Chelsea Williams

A singer/songwriter with classic influences ranging from the godfather Bob Dylan to his '90s disciple Sheryl Crow, Chelsea Williams made a name for herself the hardest way possible: by busking on Santa Monica's bustling Third Street Promenade. She didn't limit herself to performances, making sure that she wrote and recorded self-released albums in the 2000s, but it was those appearances on the Promenade that caught the ear of Kirk Pasich, the president of Blue Élan Records. Pasich signed Williams, leading to the release of her first major album, the Americana- and pop-laced Bo...