Tony Holiday - Keep Your Head Up

Album: Keep Your Head Up
Size: 67,8 MB
Time: 29:13
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2025
Styles: Blues/Soul mix
Art: Front

1. She's A Burglar (Feat. Eddie 9V) (3:07)
2. Twist My Fate (Feat. Kevin Burt) (4:05)
3. Woman Named Trouble (3:56)
4. Good Times (2:31)
5. Shoulda Known Better (Feat. Laura Chavez) (2:59)
6. Walk On The Water (4:06)
7. Drive It Home (Feat. Albert Castiglia) (4:20)
8. I Can Not Feel The Rain (4:06)

Tony Holiday has been at the center of a Memphis soul blues revival anchored by a contingent of young, savvy, well-schooled musicians who have a "family-like" attitude and a strong belief in one another. Over the past couple of years, Holiday and his talented young band have been touring hard, taking spells in between to write and record with Producer Eric Corne in Memphis and Los Angeles.

The result is Keep Your Head Up, an album that covers a tremendous amount of territory over eight pithy tracks. It features a nice array of special guests including Eddie 9V, Kevin Burt, Albert Castiglia and Laura Chavez, last year's Blues Music Award winner for 'Guitarist of the Year’.

Throughout the record Holiday demonstrates an impressive command of styles, moving fluidly through Texas, Chicago and hill country Blues with plenty of Memphis soul and even a touch of Afrobeat. He also shows why he's one of the finest harmonica players on the scene today, despite electing not to play the instrument on over half the songs on the album. There's something in the water in Memphis, and Tony Holiday has tapped into it to contribute to an exciting new chapter unfolding in this storied region.

Keep Your Head Up mc
Keep Your Head Up gofile

---

Tony Holiday - Motel Mississippi

Album: Motel Mississippi
Size: 56,8 MB
Time: 24:29
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2023
Styles: Blues
Art: Front

1. Rob & Steal (2:48)
2. Get By (3:41)
3. Trouble (4:11)
4. She's So Cold (2:21)
5. Just As Gone (2:29)
6. Nobody But You (2:54)
7. You Know Who I Am (3:35)
8. Yazoo River (2:27)

There’s something about Tony Holiday that draws people together. Community has been at the core of Holiday’s young career from the beginning. Since relocating from Salt Lake City to Memphis in 2017, Holiday has been at the center of a soul blues revival in Memphis, anchored by a contingent of young, savvy well-schooled musicians with a “family-like” attitude and a strong belief in one another. Mentored by past legends, Holiday and this loose Memphis collective are building on the city’s rich traditions and carrying them forward.

“Motel Mississippi”, Holiday’s 2nd solo album, was recorded about an hour outside Memphis in Coldwater, Mississippi, at Zebra Ranch, the studio of the late great Memphis legend Jim Dickinson (The Rolling Stones, Big Star). Combining the sounds of North Mississippi Hill Country, Delta Blues, and Memphis soul, Motel Mississippi is equal parts hypnotic blues, driving soul, and juke joint stomper. The album consists of six originals and two covers, “Rob & Steal” by Paul Wine Jones and “Nobody but You” by Asie Payton. Like with previous projects, Motel Mississippi began as a collaborative effort, this time between Holiday, guitarist/songwriter A.J. Fullerton and guitarist/producer Dave Gross who shared production duties with Fullerton. Rich sonic layers provide a forward-thinking quality to these productions, conjuring up a vibe that’s modern and retro at the same time.

The drone and drive of songs like “Rob & Steal” and “Get By” contrast with juke joint grooves like “Just as Gone” while diving into new territory with the Cajun-infused double harmonica instrumental “Yazoo River.” The album was recorded by another mainstay of recent Memphis recordings, Kevin Houston (Southern Avenue, North Mississippi Allstars, G. Love). Other musicians on the album include Lee Williams Jr. on drums, Terrance Grayson on Bass, Aubrey McCrady on guitar, Jake Friel on Harmonica, and Mikey Junior on backup vocals.

Motel Mississippi follows 2020’s Soul Service, produced by another regular collaborator, Southern Avenue’s Ori Naftaly. This followed two volumes of Tony Holiday’s Porch Sessions, which saw Holiday traveling across the United States and throughout Europe recording blues musicians on their very own front porches, in front of juke joints, in the countryside, and even on the front stoops of raucous night spots in bustling cities, resulting in two critically acclaimed albums. The guestlist struck a balance between older legends like Grammy winners Charlie Musselwhite and Bobby Rush, former Muddy Waters guitarist John Primer, and the iconic Lurie Bell, alongside some of Holiday’s peers Southern Avenue, Victor Wainwright, and John Németh. The latter two have served as important mentors for Holiday since his move to Memphis.

