Willie Nile in Manchester

Willie Nile is an American rock singer-songwriter, born in Buffalo in 1948 and closely associated with New York’s downtown music scene. He introduced his direct, guitar-led songwriting on the 1980 album Willie Nile, which included “Vagabond Moon”; later records such as Streets of New York and American Ride added songs including “One Guitar” to his catalogue. The Who invited Willie Nile to open shows on their 1980 US tour, giving his early live career an arena setting. He subsequently built a long history of club and theatre performances with his band, including repeated appearances at the Light of Day benefit concerts in New Jersey and shows at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park.