Blues Harmonica Master - Tony Holiday

It Matters Radio

Tony Holiday is a rising figure in the blues harmonica world! Touring 8 months a year he plays the semi pro circuits. Tony has played with many of blues great. He is friends with Lazy Lester and Guitar Shorty, who is recording Tony's song Weep and Moan. With mentors like Adam Gussow, Brandon Santini, Rod Piazza and Ronnie Shellist, Tony has come a very long way in just 3 years on the harmonica. For this interview he will be on West Coast tour with one variation of his Velvetones. Even though the musician has a tattoo of a harmonica on his forearm as well as the words “True Blue” on his fingers, he doesn’t classify himself as a strict Chicago-style bluesman. Holiday can be seen on local stages most weekends with multiple bands, including honky-tonk outfit Smoke in the Tavern and ’50s-country-influenced Antique Cadillac, and his main band, The Velvetones, to which he contributes smoky lead vocals, harmonica, guitar and original compositions. At the prompting of Bad Brad Wheeler, Holiday founded the Utah Blues Society six months ago with the help of KRCL’s Brian Kelm, host of the Monday night, Red, White & Blues program. Brian was recently appointed as the society’s president. In addition to keeping busy with the Utah Blues Society, Holiday is soon to release two new albums with the Velvetones, a live album called Live at Fats Grill, which released this month and a studio full-length titled Happy to Have the Blues, which will be out in June. Holiday says Happy to Have the Blues will have a funky and heavy-blues feel, and is “just all about harmonica.” Tony’s talent will amaze, it is as if he was born to play the blues and definitely has mastered the art of the harmonica. Be sure to check Tony out at Facebook and share his talent with others, for this is surely someone whose talent will take him far.