Gary Williams

Vocals, Guitar, Bass Guitar

Curve Lake First Nations, Ontario

Gary Williams, a proud member of Curve Lake First Nation, has been performing and writing music for over four decades. His musical journey began with early performances at Bottle Lake and Twin Lakes hunt camps north of Havelock, where his love for classic country music was born and nurtured.

In 1978, Gary won the Country 105.1 Talent Search with an original song titled “Doghouse”, showcasing not just his songwriting chops but the deep emotional range that would become his signature. By the mid-1980s, he was fronting the Scarborough-based Rockland County Band, a GTA cover band that performed in clubs and appeared live on CityTV’s Breakfast Television.

Throughout the 1990s, Gary explored genre fusion with Different Kind of Warrior, a project that blended rock with traditional First Nations drumming and vocals—an early example of his boundary-pushing spirit. His ability to shift seamlessly between genres speaks to his belief that music is about story first, and style second.

Gary’s performances have taken him to stages at Ontario Place, Canada’s Wonderland, and he has opened for legends such as Buffy Sainte-Marie at Del Crary Park and Tom Jackson at the Peterborough Memorial Centre.

In 2014, he co-wrote the Crisis Kings album with longtime friend and regional rock legend Steve O’Donoghue. The track “Glutton” from that album was featured on a national Canadian heavy metal compilation—evidence of Gary’s passion for music in all its forms.

After a brief hiatus, Gary returned to his musical roots in 2024 by founding The Rezberries, reconnecting with multi-instrumentalist Ed Bernard to anchor the band’s powerful, story-driven sound. Known for saying, “Play me a sad country song and make me happy,” Gary brings raw emotion, vocal depth, and a deep love for storytelling to every performance.