A Brief History of Bill Mallonee

Bill Mallonee is an Americana artist with 70 plus albums, spanning a 20 year career. Voted by Paste Music Magazine #65 in their prestigious “Top 100 Living Songwriters” poll, he fronted the band Vigilantes of Love from 1991-2001. Mallonee has worked with other great artists such as Buddy Miller, Emmylou Harris, and Peter Buck from REM. He now resides in the high desert of New Mexico.

Paste Music Magazine, in a 2006 poll conducted by both writers and artists, listed Athens, Ga. musician Bill Mallonee as #65 in their “100 Best Living Songwriters.” Mallonee, the lyrical and musical source behind the Americana indie band Vigilantes of Love, started playing music in the early 90s. His deep love for Dylan, Neil Young and other artists and authors of the “American experience” left an indelible mark on his writing and vocal delivery. “Being a son of the South, it’s hard not to be surrounded by the beauty of things fractured and incongruous. It’s the stuff of real songs. You learn a lot by embracing life from the inside of a van traveling across America, playing shows, meeting folks and taking notes on how it all affects your spirit.” Mallonee, and his wife singer/songwriter Muriah Rose, live in New Mexico these days. Mallonee writes about 60 songs a year. At one time, he released an average of 4 Eps a year under the moniker “Works Progress Administration.” He now releases a full-band studio album yearly.
(“He is one of the most prolific songwriters in America.~ PASTE Magazine.)

Mallonee has been privileged to play with many great artists (see list below). He has toured extensively here in the U.S. and in the United Kingdom where BBC Radio 2 has played much of his work. His collaboration with Buddy Miller (Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle) in 2000 produced “Audible Sigh,” an Americana Top 5 in the UK in 2000. Mallonee has had songs on various prime-time TV networks and digital online services. He toured with blue-eyed soul rocker Edwin McCain who covered two of Bill’s songs “Babylon” and “Welcome to Struggleville” in 2006.

Artists Bill has performed with:

  • Buddy Miller
  • Emmylou Harris
  • Jim Lauderdale
  • Bruce Cockburn
  • Peter Case
  • Alejandro Escavado
  • Victoria Williams
  • Mark Olsen (the Jayhawks)
  • Dwight Yokum
  • Pierce Pettis
  • Peter Buck (REM)
  • Dave Bazan (Pedro the Lion)
  • Mark Heard
  • Over The Rhine
  • Edwin McCain
  • Sean Mullins
  • Sufjan Stevens
  • Glen Phillips (Toad the Wet Sprocket)
  • Derek Webb
  • Eric Peters
  • North Mississippi Allstars
  • Pedro the Lion
  • Denison Witmer
  • Peter Mulvey
  • Gin Blossoms