Cole Williams

“Organizing Black Power To Create Change Through Music, Drives US Singer-Songwriter-Performer Cole Williams Every Minute of Every Day"- Medium

ABOUT

“The Grande Dame Of R&B/Soul"
-Medium

Founder of The Greater New Orleans Citizens Relief Team, Cole Williams, is a Brooklyn native who is in the vanguard of the social justice movement for The Houseless community. Currently based in New Orleans, this Jamaican-American singer, WWOZ host, composer, actress, songwriter, music producer, multi-instrumentalist, and organizer, is described by Medium as being “a powerhouse of political action, motivated to help others through her music.”

Listed by Symphonic Distribution as one of “8 Black Artists Making Waves in 2024,” Cole's genre is Freedom Music- a melting pot of soul, R&B, and world genres as emoted on her previous studio albums, The Basement Sessions (2007), Out Of The Basement, Out Of The Box (2012), Sin City, the mixtape(2016), The Punk Empress Of African Rock: Testimony (2018) [a collection of singles and collaborations for her anniversary compilation album], and Believe (2019). During her musical career, Cole has collaborated with many artists, such as Joey Bada$$, Nickedeumus, Somi, Walter “Wolfman” Washington, Salme Dahlstrom, and Aloe Blacc.In 2005 Cole’s single, “Anything,” was also released on two compilation CDs: Paris to Brooklyn and France’s Soul R&B Magazine (alongside Kanye West and R. Kelly). In 2006 Cole received a Swedish Best Live Performance nomination with Glenn Wish and The New Memphis Orchestra. In recognition of her talent, Williams received a Best of the Beat Nomination for Best Female Vocalist from OffBeat Magazine in 2017.

“...the heart of Bob Marley, the soul of Sam Cooke, and the grit of Etta James."
-Huffington Post

In April 2024, Cole appeared on the cover MUSICA Magazine, and Musica Magazine, and Breakthru Magazine in May 2024. Cole has been featured in Medium, Rolling Stone, HuffPost, The Gambit, Nola.com, My Spilt Milk, Glide Magazine, NY Daily News, Wax Poetics, NME, AfroPunk, New Orleans Magazine, and Offbeat Magazine.

Williams’ dynamic performances, including opening for The Rolling Stones at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (2024), French Quarter Festival (2017-2024), and Joshua Tree Music Festival (2018, 2019) with The Cole Williams Band ranks her as a The Queen of Compassion & Soul. Additional live performance highlights include World Cafe Live, The Mint, Rockwood Music Hall, BAM Cafe Live, and Blue Note NYC.

“Acclaimed, genre-defying artist ."
-Grateful Web

After releasing her single, A Better Woman in 2023, Cole gained international recognition on the UK charts and BBC6, and she received recognition in the Unsigned Only Songwriting Competition (2022) and the International Songwriting Competition (2023) as a semifinalist. Her album Give Power To The People (2021), is composed, written, and produced by Williams with additional contributions from her collective, The Cole Williams Band. This album incorporated elements of R&B, gospel, ska, and social justice-fueled lyrics, establishing them as vanguards in Freedom Movement.

Aside from music, Cole is known for her leadership in humanitarian causes, entrepreneurial ventures, and education. She is the founder of the nonprofit organization Worldwide Partnerships and Houseless initiative The Greater New Orleans Citizens Relief Team with support from Trader Joe’s; she is currently the host of the New Orleans Music Show on WWOZ. She spearheaded and produced the documentary, “Up Close: Tank And The Bangas” for WWOZ in 2015. Her monthly podcast, **House The Houseless: Music And Action **is hosted by Ropeadope Records (2023-present).

Organizing Black Power To Create Change Through Music, Drives US Singer-Songwriter-Performer Cole Williams Every Minute of Every Day"
-Medium

Cole has also ventured into acting, appearing in NCIS New Orleans (2020, 2019), and Big Freedia Means Business. She was appointed a leader in nonprofits by the Greater New Orleans Foundation (GNOF) in 2017. Cole has been photographed by Brooklyn-based photographer, Bill Wadman (2011, 2015, 2022).

William's vocal performances are featured on CoverGirl, and JCPenney commercials, and TV shows as prominent as Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Good Morning America, Great Day Louisiana, and The Jools Holland Show.

DISCOGRAPHY

“Just heard on Craig Charles on BBC Radido6. what a great song!"

