Meg Williams

Take Me As I Am: The Muscle Shoals Sessions

Nola Blue Records

Meg Williams hails from the Finger Lakes in upstate New York. She formed the Meg Williams Band a.k.a. MWB and her debut recording was released in 2014 when she was compared to Sheryl Crow. She came to national attention with the release of her 2017 EP “Maybe Somebody”. As a result Williams played both the 2018 Venice Blues Festival in Florida; and Austin’s Red Gorilla Music Festival.

Williams won the 2018 Kentucky Blues Challenge and went to Memphis to compete in the 2019 International Blues Challenge. While in Memphis for the IBC’s Williams became the band director for the Women in Blues Showcase. Today she is often compared to Susan Tedeschi and Bonnie Raitt. She currently resides in Nashville where her vocal and guitar chops have attracted the attention of listeners.

“Take Me As I Am” was self produced by Williams and recorded at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The band includes Williams, guitar and vocals; Dan Wecht (from the MWB), guitar and slide; and veteran “Swampers” from The Muscle Shoals Sound and FAME Studios including Clayton Ivey, organ; and Will McFarlane, guitar. Also from FAME is the rhythm section of Bob Wray, bass; and Justin Holder, drums. The background vocalist Sara Rogers is from the MWB.

All of the songs are written or co-written by Williams. The opener “Come On Over To Me” features Wecht on slide and Ivey on the B-3.  “Tell Everybody” written with Terry Goose Downing features ex – Raitt guitarist McFarlane, who gives the tune that familiar feeling. McFarlane also plays on the fabulous title track, and again on the closer “Take a Chance on My Love” co-written with Jenny Teator.

Ivey plays throughout the recording but he is especially nice on new arrangements of two songs reprised from their 2017 EP. On both “Little Bit of the Devil” and “I Feel A Heartache Coming” he joins slide guitarist Wecht.

“Played By The Blues”, co-written with Scott Barrier and Chase Walker, is the sexy track chosen for airplay. “Sometimes I Need You Too” was written with Claire Kelly.

Newcomer Williams scores high marks on “Take Me As I Am”.

Richard Ludmerer