Kimo Williams finished high school in Hawaii and left for Vietnam in 1970: by the time he returned nearly a year later, the only goal he had was to continue to play the music that had made such an impression on him during his service in Vietnam. As the guitarist and leader of a “soldier band”, he toured remote areas of Vietnam with his group “the Soul Coordinators”, often times setting up their equipment in the mud of firebases, on one occasion finding a bullet hole in an amplifier after the gig.



The unique Kimo Williams Band is not only headed by a veteran, it also highlights the talent of other veteran musicians. With Army veterans Steve McMurray on drums, Carol Williams on keyboards, vocals and flute, and Air Force veteran Shawn Stanley on bass, the band performs many of the Classic Rock songs that were popular in the Vietnam War era, including Kimo’s distinctive renditions of Hendrix, Traffic, and Led Zeppelin. Original compositions by both Kimo and Carol create a repertoire that makes it more than just a “Cover” band: it’s a Tribute band, but paying homage not just to the music, but to the message of bringing veterans and art together on stage to create a new identity of those who have served in the military.

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