There’s something in the water in Memphis, and Tony Holiday has tapped into it to contribute to an exciting new chapter unfolding in this storied region.

Motel Mississippi mc
Motel Mississippi zippy

---

Tony Holiday - Porch Sessions Vol. 2

Album: Porch Sessions Vol. 2
Size: 140,9 MB
Time: 60:46
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2021
Styles: Blues
Art: Full

1. She's Tuff (Feat. Victor Wainwright) (4:14)
2. Honey Bee (Feat. Willie Buck) (3:20)
3. Change Is Inevitable (Feat. AJ Fullerton) (2:50)
4. Recipe For Love (Feat. Bobby Rush) (4:44)
5. Smokestack Lightnin' (Feat. Watermelon Slim) (4:36)
6. Going To Court 2 (Feat. James Harman) (6:23)
7. Go (Feat. Jon Lawton) (3:19)
8. Every Day I Have The Blues (Feat. Lurrie Bell) (2:37)
9. Brazilian Brothel (Feat. Richard 'Rip Lee' Pryor) (3:26)
10. Bad Bad Girl (Feat. Johnny Burgin) (3:24)
11. Find Me When The Sun Goes Down (Feat. Rae Gordon) (3:52)
12. That's How I Learned (Feat. Ben Rice) (5:56)
13. Cake Walk (Feat. Mark Hummel & Dennis Gruenling) (3:16)
14. Family Tree (Feat. JD Taylor) (3:54)
15. Peace Will Come (Feat. Southern Avenue) (3:03)
16. Get Outta Here (Dog Named Bo) (Feat. Bobby Rush) (1:43)

Here we find Holiday continuing to stakeout his turf as the master of the off the clock recording. Basically a collection of ‘field' recordings that are loose jams recorded in ad hoc settings with everyone from superstars to journeymen to background cats any blues fan should get to know better, the sound quality may be uneven but the performances are uniquely one of a kind and uniformly hot. It all feels like that twilight zone spot where Alan Lomax meets Leonard Chess. This is the smoking kind of set that gets you thinking about a pilgrimage to the crossroads.

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

Porch Sessions Vol. 2 mc
Porch Sessions Vol. 2 zippy

---

Tony Holiday - Soul Service

Size: 70,2 MB
Time: 30:03
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2020
Styles: Electric Blues, Harmonica Blues
Art: Front

01. Payin' Rent On A Broken Home (3:52)
02. She Knocks Me Out (3:29)
03. It's Gonna Take Some Time (3:54)
04. Good Advice (2:34)
05. Checkers On The Chessboard (3:11)
06. The Hustle (4:25)
07. Day Dates (Turn Into Night Dates) (4:02)
08. Ol' Number Nine (4:32)

Memphis based Tony Holiday came to international attention with his 2019 VizzTone release, the star-studded PORCH SESSIONS, in which he established himself as a top-notch harmonica player and producer of modern field recordings. With SOUL SERVICE, Holiday also proves to be a powerful, soulful singer, and a songwriter of smart, moving roots music songs that expand his palette beyond blues to show his diverse influences. Produced by Grammy nominee Ori Naftaly (Southern Avenue, Stax Records) at Zebra Ranch, the Dickinson family studio in Independence, Mississippi, the album features Holiday on lead vocals and harmonica, Landon Stone on guitar, Max Kaplan on bass and background vocals, Danny Banks (John Nemeth band) on drums, and special guests producer Ori Naftaly on guitar and Grammy nominee Victor Wainwright on keys.

Soul Service MP3
Soul Service FLAC

---

Tony Holiday & The Velvetones - Tony Holiday & The Velvetones

Size: 66,7 MB
Time: 28:54
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2017
Styles: Electric Blues
Art: Front

01. Mean Ass Woman (5:30)
02. Cross Your Heart (4:19)
03. You Ruined Poor Me (4:35)
04. New Groove (4:18)
05. Barefoot Blue (5:25)
06. Weep And Moan (4:46)

Personnel:
Landon Stone- Lead Guitar
Joel Meza- Drums
Gordon Greenwood-Bass
Tony Holiday- Harmonica

Tony Holiday is a west coast harmonica player based out of Salt Lake City, UT. After touring and fronting Tony Holiday and the Velvetones on lead guitar and vocals, Holiday made the switch to full time harmonica which he says was a big step in him expressing himself in music through the blues. Holiday recruited young prodigy Landon Stone playing at a pro level since the age of 15 years of age. The duo brought the energy and tight-ness of the band up to new heights and stages. Adding 3 of 4 members Joel Meza on drums and finding he would be a permanent member and stage manager. Meza is a pocket player going by the nickname "Dr. Pocket". Lastly after using Cody Downs on bass on a pick up gig in Amarillo, TX Holiday called him and asked him to be a permanent road player which has blossomed into a serious rhythm section backing Lanny Stone's tasteful rhythm and Holiday's soulful vocals.

