Description
Motel Mississippi, Holiday's 2nd solo album,was recorded about an hour outside of Memphis in Coldwater Mississippi at Zebra Ranch, the studio of the late great Memphis legend Jim Dickinson (The Rolling Stones, Big Star). Combining the sounds of North Mississippi Hill Country, Delta Blues and Memphis soul, Motel Mississippi is equal parts hypnotic blues, driving soul and juke joint stomper.
Like with previous projects The Porch Sessions Vols I and II, which featured collaborations with Grammy® winners Charlie Musselwhite and Bobby Rush along with fellow Memphians John Németh, Victor Wainwright and Southern Avenue, Motel Mississippi began as a collaborative effort, this time between Holiday, guitarist/songwriter A.J. Fullerton and guitarist/producer Dave Gross who shared production duties with Fullerton. Rich sonic layers provide a forward-thinking quality to these productions, conjuring up a vibe that's modern and retro at the same time.
Since relocating from Salt Lake City to Memphis in 2017, Holiday has been at the center of a soul blues revival in Memphis, anchored by a contingent of young, savvy well-schooled musicianswith a "family like" attitude and a strong belief in one another. Mentored by past legends, Holiday and this loose Memphis collective arebuilding on the city's rich traditions and carrying them forward.
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.