Ericson Holt

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“ … an exceptional vocalist and an emotionally vivid songwriter …. his tightly crafted material moves from smoking roots rock to New Orleans jive to revved up country shuffles …think Jackson Browne with more swagger.” -Nashville Scene .

Ericson Holt, a Richmond, Virginia native, began his career as a blues and boogie piano player in East Coast blues bars and Nags Head, NC. beach clubs. ‘Sneaking a few originals” into his own high- energy shows and playing with other popular regional bands such as The Meteors and Lil’ Ronnie & the Blue Beats. Often opening for regional, and major acts including The Good Humor Band, and Delbert McClinton, and The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and The Band.

As he began to sing more of his own songs, a larger ambition took hold. Advice from a friend and mentor, guitar great Michael McAdam (The Good Humor Band, Steve Earle), and a chance conversation with Bruce Hornsby at a Richmond radio station, convinced Eric it was time to make the move to Music City. “ McAdam kept telling me that Nashville wasn’t just about mainstream country … it was an oasis for songwriters and musicians of all styles … a place to learn and hone your craft. Bruce Hornsby used a basketball analogy and said that if I wanted to be my best I needed to leave my home court and go where the big guys play. They were both, absolutely right.”

Holt’s resume soon included recordings, international tours and television show appearances with Grammy winners the Mavericks, Oscar nominee Allison Moorer, Rodney Crowell, Jim Lauderdale and Lee Roy Parnell, to name just a few. In high demand for recording sessions, he recently appearing on 2 critically acclaimed cds: Jim Lauderdale’s “Honey Songs” (featuring guitar great, James Burton, and Gary Tallent of the E-Street Band), and Mike Farris’s “Salvation In Lights”, which helped garner the ‘2008 Best New Emerging Artist” award for Farris at the Americana Association Awards in September. Ericson played piano and organ with Mike Farris and The Roseland Rhythm Revue on the main stage at The Bonneroo Festival in June 2009. He is also a regular performer at the world famous Hog’s Breath Saloon in Key West, Florida.

In 2005 Ericson’s album “The Blue Side” reached the Top 30 of the Americana Music chart, and Top 5 on the Roots Music Report Rock chart. Strong originals like “Tired of Waitin’ Around”, XM radio favorite; “I’ve Got Your Number”, along with his hauntingly beautiful version of the late Walter Hyatt’s “ Last Call “ and rousing cover of Taj Mahal’s “ Cakewalk Into Town”, gave “The Blue Side” a long run on the charts.

Ericson’s as yet untitled new cd is in production and slated to include his hard driving second-line tribute to New Orleans: “ Walkin’ On Bourbon Street”, an ode to teenage rebellion; “ Started In Stayin’ Out”, the comically disturbing “She’s The Life of The Party”, and his soul searching; “99 Degrees In The Shade”.

Mark Wehner of Americana Tonight writes: “As a writer and performer, he has all the magic a frontman needs to succeed. It couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.”