Winners of the 2016 'Best Blues Band' -City Weekly Music Awards!Tony Holiday and the Velvetones plan to keep blues their business, and business is good! Recently endorsed by Seydel Harmonicas and Windy City Amps Tony and the boys have turned some heads including heavy hitters like Rick Estrin, Dennis Gruenling, and Mark Hummel, via Blues Harmonica Player who mentioned Tony as one the "top 12 up and coming harp players to keep an eyes on".

Tony has recorded with: Adam Gussow, Eric McFadden, Royal Bliss Shared the stage with: Beth Hart, Guitar Shorty, Curtis Salgado, Lazy Lester Tinsley Ellis, Lukas Nelson, Brandon Santini, Blind Boys of Alabama, Dennis Gruenling, Aki Kumar, Mark Hummel, Ronnie Shellist, Karl Denson, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Toronzo Cannon to name a few.

Tony Holiday & The Velvetones

---

Tony Holiday - Porch Sessions

Size: 134,9 MB
Time: 57:37
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2019
Styles: Electric Blues
Art: Front

01. Pickpocket Fingers (Feat. James Harman & Kid Ramos) (3:51)
02. They Call Me John Primer (Feat. John Primer & Bob Corritore) (6:21)
03. A Woman Named Trouble (Feat. Jake Friel & John Nemeth) (5:09)
04. Becky Ann (Feat. Mitch Kaxhmar & Ronnie Shellist) (3:36)
05. That's Alright (Feat. Charlie Musselwhite & Aki Kumar) (6:33)
06. Three Way Party (Feat. Mitch Kashmar & Ronnie Shellist) (5:09)
07. Special Friend (Feat. James Harman & Kid Ramos) (5:11)
08. Hip To It (Feat. Mitch Kashmar & Ronnie Shellist) (3:17)
09. Blues Hit Big Town (Feat. John Nemeth) (1:37)
10. Tell Me Baby (Feat. John Primer & Bob Corritore) (3:03)
11. Goin' To Court (Feat. James Harman & Kid Ramos) (4:24)
12. Coin Operated Woman (Feat. Johnny Burgin) (4:23)
13. This Time I'm Gone For Good (Feat. William G. Kidd & Ronnie Shelllist) (4:57)

Tony Holiday is a vocalist and harp player who is rapidly emerging as a star on the international blues scene. He has been recognized by blues legends like Charlie Musselwhite and Rick Estrin as one of the finest up-and-comers in the game right now and is steadily building his own legend one gig at a time. Speaking of gigs, he plays up to 200 of them a year across the US and has brilliantly recorded his latest album Porch Sessions in between them on the actual porches of some of the blue’s best-known musicians. Hitting the streets January 25th, 2019 on the VizzTone Label Group, Porch Sessions by Tony Holiday is reminiscent of Alan Lomax’s landmark field recordings and the live recordings that have surfaced from Chicago’s famed Maxwell Street era over the years. It is all about the real blues captured live as it happens.

Tony, along with his partner Landon Stone, have crisscrossed America in pursuit of this project and have ended up on some pretty significant front porches. Live sessions were tracked featuring some of the blue’s biggest names, including Charlie Musselwhite, John Primer, Kid Ramos, John Nemeth, Kid Andersen, Rockin’ Johnny Burgin, and more. The down-and-dirty format is a genius move, as it connects listeners directly to the live blues experience. Studio slickness is replaced by in-the-moment performances and off-the-cuff deliveries. It’s like sitting in on a rehearsal or impromptu jam where the musicians are playing for the simple joy of doing so.

Highlights abound on Porch Sessions by Tony Holiday and hardcore blues fans will love every inch of this record. The opening cut features guitarist Kid Ramos and singer/harpist James Harman getting down on a number called “Pickpocket Fingers,” a Jimmy Reed-ish shuffle about a girl with a “Buster Keaton smile” that’s immediately engaging and sets the tone for what’s to follow. Ramos’ rhythm playing is absolutely popping and will make you want to move, even in this intimate context. Chicago guitarist and Muddy Water’s bandleader John Primer checks in with “They Call Me John Primer” and brings the classic interwoven Windy City sound with him. Bob Corritore adds harp in all the right places and Primer sounds as full of life as he ever has.

