I was turned on to Blue Merle long before Lollapalooza, but they are definitely a band who can use the extra exposure. When I interviewed William Ellis, the drummer and percussionist of the band, I had the chance to talk to him about climbing to the top and the challenges that come with it.

Once you hear you Blue Merle, you are hooked. How do you feel about the slower progression to the top?

Our show is really taking off. We have worked really hard this year. We have been nonstop touring. Our last break was two weeks off and it was our longest break of the year. It’s been a crazy year, man, but that’s exactly what we are trying to do – continue to build up our fan base by putting ourselves out there.
You needed a much needed break!

We all needed it. We had to all go our separate ways. And now, we are going to do our headlining tour on the West Coast, which should be good and give us some added visibility. It’s going to be a really, really good tour. We haven’t been out on the West Coast as much as we have been on the East Coast and the
Midwest.

Being in Chicago, I have to ask you to compare the East Coast to the Midwest and your thoughts on the differences.

I don’t know if there is much of a difference in comparison. Chicago is one of our biggest fan base cities – along with Minneapolis and Madison, Wisconsin.

Do you find that the touring can get tiring?

Yes, I do. You have to have some time alone, on the road. You have to cherish sleep more than you ever have in your entire life. And when it’s time to play, it’s time to play, no matter how you feel. No matter if you have pneumonia or the flu, you have to get out there and play. It’s a part of the business – a business. We love being up there and playing music and playing for the fans.

OK, now what about today? Walking around the grounds with all these people in front of you – cheering you on and loving what you bring to the table. Is this all pretty surreal to you?

Yeah, it really is. It’s pretty amazing how far the band has come throughout their history. I joined the band in 2002. I was, and still am, a session musician in Nashville. I wasn’t going to go on the road with any band. For me to join a band it was going to have to be a band I really enjoy and guys I really enjoy. It had to be music that intrigued me and I felt something from it. That helped me make the decision to join Blue Merle.

And what a great decision – cause you guys just keep growing and gaining in popularity.

It has really been amazing to see it grow. Before this year, yes, we had a fan base, because we were touring all of last year, but all the touring we have done this year has helped it grow. And, all the radio stations that picked up our music has been so key to us growing as a band and really getting to the next level. And now, playing Lollapalooza is just another step in us getting bigger and bigger. We are really grateful for all the success that has come our way.

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