Shopping with... Country Music Singer Holly Williams

By Amy Flurry
April 2, 2010

Holly Williams has been sharing the bill with country music legends since she started writing her own songs at the tender age of eight. Th daughter of Hank Williams Jr., her songwriting method and love of story telling were established early, and by the age of 18, she was booking shows for herself around Nashville. Today, the 29-year-old singer-songwriter is opening for huge acts, including country heartthrob Keith Urban and heartland rocker John Mellencamp.

Getting where is she today meant five years of independent touring on the road, playing shows by herself and with a small band, until she landed a record deal in 2004. On the road since and often for months at a time, Williams has come to rely on eBay as a one-stop shopping stop, utilizing the online marketplace for everything from shampoo in bulk to All-Clad cookware. “It’s more like I’m obsessed,” says Williams. “eBay is my best friend.” We caught up with the country music crooner, just home from a six-week European tour, and learned how shopping eBay saves her time and money and turns up a few treasures along the way.

The Inside Source: Tell us how you use eBay when on the road.

Holly Williams: Well, I can access eBay any time on my iPhone and from anywhere, for the most part. I was on a train in Switzerland and making my last bids to win a new, in-box KitchenAid mixer. Regular retail is $299. I got it for $165 with free shipping!

TIS: Are you a drifter when it comes to shopping eBay or are you a more purposeful shopper? Do you hone in on what you want right away?

HW: If I’m on there ,I’m looking for something certain. This morning, I was looking for an Hermes dinner plate (new, of course) as a wedding gift for a friend. I’ve been cooking lately so I recently scored some good All-Clad cookware and a Le Creuset Dutch oven. I bought my never-live-without Terax crema conditioner and I buy Kerastase shampoos by the liter. And I’m always looking for vintage touring shirts of my dad from the '70s…they’re super stylish (Kate Moss wore one to Glastonbury) and I want them for the grandkids.

Vintage 1976 Hank Williams Jr. T-shirt (buy it now price, $89.99)

TIS: You own two retail shops in Nashville, a high-end designer clothing boutique named H. Audrey and H. Audrey Home. Have you shopped eBay for designer items?

HW: I found a fabulous Yigal Azrouel silk top that is one of my all-time favorites in my closet and a super-rare, sold-out all over the world Vera Wang/Philip Crangi necklace. Oh, and a Rick Owens cashmere wrap!

TIS: We hear you love a deal...

HW: At this point, I buy almost all of my cosmetics on eBay and save tons. Same goes for my Stella McCartney perfumes.

What Holly Williams is Shopping for on eBay Now

New Kindle DX Wireless Reading Device Latest Gen 9.7" (buy it now price, $489) “A Kindle for reading on the road…you don’t have to deal with a stack of books.”

New Balenciaga Weekender Travel Tote Oregano Bag (starting bid, $1.615) “It’s the perfect traveling-with-style bag.”

New Jo Malone Pomegranate Candle (winning bid, $49) “These are heavenly and make the whole house smell so good without being overpowering.”

New Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics by Ina Garten 2008 (sold for $17.99) “Ina Garten’s simple, yet quality food recipes are right up my alley."

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