Before he played guitar in front of 13,000 people at Samford’s Stadium Fest, Nick Williams said he didn’t have a normal case of stage fright.

“I’m really weird, I don’t get nervous beforehand, just afterwards. It hits me that ‘Whoa, I just did that,’” Williams said.

Williams is a member of the Kevin Derryberry Band, a Christian praise band that performs around Alabama and the southeast.

The band plays at venues ranging from big events such as Stadium Fest and Alabaster’s City Fest to smaller shows for prisoners as a part of the band’s prison ministry.

Though Williams has played for the Kevin Derryberry Band for almost two years, he taught himself how to play guitar only three years ago. Soon after learning his first chords, Williams got bored playing other people’s music.

He started writing his own songs and formed a band with three friends, called the Nick Williams Band.

Williams said that starting his own band has taught him how to “coordinate four guys with busy schedules” so they have plenty of time to practice before upcoming shows or recording songs. The Nick Williams Band has played for Thompson’s Warrior Jam and the Epic Fun Fair, both of which raised funds for the school. They recorded an EP titled “Somewhere” at a friend’s studio over Christmas break and have songs available online at Myspace.com/nickdwilliams.

Williams said he’s looking forward to college at the University of Alabama because of the new opportunities to play music in Tuscaloosa.

“Hopefully we can get in on the local and regional music scene,” he said.

Whether he’s on a stage with Kevin Derryberry Band in front of thousands or in a local coffee shop playing his original songs, Williams said he loves to see the crowd’s response to the music.

“I get a huge smile on my face when I look out and see people singing along. It’s a good feeling,” he said.