William Beckmann

There are many ways to make modern country music. In the playlisting era, it sometimes comes with a backwards cap and thumping beat. Or it might sound like sonic tapestry, with decadent shades of songwriter pop. The time is right for a roots revolution, and for William Beckmann, that means adding a smooth sense of refinement to your latest streaming queue.

With his first major label album, Whiskey Lies & Alibis, the young Texas native embodies timeless, sophisticated swagger, with songs built for the mainstream, but also built to last. A student of the classics – from classic country to classic pop, classic rock, and even classic mariachi – he joins a retro revival in the modern format’s core, and pushes it further down the road.

“I’ve always been considered an old soul, and I never really knew how to take that at first – but now I think it’s a compliment,” Beckmann says. “I’m not the cowboy hat and hay bale type of artist, and I think the music reflects that. This record has been a long process of trying to melt all these things I like together – to make it look the way it sounds, and sound the way it feels.”

As a border town kid from Del Rio – just barely on the U.S. side of the Rio Grande – the way his debut sounds and feels is a reflection of Beckmann’s reverence. First picking up guitar at the age of 14, he’s always been enamored with the greats, citing everyone from Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley to Roy Orbison and Frank Sinatra as an icon. Each defined a “classic cool” in their own way, which pulled Beckmann in and led to the Eagles, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, George Strait, and the traditional Mexican music of his bilingual roots.

Developing a deep, dark-honey baritone with natural vibrato, the Belmont University grad first found a foothold on the Texas tour circuit, kicking off a continuing theme of big name support. Dressed to kill and with a timeless sound to match, Beckmann caught the attention of his hometown hero Radney Foster (who helped dial in his classically-charged songwriting), and Randy Rogers (who took the young artist on tour, helping craft a stately stage magnetism).

Two self-styled EPs and a 2023 Opry debut built Beckmann’s buzz, and alongside tours with Parker McCollum, Charley Crockett, and more, Texas-sized venues from the historic Gruene Hall to the San Antonio Rodeo all fell under his charm. But for the last year-plus, he’s been with elite hitmakers Jessie Jo Dillion, Jesse Frasure, and Rhett Akins, crafting the timeless tunes Nashville is missing.

Co-writing eight of 12 songs on Whiskey Lies & Alibis, Beckmann’s neo-classic signature is clear. With an organic sound defined by dusky baritone guitars and pedal steel, plus a rumbling, resonate vocal, it captures the vast loneliness of a windblown desert landscape, and the throbbing pulse of a honky tonk with equal power. And central to each track, lies the bitter sting of lost love. 

“For me, an album is meant to be a photo album. It’s meant to capture a moment in time, and it’s supposed to last forever,” he explains. “That’s what I think we were able to do with this record. I’m confident that if I ever get to be an old man, I’ll look back on this and be like, ‘Yeah, we did it right.’ I mean, I’m very conscious of the fact that these songs will outlive me, and I don’t take that lightly.”

That mindset is clear from the opening track, with the loping Texas shuffle of “Honky Tonk Blue.” Featuring rich vocals and a neon buzz, the suds-and-sorrow anthem was written by Brice Long and Chris Stapleton – who held it back for himself for years, before feeling Beckmann could do it justice.

Others like “California Quake” (co-written with Ryan Beavers and Chris LaCorte) shudder with a weak-in-the-knees, Yoakam-esque denial of romantic destruction, while “Lonely Over You” (co-penned with Jessie Jo Dillon and Jesse Frasure) feels like a revival of ‘50s country pop, complete with a soaring Orbison-style melody. Meanwhile, the quiet, nylon-stringed balladry of “Neon Sounds” (by Dean and Brass Dillon) captures the desolation of a crowded West Texas dive bar, visited alone.

Beckmann credits the range of classic style to Grammy winning producer Jon Randall – another respected name who sees something in the young artist. Randall knew just where to go with Beckmann’s instincts, guiding a recording which feels rooted, but very much of the moment.

“I’ve always admired albums that kind of take you on a journey, both sonically and just in terms of vibe,” Beckmann explains. “It’s about taking inspiration from people who came before you, but trying not to make it sound like it was recorded in 1960 – and that’s not easy.”

A more modern-classic feel emerges on the power ballad “Game I Like to Play” (written by Jessie Alexander, Ryan Beaver, and Jessie Jo Dillon). All about going for broke on a volatile chance at love, Beckmann says the stormy country rocker reminds him of Gary Allan’s brooding emotionalism.

The title track, “Whiskey Lies & Alibis,” finds Beckmann back with Jessie Jo Dillon and Jesse Frasure – and bringing back the country cheating song with a rich, conflicted croon. Others like “Be Your Man” (co-written with Neil Medley, Andrew DeRobers and Brinley Addington) inject an upbeat Texas sway into the album, and with the tender “Starting Over Again” (co-written with Harper O’Neill) Beckmann paints a descriptive, Dylan-worthy portrait of a shy heart.

But a double shot of cultural-insight sets him further apart. Lost in love and happy to be there, “Borderline Crazy” (co-written with Rhett Akins and Rian Ball), puts some Latino flavor on a country-rock anthem. And with “Por Mujeres Como Tú,” Beckmann introduces a different kind of classic. 

Originally a 1998 hit for Mexican artist Pepe Aguilar, the tune points back to Beckmann’s blended heritage – and to the way he still finishes his shows to this day. It’s the first Spanish-language song he’s ever recorded, and a tribute to a vibrant tradition most country fans are only vaguely aware of, despite its stylistic ties. To him, mariachi is the classic country of Mexico.

All told, the track helps shed light on Beckmann’s overall mission: Not just to cosplay the classic country style, but to bring its values back, with head held high.

“I love country music, and I want to represent it well,” he says. “I’ve never been able to really do anything other than what I do, so I just hope people look at this album the same way they look at a good bottle of bourbon. It’s meant to be tasteful, and it’s meant to be savored. It’s meant to last forever.”