Time Slipping By to discover the criminally overlooked vocals of Mark Williamson

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​Who: Mark Williamson
Where: England
What: blue eyed soul meets West Coast/AOR
When: 1979

 
 
If you were to complete an internet search on Mark Williamson you would get a lot of hits with this common name. But what you would not get is a lot of hits on the uncommonly talented English born vocalist Mark Williamson. Sadly even the All Music Guide website gives very limited information and this borders on being criminal. With his initial solo recording So Far So Good being released back in 1979, his breakthrough came under the band name the Mark Williamson Band. Throughout his career it is without a doubt that Mr. Williamson’s faith is deeply rooted within his music.
 
As one of the UK grandfather’s of Christian Contemporary Music courtesy of the impressive Get The Drift? recording also featuring Chris Eaton, this outstanding artist was capable of creating cutting edge music of that particular day.  Essentially the same album was released Stateside under the band name Lyrix and album title Songs From The Earth with the addition of “Susanne” from his initial solo effort. Otherwise the Mark Williamson Band followed up their debut with the equally impressive 1984 Missing In Action also limited to the UK that despite its high quality, commercially it lived up to its title.
 
Since then, Mark Williamson sightings have been infrequent but when he does appear the recordings are typically exceptional uncompromising songs matching his magnificent voice. Check out the 1989 commercial collaboration of the self titled Bridges 2 Far with the top notch studio session drummer John Robinson. Oozing in the West Coast/AOR genre Williamson followed up this effort 5 years later with his phenomenal second solo effort Time Slipping By. It was also the debut release on Russ Freeman’s new record label Peak Records. Needless to say it had all the trimmings of a big budget recording that is simply a gorgeous inspiring album with an all star cast supporting his huge voice. From the underlying smoky jazz feel on the opening track “Got To Be A Better Way" all the way to concluding a cappella track “We’d Be Together” shows Williamson in the upper stratospheres of inspiration.  
 
After a 13 year absence, 2007 proved to be a high profile year for Williamson. Featured in the band TRW, (an acronym for Michael Thompson, John Robinson and Mark Williamson), River Of Paradise was released in the earlier part of the year. Distributed by the Italian record label Frontiers Records, we get to hear Mark Williamson deliver a more bluesy rock performance. Later the same year the rockier TRW recording would be totally countered by his more restrained yet soulfully smooth vocal renditions on the worship based project Daily Worship.
 
Sadly since 2007 all has been very quiet on the Mark Williamson front. Whether or not there will be another recording from this way overlooked vocalist, composer, and producer is yet to be determined. However do yourself a favor and at minimum search him out on You Tube and check out some of the tracks on the above mentioned recordings.  It is highly likely that you will come to the same conclusion that this “Undiscovered Artist” needs be recovered and honored in the light of his majestic talent. 

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