Will Banister

Traditions. They connect people across generations, bridging the gap between past and present, reminding us that sometimes — even in a world that's always changing — the best things in life stay the same. For songwriter Will Banister, few traditions are better than traditional country music. "This is the only music I've ever listened to," he says. "It's the only music I've ever made. I don't think I could do anything different, even if I tried." Banister puts a personalized spin on the timeless country music that he first heard as a child. Born and raised in eastern New Mexico, he grew up in a town surrounded by endless acres of pasture and farmland, within 20 miles of the Texas state line. At home, his father played records by Merle Haggard, Hank Williams, George Strait, and Marty Robbins, filling the household with songs that seemed to suit the western landscape outside. "That music just got into my blood," Banister remembers. At 11 years old, he received an acoustic guitar for Christmas and began strumming his first chords. There's no overstating the power of Banister's voice. It's a classic country croon — the sort of voice that's as ageless as the songs it delivers. He's a traditionalist for today's world, finding the middle ground between the classic and the contemporary. "I think this traditional sound is going to last forever," he says. "I'm just happy to be part of it."