Palmeranian

Bill Palmer returns from his travels with some stories to tell about sweet surrender

Singer-songwriter Bill Palmer was still in South America when he left the message:

“Sorry I missed your call, I’m actually in Santiago, Chile,” he told SFR via voicemail. “I’ll be back in Santa Fe tomorrow.”

TUTTI-FRUTTI

Have you seen that meme about how James Brown changed music a bunch of times but we all still have to hear about The Beatles every other minute? It’s funny, true, but it also hints at a deeper subtext: Black people have done more for modern music than just about anyone, but white folks seem to get almost all the credit. Case in point? Little Richard. Arguably, the man created rock ’n’ roll—and he looked damn good doing it. With blazing piano skills, a keen eye for fashion, that haunting caterwaul and even a couple of Full House appearances, the late Richard Penniman did so much for culture itself, in fact, that we are (or should be) still celebrating him today. At an upcoming screening of the Lisa Cortés documentary, I Am Everything, learn why Little Richard’s contributions to the great musical lexicon cannot be denied. We hear John Waters is in this thing, too, so chalk another one up for queer excellence all-around. (ADV)

Little Richard: I Am Everything Screening: 6:30 pm Tuesday, April 11. $13-$15. Violet Crown Cinema 1606 Alcaldesa St., (505) 216-5678

Palmer’s South American sojourn with his longtime partner, the musician Stephanie Hatfield, came immediately after a two-week stint in the Netherlands that found the singer-songwriter playing with his fellow Santa Fe musician, Bard Edrington. Before that, he was hard at work producing a record with his contemporary, Wayne Sutton, at Palmer’s off-grid cabin in Terlingua, Texas, from where they enlisted the help of drummer Matthew Tobias and keyboardist Bruce Phillips via email. The whole thing took about a week in the sweltering Texas heat, and Palmer says they’re waiting to time a release for maximum impact, maybe at the beginning of the summer. He’s got a more solo-focused record waiting in the wings, too, with a similar release trajectory, but for now, he’s back in Santa Fe with a show slated for the Mine Shaft Tavern in Madrid this Friday. The thing is, Palmer says, he’s grown.

“I have a lot of material, but this upcoming show is something I started back during the whole COVID thing,” he explains. “When everything was locked down and there was nowhere to play, down in Terlingua, where my place is...those folks never even knew there was a pandemic— the bars were open, everything was normal; so I’d set up on the stage and play solo. That kept me sane, and I learned a lot.”

Much of that learning comes in the form of Palmer’s new self-appointed place in the musical pantheon.

“I’ve learned to be more of an elder statesman of songwriting,” he says. “I’m an old guy now, my beard’s gone white and I’m viewing my role in this world of singer-songwriters a little differently.”

While he’ll stay true to his alt.country-ish roots, Palmer says he’s added a storytelling component to his live shows. This gives audiences a little background into the tales behind the songs, and it also helps Palmer connect with the listener more than ever.

“As musicians, we’re always trying to stick our toes in different waters,” he says. “Now, I’m an old guy with some songs and some stories to tell.” (Alex De Vore)

5 pm Friday, April 7. Free. Mine Shaft Tavern 2846 Hwy. 14, Madrid, (505) 473-0743