Press Kit

Chris Williams & Kid Reverie

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Press Kit

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Latest Release

“Bees”

Out Now

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Chris Williams and Kid Reverie return with “Bees,” the first release from their second collaborative project and a follow-up to their 2023 album Something from Nothing, which Holler called “life-affirming and transcendental.”

Written while watching bees at work in Santa Cruz, “Bees” is a quiet but pointed meditation on human ambition and inherited systems of greed. Sung in Steve Varney’s pensive tenor and supported by cello, violin, piano, and restrained percussion, the song unfolds with ordered tension—observant rather than accusatory, reflective rather than loud.

“I used to think our language / made us rise above the bees / but all we say is selfish / talking the most, saying the least.”

Featuring John Paul Grigsby (bass), Jeb Bows (violin), Max Barcelow (drums), and Russick Smith (cello), “Bees” signals an expanded sonic palette and a deeper level of collaboration between the two songwriters.

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About the Collaboration

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Chris Williams (Wilmington, NC) and Steve Varney—recording as Kid Reverie (Boulder, CO)—connected serendipitously in 2020 through a shared love of the banjo. What began as informal lessons quickly evolved into songwriting sessions, eventually leading to a full-length album created entirely through remote collaboration during the pandemic.

That record, Something from Nothing (2023), marked a rare meeting of two distinct musical voices—Williams’ folk-rooted songwriting and Varney’s textured, exploratory production approach. The album was co-written, co-produced, and largely self-performed by the duo, revealing a creative partnership built on trust, curiosity, and restraint.

Their new material builds on that foundation while pushing further. For the first time, Williams traveled to Colorado to record in person with Varney at The Blasting Room Studios in Fort Collins, alongside producer Andrew Berlin. The sessions allowed for more spontaneity, expanded arrangements, and a shift in songwriting balance.

“With the first album, I was helping Chris finish his songs,” Varney explains.

“On this collection, he did that for me. It feels more collaborative on the songwriting front.”

Selected Discography

“Bees” — Single (2025)

Something from Nothing — Album (2023)

About Chris Williams

Raised near Greensboro, North Carolina, Chris Williams grew up immersed in bluegrass, traveling to festivals with his father, a multi-instrumentalist. He learned banjo at an early age and absorbed a wide range of influences—from New Grass Revival and Bela Fleck to jazz and Americana—before stepping away from music for several years.

Following his father’s passing in 2007, Williams returned to songwriting with renewed focus. His solo albums The Farewell Tour (2019) and To Be Determined (2020) reflect a deep engagement with melody, lyrical nuance, and genre-blurring arrangements.

“I’m trying to be true to myself and articulate my truths,” Williams says.

“I listen deeply to other artists, but only to help express my own voice more clearly.”

About Kid Reverie

Kid Reverie is the project of songwriter, producer, and banjoist Steve Varney, longtime collaborator and touring guitarist for Gregory Alan Isakov. Based in Boulder, Colorado, Varney introduced Kid Reverie in 2018 with a self-titled release that balanced intimacy and experimentation.

Across albums and singles, Kid Reverie has explored a wide emotional and sonic range, guided by Varney’s early training in piano, his grounding in traditional instrumentation, and an ongoing fascination with texture and form. His work is marked by patience, curiosity, and an openness to collaboration.