Denison Witmer is an American singer-songwriter from

Lancaster, Pennsylvania Lancaster, ( ; pdc, Lengeschder) is a city in and the county seat of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It is one of the oldest inland cities in the United States. With a population at the 2020 census of 58,039, it ranks 11th in population amon ...

, United States. His first release, in 1995, was a cassette titled ''My Luck, My Love''. He has since released six studio LPs; two live albums, a cover album (''Recovered''); three EPs; and an LP with The River Bends—a side project consisting of members of the Philadelphia-based alt-country band One Star Hotel. Witmer's 2005 album, ''

Are You a Dreamer? ''Are You a Dreamer?'' is a studio album by American singer-songwriter Denison Witmer. It was released on The Militia Group on July 26, 2005. Track listing (All songs written by Denison Witmer) #"Little Flowers" – 4:32 #"Everything But Sleep" ...

'', produced by

Don Peris The Innocence Mission is an American indie folk band formed in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1986. The band is composed of Karen Peris (née McCullough), her husband (and fellow guitarist) Don Peris, and Mike Bitts (on bass guitar). Although all memb ...

of The Innocence Mission and featuring

Sufjan Stevens Sufjan Stevens ( ; born July 1, 1975) is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He has released nine solo studio albums and multiple collaborative albums with other artists. Stevens has received Grammy and Academy Award nomi ...

, received acclaim, including positive reviews from Pitchfork Media and '' Entertainment Weekly''. Witmer and Stevens appeared on Rosie Thomas's 2007 album ''These Friends of Mine'', an album which included Rosie Thomas' version of Paper Doll, a track originally written and recorded by Witmer. Witmer toured with Rosie Thomas in support of that album in venues across the US and Europe. Witmer's style has been described as "neo-folk." He has also been compared to 1970s-era singer-songerwriters, including

Cat Stevens Yusuf Islam (born Steven Demetre Georgiou; ), commonly known by his stage names Cat Stevens, Yusuf, and Yusuf / Cat Stevens, is a British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. His musical style consists of folk, pop, rock, and, later in ...

and

Nick Drake Nicholas Rodney Drake (19 June 1948 – 25 November 1974) was an English singer-songwriter known for his acoustic guitar-based songs. He did not find a wide audience during his lifetime, but his work gradually achieved wider notice and recognit ...

. Witmer's lyrics are poetic and thoughtful; his guitar work, while simple-sounding, relies on complex fingerpicking.

Early life

Denison Witmer was born and raised in

. He was raised Mennonite and attended

Lancaster Mennonite School Lancaster Mennonite School is a private Christian school located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. The Lancaster Campus, east of the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, serves students from Pre-K through twelve. The high school on the ...

. His guitar teacher was

. Before becoming a full-time musician, Witmer worked in the greenhouse which his family owned. Witmer's and all of his brothers' full names have the initials "DSW."

Career

''My Luck, My Love''

Witmer released a cassette tape titled '' My Luck, My Love'' in 1995. The album was recorded as a project for an English class during Witmer's senior year of high school. Only 250 copies were made, and the album was given to family and friends. Though '' My Luck, My Love'' is Witmer's first release, he does not view it as his true debut but as the extension of a hobby.

''Safe Away''

Witmer released his first album '' Safe Away'' in 1998. The album, produced by

, was first self-released by Witmer. He began playing shows in an effort to sell the one thousand copies produced. The album sold out, and indie label Burnt Toast Vinyl approached Witmer, asking to re-release it. '' Safe Away'' received a positive review from Allmusic: "Witmer proceeds through the setlist with the confidence and generosity of a seasoned songwriter, despite the journal-like candor of his lyrics."

