and talents I could offer, and when he thought it appropriate, he would let clients know that I did more than just refill coffee, turn knobs, and patch audio signals. Because he planted these seeds, it led to career-shaping relationships with LMFAO, The RZA and Wu Tang Clan, Logic, and beyond. Having champions like Richard in my corner is really the reason I have been able to have such an exciting and interesting path.
After leaving Woodshed Recording, I began touring North America and eventually the world for the better half of the decade that followed. The highlights included performing as a utility musician, playing Guitar, Keyboards, and singing with Imagine Dragons’ on their Smoke + Mirrors World Tour, and Logic on Everybody’s Tour and Music Directing Anthony Ramos’s The Good and The Bad Tour. During this time, I fostered wonderful relationships with industry staples, endorsing the likes of Yamaha, Gibson, Radial, Ultimate Support, Mogami, and Moog. Their dedication to excellent products and the value that each and every one of these companies places on relationships allowed me leave no creative stone unturned and always have someone to call when it came time to execute a vision.
This last year has been one that I will never forget, with experiences that I truly believe are the culmination of everything I’ve ever worked on. I recently served as Executive Producer and co-writer of the debut album from Anthony Ramos, whom I met while working as Electronic Music Producer on the Tony, Grammy, and Pulitzer Prize award-winning hit Broadway musical, Hamilton. The critically acclaimed album, The Good & The Bad, was released by Republic Records. Shortly after that release, I was commissioned by ESPN to write the first-ever theme for the Heisman Trophy Ceremony which aired live on national television in December 2019. It was an honor to have my name mentioned as Music Director of the live band and to work with the television production team to ensure a smooth integration of music into the broadcast. Most recently, I collaborated with Gabe Fox-Peck to produce “Stand Up”, the end title song for the Harriet Tubman biopic, Harriet, performed by the film’s lead character, Cynthia Erivo. The song received nominations for Best Song from the Golden Globes, Critics’ Choice Awards, NAACP Image Awards, and the Academy Awards. Performing at the 2020 Oscars is something I will never forget!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’ve been fortunate to have had a very colorful journey, with many highlights and challenges along the way. Early in my career, one of the biggest obstacles I faced was identifying what my ‘calling card’ should be. This was particularly difficult, because I enjoyed so many aspects of the entertainment industry, from writing and producing songs, to performing in the studio and live on stage, to hands-on engineering and entrepreneurship. You’d be surprised at some of the looks you get in Los Angeles when people ask what you do and you say, “I’m a Songwriter, Producer, Audio Engineer, Performer, Music Director, Tour Manager, Production Manager, and Music Business Entrepreneur.” So, with some guidance from my mentors, I had to take a closer look at what I wanted my legacy to be, and which of these skills were just stepping stones to build it.
Later in my career, the biggest challenge was knowing exactly when to say no. It was humbling to have opportunities to choose from at any given point in time, but once I started to really hone in on what I wanted to arc of my career to look like, I had to be brutally honest with myself about whether or not what I was choosing to take on was contributing to that journey. There came a point where money was very low on the list of initial considerations I made when an opportunity presented itself – often behind more important things to me such as the people I would be sharing an experience with, and the personal and professional growth potential. I learned that the only thing I can’t get back is time, so I have to be extremely careful how I decide to allocate it.
Can you give our readers some background on your music?
I write, produce, record, and perform music. This assortment of skillsets materializes differently in every project that I engage in. I always make an effort to draw a unique perspective from my collection of past experiences and tailor solutions directly to the artist or client that I am working with to create something we are all proud of. My specialty is being able to take a step back and look at all of the ingredients in a project or product-in-progress, and effectively guide it to the finish line. This can be as simple as a recording session where I would function as an Audio Engineer, and plan the most effective and efficient way to capture the best-quality recording for a client, or as complicated as a Tour Director, where I plan the routing, booking, financials, production management assets, musical direction, and even perform on stage. Most recently, I’ve have been working with major record labels as an Executive Producer, where many aspects of my technical, musical, and project management knowledge can be used to produce a final product that everyone is happy with.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My favorite memory from childhood is performing in my 8th-grade talent show. That year was a particularly challenging one, because I was dead set on going all the way in my sports endeavors, with the goal that I would eventually become a Track and Field Olympian. In early November of that school year, I found out that I had a congenital heart condition that would prohibit me from not only participating in sports, but any physical activity whatsoever, including gym class, playing outside, or literally anything that could make my heart beat an elevated rate because of the risk of heart failure and sudden death. I had open-heart surgery scheduled for July 1st of that summer, and as an adolescent that felt like forever to wait until I started the path toward normalcy again. With a new abundance of time and energy to spare, I finally began focusing on my passion for music. At the end of that school year, I performed a duet of “Beautiful” by Christina Aguilar with fellow student Shannon Parry at the talent show – my first ‘public’ performance. I discovered a new outlet that would ultimately stick with me for the rest of my life.
Contact Info:
- Website: willwellsmusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/williamfwells/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/willwellsmusic
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/williamfwells
Image Credit:
Mike Holland, Lauren Desberg, Alfredo Diaz
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