ALBUM PREMIERE: Mavis Staples’ Guitarist/bandleader Rick Holmstrom Navigates Life’s Ups and Downs with Stirring and Soulful ‘See That Light’

Rick Holmstrom has stories. Thirty-two years of hurtling around the globe in metal tubes will do that. From his early days with blues and soul artists like William Clarke, Johnny Dyer and Booker T. to his 13-year run as gospel/soul/civil rights legend Mavis Staples’ guitarist/bandleader, a conversation with Holmstrom quickly turns to road stories. Sidelined from touring due to the pandemic, he initially felt depressed, but ultimately turned to his guitar for solace. His new solo album See That Light (due out February 26th) is the result of that period, when Holmstrom masked up and recorded with his bandmates Steve Mugalian and Gregory Boaz, who also tour with Staples.

“When we returned from Australia in March, 2020, like most musicians, I sat at home stunned. We had a banner year booked – bus tours with Patty Griffin and Norah Jones, Wrigley Field with Chris Stapleton – poof, gone. So after a couple weeks of family time and de-compression, my livelihood dried up. I got depressed. Unusually depressed. I’m normally a pretty upbeat person. At some point I finally grabbed a guitar. Always the best medicine. Playing really helped me regain purpose.” Holmstrom recounted.

These songs were written looking out of airplane and bus windows, or in hotel rooms at 2am. Holmstrom explains: “The main thread, as I see it, is in the songs, or the stories. We’ve got a person here who’s struggling; who’s afraid to wake up to the truth; afraid they’re losing their shit; can’t find work; looking for love under a freeway overpass in San Bernardino; trying to convince a fair-haired hotel clerk to see the bright lights of Fresno; while anxiously trying to navigate an existential dystopian crisis; feeling like a loser; and an asshole; that the world is passing them by; and that they might be better off calling it quits. But in the end, a four year old points her finger up at the night sky and asks: ‘See that light? What’s its name and how do you know?’ It’s the child’s joyful eye that restores this guy’s hope.”

See That Light was recorded near Holmstrom’s home in Venice, CA at Kevin Jarvis’ Sonic Boom Room with Mugalian (Lucinda Williams, Harry Dean Stanton, Chuck Prophet) on drums and Boaz (Dave Alvin, Mick Taylor, John Mayall) on bass. Rob Schnapf (X, Beck, Richard Thompson) mixed the record, emphasizing the rawness and sense of space around the trio.

Holmstrom has released 5 solo records on labels including Black Top, Tone Cool and M.C. Records, as well as winning a Grammy with Staples (“You Are Not Alone”) and nominations in 2015, 2013 and 2009, but this will be his first self-release, on LuEllie Records, named after his beloved daughters, who have been his North Star during a dark year.

Today Glide is excited to offer an exclusive premiere of See That Light, a true achievement from an artist who may not be a household name but is well-deserving of the spotlight. Brimming with the that funky mix of blues and soul that many of us can identify from his work with Macis Staples, the album finds Holmstrom cutting loose with a collection of honest and heartfelt songs. We can hear his dynamic talent and wide array of influences throughout the album, from the laid back soul-groover “Take My Hand” and twangy rockabilly number “Look Me In the Eye” to the painfully honest confessional “Losing My Shit” and the stomping blues number “Got to Go.” Holmstrom puts it all on the line and takes us on a journey that feels from darkness to hope and back again. “Lonesome Sound” is a simple shuffle in the vein of JJ Cale, while “I’d Rather Be a Loser” is a feisty Chicago blues romp and “I’m an Asshole” is a freewheeling country-rocker. Obviously, these songs cover some of our more negative feelings, but we also hear Holmstrom connecting in a more positive way, like in the nostalgia-soaked “Come Along” and the album closer “Joyful Eye,” a downright soulful tune that brings to mind the Southern Americana of The Band. Through it all, Holmstrom takes the listen on the kind of emotional roller coaster that is all too familiar in this uncertain pandemic world while also showcasing his ability to balance poignant lyricism with truly top notch musicianship. 

Holmstrom describes the inspiration and process behind the album:

“There’s only so much sulking and drinking a person can do before realizing it’s time to get back to work. Time to get busy. Fortunately, no one in my family or band got sick. And on a personal level, I mean c’mon, I’ve been fortunate to play, write and record music for 32 years now. It’s my job. How cool is that? So when the pandemic hit, it was disorienting to see that job disappear. And it’s not just a job, it’s who we are. We’re troubadours. I was lost there for awhile. My sense of purpose was missing. My get up and go had got up and went. But once I grabbed a guitar, the characters in these songs starting coming out and before I knew it we had a record.

Now we have hope again. And help. Professionals on the scene. Who knows, we might even get back to healing soon. And the healing goes both ways. That’s the thing about music. People talk about going to shows and how therapeutic it is as a listener, but as a musician, it’s not unusual for me to be high as kite for a week after a great gig, or after a particularly creative recording session. It’s magical. It’s like rolling all of the best feelings we get out of life into one big hit of joy.

That’s why we keep doing it. It has nothing to do with money or accolades or any of that. We’re flat out flying blind, bandanas covering our whole damn heads, we can’t see shit. There are no rules, no flight plans, no automation. We’re not even sure if we’re going to land. When will we get back to work? Will folks come out to festivals, theaters and clubs? Will they even exist? Your guess is as good as mine. It’s a scary time to be a songwriter and a musician, but at the same time, I feel lucky to have this creative outlet. I don’t know what I’d do otherwise. Time and again, music has saved me.”

LISTEN:

Photo credit: Greg Vorobiov

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