William Boone

Bio

Dr. Will Boone teaches courses on popular music. He received a PhD from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2013 with ethnographic research on contemporary black gospel music in a Durham, North Carolina church. His publications include academic essays, articles for the Grove Encyclopedia of American Music, and the extensive liner notes for Labor of Love, the 2016 release from Grammy Award-winning blues legend Taj Mahal. He has presented research widely at national and international conferences and spoken as an invited guest at events such as Moogfest in Durham, NC and the Freight Train Blues concert series in Carrboro, NC. Dr. Boone is also a songwriter and guitarist who has played professionally with black gospel artists since 2002 and in the band of American Idol finalist Anoop Desai. Currently he plays with The Petty Thieves, a Tom Petty tribute band.

Area(s) of Expertise

Popular music, musicology, contemporary Black gospel music