With his musical roots in the Augusta area, Stephen Wilson couldn’t have not been influenced by the Godfather of Soul.
“I remember when he died. I played every one of James Brown’s records,” said Wilson, who with his band Trolls of Amsterdam released their Wilson Drive album last month.
Wilson had met the legendary singer before, even performing with him at one point, and Brown’s influence has been tremendous.
“He’s my favorite artist of all time,” he said.
The third track on the latest recording “We Can’t Afford to Start Em Up,” has a funky sound with its roots tied to Brown’s soulful style.
“It’s definitely the funkiest track,” he said.
Along with artists Armon Cabana and Stefan Drobel, Wilson formed the band Trolls of Amsterdam.
Although he was from the Augusta area, Wilson migrated westward, living in Half Moon Bay, Calif. for a time. The pandemic sent Wilson to North Augusta. Even with Cabana in upstate New York, Drobel in California and Wilson in South Carolina, the project still came together over the course of a year.
Wilson said he’s thrilled that it did.
There’s a funk element to Wilson Drive, but there’s more to it than that, the singer-songwriter said. Different musical styles can be heard on the recording.
“It’s eclectic,” he said.
Rock and blues are also heavy on the album.
A total of 10 tracks are on Wilson Drive; many of them have nods to places in the Augusta area.
Now Wilson is focused on promoting the album which is available on all major digital platforms. He’s also hopeful to have some live performances soon too.
To find out the latest on the band, follow Trolls of Amsterdam on Instagram @TrollsofAmsterdam.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com
