“Evening’s Kiss”, Willis Earl Beal

This way: Evening’s Kiss

This is one of the most powerful performances I’ve ever seen on television. The simple guitar accompaniment, the way he pulls the toothpick from his mouth and plays the guitar with it, the tears fall as he nears the end of the song. It really is a special performance. Beal is a complicated person and it isn't easy to get a handle on where he is coming from. But his records are worth exploring. Willis Earl Beal was born on the south side of Chicago, Illinois. In his early twenties Beal joined the U.S. Army, moving to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Beal was medically discharged from the army due to intestinal problems. In 2007, Beal moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Here Beal spent some time homeless, and working entry-level jobs, notably as a night-shift security guard. During this time Beal began to record music, leaving CD-Rs in public spaces around Albuquerque. Beal would also leave self-illustrated flyers around the town in the hope of finding a girlfriend. One of these flyers was discovered by Found Magazine who put Beal on the cover of their magazine. Found later released a limited-edition box set called The Willis Earl Beal Collection, which included Beal's poetry, artwork and a 17-song album.  

[Spotify] Evening’s Kiss