Lonnie Holley

The chronicles of visual artist and musician Lonnie Holley are intriguing tales, whether fictual or not. Claiming to be the seventh out of 27 children and the object of exchange in a deal over a bottle of liquor at the young age of four, he also spent time in prison as a young man and is now a father to fifteen children of his own. Stories surrounding his life are fascinating and endless, and ones by him unfold through his music: his songs are stories that breathe history. Beginning to make art just before the age of thirty, Lonnie Holley didn’t start his musical career until 2012 at the age of 62. His debut Just Before Music and the follow up Keeping a Record of It articulate improvised lyrics, continuously morphing into different sonic shapes in various instrumental environments.  As a solo artist, he is known to often perform and record with a variety of other artists including Cole Alexander (Black Lips), Richard Swift (the Shins, Black Keys), and Dave Portner (Animal Collective) to name just a few.