Meet Will Phillips | Hand Percussionist/Business Owner

I started playing hand percussion pretty late in life, I was 20 years old when I started on this journey. I’ll never forget the moment I knew this is what I wanted to do the rest of my life. I was at a concert in New Orleans and Bill Summers (percussionist) had a band called Los Hombres Calientes. They were opening for Widespread Panic, I used to travel all over to go see Widespread Panics percussionist Sunny Ortiz. However, on this night when Bill Summers was opening the show he did a solo on an instrument called a Shekere. I cried so much during his solo, the way he connected with the audience in his solo really moved me. All my friends thought I was on drugs in the moment. But it was God talking to me and letting me know this is the path he needed me to take. And ever since that night, music opportunities randomly started opening up for me.

On the way home from that show a friend asked if I wanted to play bongos with him at a bar in Austin. I said yes, borrowed a pair of bongos and jammed out in front of 200 people. Had no idea what I was doing but somehow it worked and the encouragement I got from the crowd after the gig really motivated me. I continued to play in Austin with my friend Andrew every Thursday night on 6th St. in Austin, TX. till I graduated.

After college I found a music school in Pasadena, CA called Los Angeles Music Academy. Fortunately for me I met my teacher/mentor Jerry Steinholtz. He was the one who really boosted my confidence in playing percussion! I owe a lot to him actually.

Now during my time in Pasadena I fell in love with Brazilian music and especially Brazilian percussion. However, after graduating I kinda freaked out and moved back to Austin. My plan was to get a “normal” job and actually use my college degree. So I landed a job doing medical sales and made decent money. But I somehow winded up with 3-5 gigs a week with my Brazilian friend Daniel Carneiro and working my medical sales job. That was another sign thrown in my face that I am supposed to play music, I really wasn’t trying and these gigs kept coming. Eventually  I got fired from my medical sales job, yup fired. It was hard to play late at night and then go sell a doctor on our ridiculous product. I didn’t like the sales gig anyway.

I saved a good amount of money that year in Austin, sold my truck, furniture and all my belongings (expect my percussion). Then made the best move of my life, I moved to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. To be fair I traveled Europe for 2 months staying on couches of my drummer friends who went to Los Angeles Music Academy, then flew from London to Rio. Now that was crazy moving to Rio not knowing anyone or the language. I just knew I loved the music and if I really wanted to learn I needed to live the culture. Other than having my family, that was the very best thing I have done for myself. I grew so much as a person and a musician in the time I lived in Rio. Changed my life forever! I learned how to be way more grateful, happy and most of all I learned that I can do anything I put my mind to. I will save the stories of what happened to me while living in Brazil or this will be an even longer read than it is.

After Brazil I moved back to the Los Angeles area got a job waiting tables and started a 7 piece Brazilian Funk band in Hermosa Beach, CA. We played every Sunday night to a packed room for nearly 2 years. Then I started a pagode (samba) band and a Forro band as well. That’s how my name got out and people started calling me for other gigs outside my Brazilian bands.

Now today I am blessed with an awesome career performing and recording for many artist. One of my biggest accomplishments to date is having my own signature product out with Gon Bops Percussion. The Will Phillips Signature Bucket Shekere!! As well as a line of percussion in Brazil made by Timbra Top Percussion. WHAT!!

As I am typing this out I am getting ready to leave for a 2 month tour with a band I just love, Stick Figure. If you haven’t heard of Stick Figure go check them out!