From Augusta to New York, and back again, guitarist and singer-songwriter Will McCranie has continuously delivered the soulful, intimate, and acoustic experience that so many of us love to hear.
Music
McCranie kicked off his musical journey singing in church choirs, before bringing his attention to childhood friend and guitarist Noel Brown. While his initial desire was to play drums in a band with Brown, he instead took inspiration from Brown’s songwriting and picked up the guitar.
During his sophomore year of high school, McCranie made his move to Davidson Fine Arts Center, where he played guitar and sang in his band Compromising Reality. The band made its debut at the Capri Lounge, where the cocktail lounge and performance space Le Chat Noir is now located.
McCranie eventually began playing acoustically at local coffee shops with guitarist Jacob Beltz. From this, he was able to branch out to music venues such as the Soul Bar and the Fox’s Lair. His musical career persisted all through college, coinciding with his studies at Georgia College and State University.
“It was almost like the more I did it the more I knew it was something I was good at that I thoroughly loved,” said McCranie.
One year after graduating in 2007, McCranie moved to New York City where he started by playing acoustic sets in Irish pubs. He later found himself playing a Wednesday evening residency at the National Underground, which was co-owned by brothers Gavin and Joey DeGraw. It was during this residency that he met and played with Elli Perry and Grammy-nominated artist Aaron Lee Tasjan. During his 8-year stint in New York City, he found himself playing with the likes of the Goo Goo Dolls, Kevin Kinney, Big Something, and many more.
“It was wild that they were the folks that you got to play with,” said McCranie. “It was something that made you want to push harder. You always wanted to come in with a new song, sing better, and play better. It was very hard, but it was the greatest experience I could imagine.”
It was during his time in New York City that McCranie also recorded and released much of his original music, first in 2009 with a 12-track LP titled “North/South.” In 2010, he began the “52/52 Project,” in which he released an original song each week for a year. The following year, he recorded an EP with his trio.
In 2014, after performing and recording with guitarist Jay Shepard, McCranie recorded his single “Ain’t That Strange?” The song was well received by Fieldhouse Records, who would later promote his EP titled “I Know I Didn’t Know Anything.”
Throughout all of his original music, McCranie continuously uses honesty above all, making each of his performances an intimate experience. With songs like “I Know I Didn’t Know Anything” and “Ain’t That Strange” tackling topics of love, humility, and circumstance, audiences can find themselves both hearing and living his music.
“I’ve got some miles on me and I’m confident in what I do, but for the most part I think the best thing you can do for yourself is remember that you might not be the smartest person in the room,” said McCranie.
McCranie’s sound and style add to his musical purpose, using a percussive, crisp, and energetic acoustic guitar to accompany his voice, which often seems to talk instead of sing. This makes each song all the more relatable. After giving him a listen, it is no wonder much of his inspiration lies in the music of John Mayer, Dave Matthews and Jack Johnson.
“It has evolved over time. For a while, I felt it had to be literal to something I had lived. But recently I’ve definitely been more comfortable writing about a vibe or just making up a story in my head,” said McCranie about his songwriting.“I like a lot of my songs, including the ones that aren’t good. They’re all things in the moment that I believed in.”
Since his return to Augusta in 2015, McCranie has released an EP and 3 singles, including “Wait to Dream,” which relies on an electric sound more than any of his other solo releases. McCranie has also brought about the rise of his current band Bodega Cat, which has seen considerable development through the years.
Before gaining its distinctive name, Bodega Cat began as the reunion of McCranie’s trio, with Zach Coleman on drums and Alex Bruce on bass. Over the years, the band gradually turned into a quintet, adding to the mix the keys of Tom Reed and the percussion of Brad Morganstern. With the departure of Coleman and Bruce, Bodega Cat saw Rob Thompson on bass and Mark Janeousek on drums to form the lineup they have today.
“I wanted to be a part of something that wasn’t under my name,” said McCranie. “I had this vision of these friendly, but sly bodega cats I would see in New York and that gave me license to really get outside the box.”
While Bodega Cat has recorded and released a self-titled EP, it mostly shines in performances. It is a jam band that plays a spontaneous and mostly original setlist, drawing inspiration from similar bands such as Goose and Phish. Since its conception, this band of seasoned musicians has performed hundreds of shows in Augusta, having featured talent from the likes of Funk You, Pedestrian, and Cameras Guns & Radio.
While currently prioritizing live performances with Bodega Cat, McCranie plans to eventually record and release more of their original repertoire. He plans to record more solo material as well.
McCranie’s next solo performance is on Oct. 13th at Augusta’s Southbound Smokehouse with Aaron Lee Tasjan & Elli Perry. Then, on Oct. 19th, he will join Bodega Cat at Amp The Alley in Aiken, S.C.
All of McCranie and Bodega Cat’s music can be found on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube music. It can also be found on his website www.willmccranie.com, along with his social media and upcoming shows.
Trevor Percario is a jazz multi-instrumentalist and composer from Chatham, Va. He seeks to share his passion for music with audiences around the world. Reach him at music@trevorpercario.com
