Texas native William Beckmann is bringing bilingual country music to Eddie’s Attic in Decatur on July 23 at 7 p.m.
Beckmann was born in Del Rio, a small town on the U.S.-Mexico border, where he was exposed to both classic country music and Mexican genres like mariachi and Norteño. Both influences are clear in his music, which he performs in both English and Spanish.
“Growing up in Del Rio allowed me to be exposed to a bunch of different genres of music at an early age,” Beckmann said. “I’m really grateful for the rich cultural upbringing I had. It makes me a bit more of a unique artist.”
Beckmann was exposed to a lot of mariachi music growing up. When he learned how to play the guitar, he naturally began playing songs in Spanish. To this day, Beckmann tries to sing at least two songs in Spanish every time he performs.
“Some mariachi songs kind of require almost like a different technique of singing,” Beckmann said. “You have to really sing from your diaphragm—it’s kind of like an opera approach—versus when I sing my country songs. Even my sound guy says he has to turn me down a little bit when I sing in Spanish, because I get louder.”
Beckmann released his major-label debut album “Whiskey Lies & Alibis” in June, leaning into the theme of heartbreak. The album took him about a year to make, and he believes it’s his best yet.
“The record is intended to be a heartbreak album, but I was intentional with how the songs all got produced,” Beckmann said. “I didn’t want any of the songs to sound the same, so I tried to keep a central theme through it but also make each song different. When you listen to the tracks in order, it is supposed to take you on a ride.”
Of the album’s 12 tracks, Beckmann’s favorite is called “Lonely Over You.”
“‘Lonely Over You’ kind of reminds me of Roy Orbison, or almost Elvis,” he said. “I am really proud of this song, and I hope people listen to it.”
Beckmann’s rich sound and his skillful guitar playing have earned him over a million followers across social media platforms, including almost 800,000 on TikTok alone. A TikTok of Beckmann onstage with his abuelo singing Vicente Fernández’s “El Rey” went viral in April.
“My abuelo has always been able to sing, but he never pursued it professionally,” Beckmann said. “Growing up, he would always sing to me, my siblings, and my cousins. When I started pursuing music professionally, he was my biggest fan and number one supporter.”
Beckmann’s 88-year-old abuelo performs with him at many of his shows.
“A couple of years ago it dawned on me that it would be cool to bring him on stage with me,” Beckmann said. “He’d get really excited, and then go up there and crush it. The older he gets, the more I want to get him up there, because he seems to really love it.”
Beckmann’s upcoming performance in Atlanta will be his second time playing at Eddie’s Attic.
“I love Eddie’s Attic, and I think Atlanta is an awesome city,” Beckmann said. “My guitar player is actually from Georgia, so he is excited to be coming back.”
Beckmann’s album “Whiskey Lies & Alibis” is available on Spotify, Apple Music, and other music streaming platforms.
“I love writing songs that come from the heart and hopefully move people,” Beckmann said. “I want people to feel something when they listen to my music.”