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AMSTERDAM - The release of the album The Sparrow and the Crow (2008) made it for the American singer-songwriter William Fitzsimmons possible to get over his divorce. "Admitting in public that I was not a faithful person let me purge some of my guilt."

The third record of the folk musician is in his whole about the break up. “I couldn't be trusted anymore and that is one of the most important thing in a relationship. That was what tore us apart.”

Audience
On iTunes the album proved to be a hit, reaching the second position in the folk album chart. His older work reached the audience by the television-show Grey's Anatomy.

“Saying in front of everyone who would hear the music that I'm an asshole is a little embarrassing, but it was also healthy for me, because I could go on with my life.”

Words
After the divorce, Fitzsimmons and his ex wife had little contact, but when she was ready for it, he send her a copy of the album. “In that way I could say things that I wasn't able to say before. Words can say more than music.”

“Finally she gave a response”, he tells. “There was forgiveness and the will to leave it behind her and go on. It was the reaction were I hoped for, it was a huge relieve.”

Title
The album title, The Sparrow and the Crow, reflects the story of the album perfectly according to the musician. “I always had a fascination with birds, my mother actually raised different kinds of parrots. I knew some of the meanings of birds. Crows are usually evil and they mean that something bad or dark is coming and sparrows usually symbolise loyalty, love and purity and even that distinction was very bold. That was the only thing that made all the songs make sense to me.”

Blind
For Fitzsimmons it wasn't completely a new thing to sing about such personal stories. And music was always was an extra way to communicate in his family, because his father and mother are both blind. The second album Goodnight (2006) was entirely about the divorce of his parents. He found the inspiration to be as open hearted in his patients when he was still a psychologist.

“They would tell me the worst things that you can imagine, thoughts that you and I would be terrified to have inside of our heads. That they can sit there with enough bravery and comfort to say those things, showed me how easy it was to share personal things. I try to take that with me, every time I go up on stage and not be afraid to say whatever is inside or needs to come out. Honesty is always the better way to go.”

Kristiaan Asscheman

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