Willi Carlisle

Willi Carlisle (born May 29, 1989) is an American folk singer-songwriter from Kansas, United States and based out of Arkansas, United States. His music pulls from traditional American folk music, punk music, and country music. Many of his songs contain themes of drug abuse, queer life, and rural American life.

Early life
Carlisle grew up in a musical family, with his father being a polka musician, which led to him being introduced to American folk, bluegrass, and country. While growing up, he participated in school musicals and was a member of his school's choir. Carlisle attended the University of Arkansas and got an MFA in poetry with the hopes of this teaching him how to write better folk music. While in the academic setting, he realized a disconnect that existed between contemporary poetry and regular people. This drove him to write music connecting to this group.