The Spotify playlist "Making Waves featuring music from the Gulf Coast" shares some of the amazing music being made from New Orleans to the Florida panhandle. Have a listen while you read the third article in the series showcasing one of its artists!
https://open.spotify.com/user/1227151884/playlist/5iz5WSw4rC6TUgpACZPyI5
Today the spotlight is on Holly Nicole Combs from the Mississippi gulf coast. Her track, "St. Louis Bay", brings a unique "hope-folk" sound to the playlist with an empowering perspective on dating and finding love.
With a quirky voice and being heavily influenced by so many genres that include pop, rock, folk, country, show tunes, opera, and classical, Holly does not really fit into one genre. Since she doesn't fit, she puts herself in a genre of her own creation, calling it "Hope Folk". Her music is filled with hope, humor, heart, and honesty. Every song she puts out has a piece of her heart, mind, and soul.
She moved all over the south in her childhood, but she has settled on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. Much of her music has been influenced by the beauty of the landscape, the people she has met, and the experiences she has had living there. Also, being in close proximity to New Orleans, it's influence cannot be dismissed.
Although she has been writing songs her entire life, she did not become serious about it until after her divorce and father's death. She realized how short life was and decided to pursue what she loves, writing songs.
Holly started writing lyrics to help her students. She says, "I started writing lyrics to get students to remember parts of speech around 9 years ago, but I didn't write my first real song until 2015 when my marriage of 14 years ended. It was a way to let out steam and heal."
Holly's decision to create her own genre came about "after several bloggers weren't understanding how I fit into a genre. I don't want to mold myself to 'fit in'. I am in this because I love to do it, and I do not expect money. That gives me power. I have the power to say what I want and how I want. In a world with perfectly auto tuned vocals and powerhouse singers, people forget the beauty of little idiosyncrasies in vocals that help establish the feelings. Did Johnny Cash have a perfect voice? No! What he did have were powerful lyrics that were deep and meaningful! The emotion behind his voice spoke volumes. I do not want to lose that."
If Holly's track, Saint Louis Bay, sounds like a true story, that's because it is.
"Yes, I was online dating, and I was told by a friend to just find someone that likes the same things as you and have fun... I put on my profile that I wanted to find someone interested in music... Mr. Saint Louis Bay sent me a message stating his involvement in music (and later) I got an email ... We began talking, and he was fun to talk to, intelligent, handsome, and sweet. I knew it would be complicated with him living 2 hours away, but I knew he was a great person. From the moment we met, he has done nothing but support me in doing what I love to do... I knew that I had to take my time with him because he was the real deal. In the song, instead of rushing into things, I am enjoying my life on my Mississippi beach and taking in the scenery of the Saint Louis Bay, but he is still on my mind..."
Through sharing her work online, Holly met her producer, Ben Travis, from Two Cats Studio in Nashville.
"I am playing guitar on the track, but my amazing producer, Ben Travis, is playing piano, organ, bass, and whistling.
He heard me on a songwriting site playing my songs in the bathroom, and asked me if I would like to come to Nashville. At first I was skeptical, Mr. Saint Louis Bay researched him though and told me that I needed to go. I am so glad I did. Ben is a great person and an insanely talented musician and producer. He has what I call musical ESP. He knows what to do with a song instantaneously. When he finished my songs, I just cried because someone finally got it, and most importantly he believed in me and my songs."
The collaboration continues as Holly is currently working on her album, Confessions From a Bathroom: Happiness is One Flush Away.
"I am excited to go see Ben at the end of the month to finish the rest of the tracks. It basically documents my experiences following my divorce."
Holly is inspired by the music on the Gulf Coast and enjoys getting to know other musicians, both online and locally.
"We are so lucky to live here. Any night of the week, you can find a place where there is live music playing by talented musicians. There is so much inspiration in this location. I also think for the most part that we do what we can to build each other up.
Every artist on the Making Waves Playlist is amazing, but Joe Sims has to be my favorite. He supported me when I met him though a songwriting group and didn't have anything professionally produced. His music is great, and he is just an all around good person. Another Gulf Coast artists would be Rheatha Pitman. She has a fierce and strong voice that I adore. She is also a pretty cool girl to join on a lunch date. Pitcher Point is another group that plays live here. The Lewis brothers have me in constant awe every time they play guitar. Kelsey Moran has such a cool voice and is an awesome guitarist as well. Gary Arvey, the bassist with Kelsey, is also very talented and kind; Van Hudson plays a lot of gigs in New Orleans also a force to be reckoned with. Mike Anderson, a local piano player and singer is another talented individual that has a big heart, and I adore the sound of Gravity Blinks. I know I am probably leaving people out, but honestly, I am so happy I have met everyone."
Although she is not playing out yet, Holly intends to begin live performances after recording her album and will also begin an internet series.
"I have not started to play live yet, but I am hoping to start when I return from Nashville. I was planning on doing a tour called The Famous in my own House Tour. It is just going to be a series of videos where I am in different rooms of my house playing songs from my album. It will be like an episode of House Hunters meets and American Idol Audition. People will not want to miss it."
This lady has a lot of cool ideas in the works. You can keep up to date with Holly here:
My website and blog: www.unicornunicyclist.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unicornholly01
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hollynicolecombsmusic
twitter: https://twitter.com/unicornholly01
Tumblr: https://unicornholly01.tumblr.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holly-cothran-222140152/
YouTube:
Cheers and happy listening!
by
Rhonda Huete
http://www.rhondahuete.com
http://www.facebook.com/rhondahuetemusic
http://www.facebook.com/gravityblinks