Today we’d like to introduce you to John Holley.
Hi John, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was inspired to become a musician watching my uncle and cousin playing guitar and singing at our yearly family reunions, and that fire was fueled when I heard music by Bob Marley, Ben Harper & John Mayer.
In middle school, I joined the chorus, the band (as a saxophonist), and began some basic guitar lessons. In high school, I began writing, recording & performing original music, and even released an EP, “DESIDERATA”, my senior year. After high school, I studied jazz as a saxophonist at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville (where I also fell in love with hip-hop).
After college, I came home to Orlando and worked some jobs while I found my footing as a musician in the local scene.
In 2010, I decided to become a full-time musician. I started by busking on Park Ave, Winter Park with my saxophone, occasionally singing and playing guitar, eventually finding my way into a variety of musical work. Over the last decade or so, I’ve built a fairly steady career for myself as a musician, playing in a variety of settings, from small bars to major corporate events, private balcony marriage proposals to celebrity weddings.
All the while, I have continued to write and record original music. My older works were live recordings uploaded to YouTube and SoundCloud, but more recently I’ve focused on studio recording for Spotify, iTunes, and the like. I am hoping the higher quality music on more prominent platforms will help me build enough of a following to tour.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There is a lot of work for musicians in Orlando. But there are few listening rooms. Few true music venues where people come to fully experience live music. For most gigs I play, I am in the background.
People are talking, or on their phones, or watching TV screens above my head. It makes it difficult to gain traction when most people aren’t paying attention. I get the most attention playing trendier venues with hipper audiences, who know the music I’m playing and will sing along and pull their phones out to record.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a musician. I am a vocalist, guitarist & saxophonist. My focus is on modern music, specifically Pop and R&B, but I enjoy playing a huge range of styles, including Reggae, Hip-Hip, Jazz & more.
I set myself apart from others with these modern playlists, as well as modern sounds, like auto-tune, pitch shift, and other effects. I strive to produce the highest quality art at every performance. And I try to stay fashionable!
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I’m not sure I can comment on a mentor, as I haven’t exactly found myself one of those. But there certainly are quite a musician offering private instruction. Private lessons are always a good idea.
Contact Info:
- Email: johnholleymusic@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnholleymusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/holleymusic/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/holleymusic/
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/52nVRvNZK97Nq1zE57lTsm?si=RBaPIgWYSg-ugNILzdcC2A&utm_source=copy-link
