Holly's dream is finally in the making. This Catasauqua, Pennsylvania native has always been drawn to the joy and powerful emotional release which performing music can provide. Her first single "No More", however, was a particularly proud milestone in the energetic Penn State graduate's musical life. It marked the first time she wrote, composed and performed a song all her own-- a dream Holly had nurtured since elementary school. As a member of her elementary school choir, Holly's talents were quickly recognized by her mother. Encouragement-- in the form of ten years of piano lessons and the gift of a much-coveted guitar-- was always plentiful. At the age of sixteen, Holly was given her first guitar, which she had been wishing for since she was a little girl. She took lessons for one short month, and then she took it upon herself to finish mastering the art of playing the guitar. Holly acquired great satisfaction from being able to play the guitar and sing along without the radio accompanying her.
The wider world soon took notice of her vocal skills as well. During her six summers of working at a local amusement park, Holly often sang to herself while preparing food for hungry park patrons. This was nothing new: Holly had sung along with the car radio since she was a tiny girl. What was new (and thrilling) were the many compliments from her co-workers and customers waiting in line for their cheese steaks. Their enthusiastic response sparked the beginnings of Holly's desire to be a professional musician. It was also at this time that she discovered the genre which would become her greatest influence. Full of triumph and tragedy, heartache and happiness, Holly fell head-over-heels for country. Initially drawn to the raw emotion of Garth Brooks' "Unanswered Prayers" and George Strait's plaintive drawl, she soon found inspiration in the strong, self-reliant expressions of female country artist Jo Dee Messina and the beautiful aura of Faith Hill. This newfound appreciation of country led Holly to her first band, with whom she played during her freshman year of college.
Playing with a band and hearing some their recordings gave Holly the desire to start recording her own music. Soon after that, she purchased recording equipment that she would use in her studio apartment to record some of her favorite cover songs. The disbandment of the erstwhile Thunder and Lightning, as well as a highly positive response from a sophomore-year open-mic night performance, provided her with both desire and determination to stake out a solo career. After several well-received performances at State College's Hookah Lounge and Smokin' Joe's, as well as several open mic night performances at the Dark Horse Tavern, Holly took up residence at Churchill's in Allentown. It was during her ongoing tenure at Churchill's that the always-prolific writer (she's filled journals with thoughts and poems for many years) had finally and triumphantly began penning her own material. Armed with talent, experience and songs uniquely her own, Holly finally made her temporary residence in the famous town of Nashville through the summer of 2004. During her stay in Nashville, she performed her original songs at the Douglas Corner Cafe, Bailey's Pub and Grille, Nashville Crossroads, The Bluebird Cafe, and sang at the famous Tootsie's Orchid Lounge.
After her stay in Nashville, Holly spent a few months in Pensacola, FL, where she sang in two bands and became a 2nd place finalist in the Colgate Country Showdown. With the Slide Band, she played rock shows in Mobile, AL during Mardi Gras, BayFest, and New Year's Eve, and her country band played at the Interstate Fair in Pensacola, FL. These experiences gave her renewed strength and motivation to continue writing songs and performing the music that she loves. She plans on returning to the starry-eyed town of Nashville in the near future, where she will begin working seriously on her music career. Hopefully, like the much-admired strong country women who precede her, she'll rise straight to the top.
