Todd Widell

Todd Widell grew up in San Antonio, Texas, but was soon drawn to the breezy, mild weather of Southern California. Settling in Laguna Beach, he spent two years working nights and having days free, which provided his initial inspiration for songwriting. After a two year hiatus, Todd returned to school at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he earned a degree in Film alongside acoustic veteran/filmmaker, Jack Johnson.

Following his studies, Todd began working in various roles for motion picture studios, ad agencies, and MTV, simultaneously carving out a career as an independent artist. Playing numerous gigs in the Los Angeles area, Todd met friend and eventual mentor, Chili Charles. A veteran of the music world, Chili's projects spanned jazz, blues, and reggae, with independent releases on Virgin Records in the 70's and 80's, and an illustrious career of performances & recordings with the likes of Muddy Waters, Daniel Lanois, Brian Wilson, as well as a brief stint as an Innocent Criminal - touring with his son, Oliver Charles, and Ben Harper.

Along with Chili Charles, Todd enlisted bassist Evan Calbi and lead guitarist Sean Gilmore to begin work on a project demo, which featured the tracks Left Unseen, Runaway, and A Little Taste. Garnering a favorable response among music veterans, Todd composed eight additional tracks to fill out a full-length debut. LATE NIGHT SATURDAY was released independently, achieving adds on 100+ college/AAA stations throughout the U.S./Canada, and making its commercial debut on 91X in San Diego, along with various accolades and reviews.

Soon thereafter, Todd accepted an invitation from Chili to visit him on the Big Island in Hawaii for some relaxation and casual jam sessions. The tracks Callout, Under Water, and ?til Mornin' had been rehearsed at Chili's Echo Park residence in L.A., but playing a few house parties near Pahoa breathed new life into the songs. The hilliside studio of Dave Millington provided a fitting backdrop to capture the tunes in their purest form, eventually titled, THE HILO SESSION. Shortly after these recordings, close friend and mentor, Chili Charles, passed away. (The EP is dedicated to his loving memory and inspiration)

The trio of laid-back tracks on THE HILO SESSION have piqued interest in Widell's catalogue and social networks continue to cite comparisons to Ryan Adams, Matt Costa, and Ray LaMontagne. Todd is currently living in Los Angeles, composing music for his third studio release.