''Of Joy and Sorrow''

'' Of Joy & Sorrow'' was released in 2001. Witmer attempted to make the album more accessible and straightforward than his first: "I feel a little bit more tangible, I feel a little less obscure. It's not another record about breaking up with someone. It's not another record about losing that one particular person." Concerning the album's influences, he noted, "I was listening to a lot of ‘70s singer/songwriter stuff like Jackson Brown and Carol King and Neil Young and Van Morrison and I was going for a little bit of that style." The title '' Of Joy & Sorrow'' comes from ''

The Prophet A prophet is a person who is believed to speak through divine inspiration. Prophet or The Prophet may also refer to: People People referred to as "The Prophet" as a title * The Prophet (musician) (born 1968), Dutch gabber and hardstyle DJ ...

'' by Khalil Gibran: "Then a woman said, Speak to us of Joy and Sorrow. And he answered: ..Some of you say, 'Joy is greater than sorrow,' and others say, 'Nay, sorrow is the greater.' But I say unto you, they are inseparable. Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed. Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy." Witmer stated, "I want to experience every emotion as fully as possible. ..Sorrow has encouraged me to never take my joy for granted."

''Philadelphia Songs''

Witmer released his third album, '' Philadelphia Songs'', in 2002. The album was influenced by Witmer's experience moving from a small town to a big city for the first time. Witmer had a difficult time adjusting to having most of his time taken up by an office job and losing inspiration, and the album was about the ups and downs of young adult life and. Whereas '' Safe Away'' was guitar and vocals and '' Of Joy & Sorrow'' was more orchestrated, Witmer stated that '' Philadelphia Songs'' strikes a balance between his first two albums: “I just feel like I accomplished something that I’ve been trying to accomplish for a while.” The album was produced by

Blake Wescott Blake Wescott is a musician from Seattle, Washington, who was formerly lead guitarist for David Bazan's band. Often noted as a drummer for Pedro the Lion, and for his co-writing, production, backing vocals, and multiple instrumentation on former ...

and features instrumental work by The Six Parts Seven.

''Recovered''

Witmer released a covers album titled '' Recovered'' in 2003.

''Are You a Dreamer?''

Witmer's fifth album, ''

'', was released in 2005. It was produced by Don Peris who, along with Karen Peris, contributed instrumental and vocal work. ''

'' received a B+ review score from Entertainment Weekly: “His brand of happy anachronism is easy enough to fall into — if you can slow down long enough to enjoy it.” In 2006, The Militia Group label re-issued his first album '' Safe Away'' as a special two-disc edition with new artwork and a bonus EP. On his 30th birthday in November 2006, Witmer began offering 30 of his songs (and 3 "bonus" songs) for free on a website called Happy Birthday Denison. They were new acoustic renditions of previously released songs, covers, and new offerings. Witmer intended to offer a new free song every year on his birthday. However, the website (previously located at happybirthdaydenison.com) is now down. Happy Birthday Denison served as a fundraiser for Partners in Health and Musicians On Call, though no donations were required to download the songs.

''Carry the Weight''

Witmer released ''

Carry the Weight Carry or carrying may refer to: People * Carry (name) Finance * Carried interest (or carry), the share of profits in an investment fund paid to the fund manager * Carry (investment), a financial term: the carry of an asset is the gain or cost o ...

'' in 2008. Produced at London Bridge Studios in Seattle, the album was Witmer's attempt at a "real studio album." ''

'' features James McAlister and Rosie Thomas on most songs, and Noah Harris.

''The Ones Who Wait''

'' The Ones Who Wait'' was first available in 2011 under the Mono Vs Stereo label. It received a wider release in 2012 after Witmer signed with Asthmatic Kitty Records. In Witmer's own words, the album is about "patience and reverence. Being mindful and open to what you’re experiencing. A desire to take hold of what’s happening in your life, yet trusting the mystery of it enough to let go and participate rather than dictate." The album grew from an EP to a full-length album, described by Witmer as an "accidental record." It was influenced by landmarks in Witmer's life, including his marriage, his father's death, and his first child's birth. CJ Camerieri, Devin Greenwood, James McAlister, Charles Staub, and Rosie Thomas contributed to '' The Ones Who Wait''.