Memphis based Tony Holiday came to international attention with his 2019 VizzTone release, the star-studded Porch Sessions, in which he established himself as a top-notch harmonica player and producer of modern field recordings.
With Soul Service, Holiday also proves to be a powerful, soulful singer, and a songwriter of smart, moving roots music songs that expand his palette beyond blues to show his diverse influences. Produced by Grammy nominee Ori Naftaly (Southern Avenue, Stax Records) at Zebra Ranch, the Dickinson family studio in Independence, Mississippi, the album features Holiday on lead vocals and harmonica, Landon Stone on guitar, Max Kaplan on bass and background vocals, Danny Banks (John Nemeth band) on drums, and special guests producer Ori Naftaly on guitar and Grammy nominee Victor Wainwright on keys.
Track six from Soul Service is “The Hustle,” a syncopated soul blues track with Holiday’s harmonica dropped in throughout. There’s also a powerful, overblown harp solo about two-thirds of the way in.
“The Hustle” is a song I wrote a few years ago and recently recorded on my debut album ‘Soul Service.’ It’s about someone who is on the road a lot leaving a family behind , and noticing things they left broken at home, are fixed when they return, a person who noticed certain things and problems tend to mend themselves and move on without you when you’re gone all the time. – Tony Holiday
Today is Tony’s birthday, and we’re pleased to bring you the world premiere of “The Hustle.”