One of the best cuts on Porch Sessions is the humid and sultry “A Woman Named Trouble,” which showcases Jake Friel on vocals and John Nemeth on harmonica. Built on a subtle-yet-simmering funk groove, the track creates that smoky 3AM headspace that made many of us fall in love with the truth of the blues. When Friel tells us his woman “can make a baby out of a full-grown man,” we are left with no choice but to believe.

Charlie Musselwhite and Aki Kumar guest on the venerable standard “That’s Alright” with Kumar handling vocals. The two harps fill the track with lonesome, moaning licks that will keep listeners in a trance and put the full emotional power of the instrument on display. Tony Holiday and guitarist Rockin’ Johnny Burgin team up on the low-key bounce of “Coin Operated Woman” to great effect, keeping everything right in the pocket, and the set closes with “This Time I’m Gone For Good,” a slow, heavy minor blues spotlighting William G. Kidd on vocals and Ronnie Shellist on harmonica that’s pure midnight heartbreak.

Porch Sessions is nothing but fun from beginning to end and it’s immensely refreshing to bask in its casual glory. This is the raw, homespun blues, the kind of music that made possible all that came after it, and Tony Holiday deserves praise for recording these folks playing it in the most human setting there is.

Highly recommended. ~Mike O’Cull

Porch Sessions

---

Tony Holiday & The Velvetones - No Need To Rush It

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 29:43
Size: 68.0 MB
Styles: Harmonica blues, West Coast blues
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[5:14] 1. Scratches On My Back
[4:32] 2. Loaded Gun
[7:31] 3. Dirtbag Blues
[3:30] 4. Johnny Paycheck
[5:04] 5. Blues On My Bumper
[3:49] 6. Happy Harp

Tony Holiday - Vocals, Harmonica; Landon "Stringbean" Stone - Guitar; Christian Mills - Bass; Matt Howitz - Drums; Darren Farnsworth - Drums; Jesse Howerton - Keys; Jordan Young - Cigar Box, Vocals; Terrance DH - Vocals; Greg Nielson - Saxaphone; Eric McFadden - Special guest guitar on Johnny Paycheck. Captured and balanced by Terrance DH @ Counterpoint Studios Salt Lake City, Utah.

Tony Holiday is a west coast harmonica player based out of Salt Lake City, UT. After touring and fronting Tony Holiday and the Velvetones on lead guitar and vocals, Holiday made the switch to full time harmonica which he says was a big step in him expressing himself in music through the blues. Holiday recruited young prodigy Landon Stone playing at a pro level since the age of 15 years of age. The duo brought the energy and tight-ness of the band up to new heights and stages. Adding 3 of 4 members Joel Meza on drums and finding he would be a permanent member and stage manager. Meza is a pocket player going by the nickname "Dr. Pocket". Lastly after using Cody Downs on bass on a pick up gig in Amarillo, TX Holiday called him and asked him to be a permanent road player which has blossomed into a serious rhythm section backing Lanny Stone's tasteful rhythm and Holiday's soulful vocals.

Winners of the 2016 'Best Blues Band' -City Weekly Music Awards!Tony Holiday and the Velvetones plan to keep blues their business, and business is good! Recently endorsed by Seydel Harmonicas and Windy City Amps Tony and the boys have turned some heads including heavy hitters like Rick Estrin, Dennis Gruenling, and Mark Hummel, via Blues Harmonica Player who mentioned Tony as one the "top 12 up and coming harp players to keep an eyes on"

No Need To Rush It mc
No Need To Rush It zippy

---

Tony Holiday & The Velvetones - No Need To Rush It

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 30:31
Size: 69.9 MB
Styles: Funky blues
Year: 2015
Art: Front

[5:14] 1. Scratches On My Back
[4:31] 2. Loaded Gun
[7:30] 3. Dirtbag Blues
[4:23] 4. Johnny Paycheck
[5:03] 5. Blues On My Bumper
[3:47] 6. Happy Harp

Tony Holiday-(Harmonica, Vox); Matt Howitz - (Drums); Christian Mills (Bass); Lanny "Stringbean" Stone (Guitar).

Tony Holiday and The Velvetones mix their many influences into a musical gumbo of Dirty Rock and Down Home Blues . With Tony Holiday on harmonica and guitar, Adam Fifield on the Hammond organ, and Dave Idan on drums, it's a compact trio that packs a big punch and will keep the place dancing till the sun comes up.

Tony Holiday and The Velvetones travel the country spreading their music. Based out of Salt Lake City, you'll either find them currently on tour or prepping hard for their next one. It's just what they do-they live and breath the open road. Tony Holiday and The Velvetones are endorsed by Shaker Harmonica Mics, Coalatree Organics, and Wasatch Glass Works.

No Need To Rush It mc
No Need To Rush It zippy

---