▁the ▁ 2 3 rd ▁Ann ual ▁USA ▁Song writing ▁Compet ition ▁( 2 0 1 8 ) ▁with ▁his ▁song ▁" We ▁Make ▁The ▁Way ▁By ▁Walk ing ". ▁He ▁also ▁won ▁First ▁Prize ▁in ▁the ▁Fol k ▁category ▁in ▁the ▁competition . ▁ ▁He ▁has ▁received ▁criticism ▁and ▁accus ations ▁of ▁big ot ry , ▁rac ism ▁and ▁x en oph ob ia ▁from ▁those ▁who ▁do ▁not ▁appreciate ▁the ▁intent ▁of ▁his ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁song ▁" We ▁Call ▁It ▁Fre edom " ▁which ▁is ▁written ▁iron ically ▁to ▁appear ▁to ▁support ▁tort ure ▁of ▁prisoners ▁in ▁the ▁war ▁on ▁terror ism . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁he ▁covered ▁" Why ▁We ▁Build ▁The ▁Wall " ▁from ▁Had est own . ▁ ▁Crit ical ▁reception ▁ ▁A ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁music ▁critic ▁wrote ▁Wil co x ▁has ▁a ▁" hand ful ▁of ▁ster ling ▁folk - pop ▁songs , ▁a ▁gen ial ▁voice ▁and ▁enough ▁guitar ▁virt u os ity ▁to ▁make ▁even ▁his ▁less er ▁material ▁sound ▁convin cing ." ▁Another ▁described ▁him ▁as ▁a ▁pro l ific ▁song writer ▁and ▁folk ▁artist . ▁Another ▁wrote ▁that ▁he ▁" s ings ▁with ▁a ▁m ellow ▁flu ency ▁that ▁suggests ▁a ▁hy brid ▁of ▁Mr . ▁Taylor ▁and ▁Ken ny ▁Rank in , ▁but ▁he ▁has ▁better ▁en unci ation ▁than ▁either ." ▁Crit ics ▁describe ▁his ▁voice ▁as ▁having ▁a ▁" w arm , ▁express ive " ▁quality ▁with ▁an ▁" eng aging ▁vocal