• All Music

Albums2024: How We Care For Humanity (Four Corner)
2024: Organize EP (Four Corner)
2019: BeLlieVe (Louisiana Red Hot Records)
2017: The Punk Empress Of African Rock: Testimony (Thats’sMy Worldwide)
2016: Sin City (Thats’sMy Worldwide)
2012: Out Of The Basement, Out Of The Box (Thats’sMy Worldwide)
2011: Out Of The Basement, Part 1 (Thats’sMy Worldwide)
2007: The Basement Sessions EP (Thats’sMy Worldwide)Singles/EP
2024: Love Our People (Four Corner)
2024: Peaches Manifest EP (Four Corner)
2024: A Better Woman - Instrumentals (Four Corner)
2024: Organize EP (Four Corner)
2023: Who Cares For The Houseless On The Holidays (Four Corner)
2023: A Better Woman Stoop Mix (Four Corner)
2023: A Better Woman (Golden Rules)
2023: The Golden Road (Four Corner)
2022: A Better Woman/Organize Vinyl 45 (Four Corner)
2019: Believe (Louisiana Red Hot Records)
2018: A Change Is Gonna Come (Thats’sMy Worldwide)
2017: Free (Thats’sMy Worldwide)
2015: Peaches ‘N Herb (Thats’sMy Worldwide)
2013: Shit Don’t Get Happened (Thats’sMy Worldwide)
2012: Why (Thats’sMy Worldwide)
2012: The Box (Thats’sMy Worldwide)
2011: Little Me (Thats’sMy Worldwide)Appears On/Producer*/Songwriter#
2024: “White On Black Crime remix” (Four Corner)
2024: *Collective Energy (self release) - Cole Williams Band
2024: *We Need A Song"self release) - Cole Williams Band
2023: The Originals V3 (Golden Rules)
2022: *White On Black Crime - Cole Williams Band (Four Corner)
2022: *Dear, Love - Cole Williams Band (Four Corner)
2021: *Give Power To The People - Cole Williams Band - (Four Corner)
2021: Obeah Woman - Nickodemus
2021: *Sign Of The Times - Cole Williams Band feat. Corey Henry - (That’sMy Worldwide)
2016: I’m In My Own Lane - Mr. Complex
2016: Baby C’mon - Corey Henry
2016: Lapeitah - Corey Henry
2016: Like Wow - Salme Dahlstrom
2015: Curry Chicken - Joey Bada$$
2015: *30th Anniversary Compilation: Rock ‘N Roll Reparations - Black Rock Coalition
2015: #Jukestone Paradise - Pimps Of Joytime
2015: #American Dreamers - People's Champs
2014: Booty Text - Pimps Of Joytime
2013: I Love Your Ooh - Salme Dahlstrom
2012: Breakfast - Chiddy Bang
2012: C’mon Y’all - Salme Dahlstrom
2011: #Let's Do it Again (Over and Over) - Great Weekend
2011: People's Champs - People's Champs
2009: Bible Belt - Diane Birch
2004: Red Soil In My Eyes - Somi

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GIVE POWER TO THE PEOPLE &
The Greater New Orleans Citizens Relief Team

In 2020 I founded The Greater New Orleans Citizens Relief Team because of my strong belief in treating all people with dignity and respect.Under the guidance of my mentor, the late Curtis Muhammad, we demonstrated and demanded shelter for the unhoused. Along with other New Orleans-based activists, we were successful; however, our goal has always been creating a space where unhoused people can have access to long-term housing.

In the summer of 2020 organizers and unhoused partners reclaimed a city-owned blighted property in Central City, New Orleans, and began making renovations with donations and volunteer support while teaching our unhoused partners marketable skills.In December 2023, NORA, a nonprofit assigned to manage and auction blighted property and land attempted to destroy our program. They demolished the stairs we built and boarded up the door to restrict our access.

Today we continue to work with the unhoused by offering food support. To date, we have distributed over 8,000 bags of groceries to the unhoused and at-risk community in Central City, New Orleans.

"If the City of New Orleans is against gentrification, why are they hoarding and withholding land instead of using it to house The Unhoused? If the City of New Orleans is for The Culture why don’t they support The Greater New Orleans Citizens Relief Team's action and solution to the housing crisis; to continue renovating blighted homes with the unhoused persons that will live in them?"

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PODCAST

• House The Houseless: Music & Action With Cole Williams

A monthly live-stream on YouTube.com/@ropeadope99 & YouTube.com/@offbeatmagazine

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Shop Albums, Singles, and Ringtones.All purchases will be redirected to Four Corner Records for order fulfillment. Physical orders ship within 7 days of placement.

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Management Team

Justin Thomas
(e) justin@thatsmyworldwide.com

Cleve Rowe
(e) lenoxroadproduction@gmail.com

Gladys King
(e) thatsmyww@gmail.com

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Anthony LaSalle
(e) fourcornerrecordsus@gmail.com

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