A special, “Beechwood Hall Session” take of January-released “Can’t Fool Your Own Blood” is the latest from Sam Williams, the grandson of the legendary Hank Williams Sr. Recorded in Hank Sr.’s farmhouse in Franklin, TN, it’s a stripped back performance highlighting what Rolling Stone referred to as “a haunting performance worthy of his surname.”
“I’d like to be a male in country music that subscribes to emotions and talks about real-life things,” Williams noted to American Songwriter.
About the title of his latest single, it dovetails well with his thoughts about his creative process: “At the end of the day, you can’t fool your own blood; you are who you are.” Even deeper, he continues, “This song is about living with adversity. I sing about the family drama that we all experience and grapple with. One thing that will never serve you well is lying to someone you love. That can only lead to turmoil.”
In full, he notes, “[’You Can’t Fool Your Own Blood’] is about being a pattern breaker and taking control of your own fate. Being at war with oneself is the greatest battle.”
Over the past five years, Williams has emerged from dropping out of college in Nashville and becoming a father to being a songwriter with credits working alongside talents like Jim Lauderdale, Lori McKenna, and Mary Gauthier, reflecting his roots-driven interests in country music. His recent material comes while grieving his sister’s sudden death and now having “a deeper understanding of his purpose in life.”
