Memphis Blues-Soul Musician Tony Holiday Announces New Album ‘Keep Your Head Up’and Shares New Single “Walk On Water”
Tony Holiday has been at the center of a Memphis soul-blues revival anchored by a contingent of young, savvy, well-schooled musicians with a “family-like” attitude and a strong belief in one another.
Over the past couple of years, Holiday has been touring hard, taking spells in between to write and record with producer Eric Corne in Memphis and Los Angeles. The result is the forthcoming album, Keep Your Head Up, out April 18, 2025, via Forty Below Records. The album demonstrates an impressive command of styles, as Holiday leads his band fluidly through Texas, Chicago, and hill country blues with plenty of Memphis soul and even a touch of Afrobeat.
The album features a wide 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’ with Holiday shining throughout on vocals and harmonica.
The latest single, “Walk on the Water,” was a surprise addition to the record. Another knock-out song by Eric Corne that was inspirational. “I think Walk On The Water will pleasantly surprise people as much as it surprised me.”
“Walk On The Water”
Pre-save the new single HERE
The album opens with the Freddie King classic “She’s A Burglar,” a gripping Texas Blues featuring good pal Eddie 9V on lead guitar and sharing vocal duties. Next is the intense Chicago blues-flavored “Twist My Fate,” written by Corne, featuring Holiday’s stellar harmonica work and shared vocal duties from the incomparable Kevin Burt.
Holiday and Corne turn “A Woman Named Trouble” on its head with a fascinating Afrobeat flavor, including a riveting trumpet solo by occasional E Streeter Mark Pender before locking into some greasy Memphis soul compliments of regular collaborator AJ Fullerton on “Good Times.”
Laura Chavez, last year’s Blues Music Award winner for ‘Guitarist of the Year’ turns in a fabulous performance on the soulful, horn-laden “Shoulda Known Better” before the album shifts to a modern take on hill country blues with “Walk On The Water,” written by Corne who also sings a bluegrass style harmony throughout, adding a unique flavor to the track.
Other album standouts include fan favorite Albert Castiglia joining Holiday with some spirited guitar and vocals on the playful Snooks Eaglin classic “Drive It Home,” and Holiday 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.
The record closes with a brilliant surprise, a bittersweet country soul Americana song called “I Can Not Feel The Rain,” written by Holiday with help from Corne and Jad Tariq, who plays the role of Steve Cropper throughout this record.
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.
Tony Holiday website
Pre-order the album HERE
TRACK LISTING
She’s a Burgler
Twist My Fate
Woman Named Trouble
Good Times
Shoulda Known Better
Walk On The Water
Drive It Home
I Can Not Feel The Ran
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