Although William Elliott Whitmore's songwriting and vocal style reach deep into traditional blues and folk territory as exemplified by the likes of Leadbelly and Woody Guthrie, the Iowa native plays his acoustic music in a modern indie-rock context. Rather than stick to the usual folk and blues circuits, Whitmore is more likely to tour with alt country and punk bands. A farmer by trade, he has continued to work his land while recording a handful of albums and touring occasionally.