REVIEW  APPEARING IN THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE BY:
 Margaret Moser, Fri Dec 19

Will Callery Rider Comin' In

This wonderful recording rides shotgun in a pickup to a place where Ray Wylie Hubbard and Marty Robbins meet and swap tales. Callery is old-school Texas songwriting from the days of Castle Creek, no surprise with the likes of T. Gosney Thornton and Eddie Cantu in the mix. Rider is rich with hardscrabble imagery and lyrical storytelling with the deep spiritual satisfaction of watching the sun set in the Texas western sky.

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HILL COUNTRY HAPPENINGS - DECEMBER 2008  Write Up!

"Rider Comin' In"
Will Callery, Feats Records - 2008
Review by Gordon Ames

Willie Nelson, Jerry Jeff Walker. Those names ring a bell? Why do I ask? Both of these legends have recorded songs written by Will Callery. Years of writing, playing and recording later, and after a stint in the Pacific Northwest as a lumberjack, Callery is back. Strong, soulful and willing to pour out his soul for any who will hear, Rider Comin' In is a fine balance between the edge of rock and the edge of country. Joe Forlini's masterful guitar work, Danny Brooks, slide and harp and Greg Lowry's killer Dobro work only help to quantify Callery's mastery of prose. Several songs stand out. The title cut, The Great Divide, Danny Brooks' Unseen Hands and of course the classic that appeared on Nelson's Red Headed Stranger in 1975, Hands on the Wheel. Walker adds his voice to this classic tale. This CD is a man's journey, and it's one worth tagging along on.

Will Callery is taping a radio interview Wednesday, 11/5/08!

Will Callery is taping a radio interview next Wednesday (11/5) with Gordon Ames to be aired later that week on his "Big G's Texas Road Show," on KRVL-FM in Kerrville, Texas, as well as KOOK-FM in Junction and KYXX-FM in Sonora. Besides plugging Will's new CD,  the interview will talk about Will's upcoming appearance as part of the Voices of a Grateful Nation CD release show at Antone's on November 10.

Will Callery: Rider Comin' In, Feats Records
by Richard Diehn as appearing in Outlaw Magazine!

Will Callery, known to some as Billy C, made his mark on the music industry in the seventies, touring with the likes of Taj Majal, Guy Clark, Jerry Jeff Walker, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, and Arlo Guthrie. His reputation as a formidable songwriter grew when Jerry Jeff Walker started performing and recording his material and Walker is credited with introducing Willie Nelson to the Callery ballad, "Hands on the Wheel." Nelson cut the song in 1975 for his landmark album, Red Headed Stranger, which went double platinum and received a Grammy nod. More accolades for Callery followed, as "Hands on the Wheel" became a country classic when it was chosen for the Robert Redford-Jane Fonda movie, The Electric Horseman. He then scored a deal with Lone Star Records, was critically acclaimed by Rolling Stone, toured with Nelson, and in the midst of success he found himself hindered by an intense battle with substance abuse.

Today, Callery is writing better than ever. He's healthy, sober, and has a groundbreaking new album. He's renewed old friendships, and begun touring again. He credits his relationship with God for saving his music, and ultimately his life. A banner on Callery's web page reads, "Things that were, things that are, things that are to come." He details of all these "things" on his new album, Rider Comin' In.

He gets to the heart right off the bat with "The Great Divide," the first single and lead track. (It was written for the Welcome Home Project honoring veterans returning home from the war and is part of a series of compilations titled Voices of a Grateful Nation). When he sings of "2000 quivering tongues of his band of brothers," he depicts the tales of battle almost too well. A poignant and beautiful rendition of "Hands on the Wheel" appears in Callery's first ever recorded version of the song that built his career. A duet with old friend, Jerry Jeff Walker, this song is a wonderful example of how his music is effortlessly timeless. Other stand out tracks exploring the tales of man include the soulful feeler "Dust," and a piece directed at the secret societies of man, "Unseen Hands" (written by Danny Brooks).

The album is a combination of seemingly autobiographical songs and spiritual anthems. The originality and power in this body of work makes it a 'must have' for any music lover. The production is crackling with live-like intensity, and even if you don't agree with some of his sentiments, you'll be bowled over by his intricate imagery. Powered by a voice that manages to convey vulnerability and authority simultaneously, his graveled growl rings with pain, truth, and ultimately redemption.

Also Recommended: The film Heartworn Highways, featuring Callery, Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Steve Earle and Rodney Crowell.

New Album Reviewed by Midwest Record - Chicago, IL - September 18, 2008 

WILL CALLERY/Rider Coming In:  Hey remember Bill Callery that recorded and wrote for Willie Nelson and hung with the rest of the outlaw gang?  A few tough miles later, he’s back as Will, and he still knows how to write some authentic western soul that reaches out and touches you.  His first new collection in a million years finds old compadres like Jerry Jeff Walker dropping by for a reprise.  A highly solid set that doesn’t weep for outlaw days gone by, just uses them as a reference point.  This very solid songwriter still has a lot on the ball so why don’t you find out what Norah Jones already knew.  Check it out. (Feats) – Chris Spector