"I loved your set. Great songs!" Brandi Carlisle "Excellent songs, amazing voice." John Mayer "You have 'it'. That intangible, indescribable thing Jeff had. Never stop. Never stop doing what you do, and good things will happen for you." Mary Guibert (Jeff Buckley's mother) The first half of "Gifts and Burdens" was released in March, 2007 under the name "Holly O'Reilly". The record garnered multiple accolades, including a Grammy nod, a spot on NPR's "All Songs Considered", and a licensing deal with Sony Pictures to use Holly's cover of Leonard Cohen's, "Everybody Knows" on the FX show, "Damages". "Gifts and Burdens" was on heavy rotation at hundreds of radio stations across the US and Europe (including Bob Harris' BBC Country Show and Don Slack's alt country show on KEXP). The record hit number 26 on the Americana Music Association Charts, number 6 on the EuroAmericana Charts, and number 1 on the Roots Music Report, In addition to radio support, Gifts ad Burdens received excellent press reviews from publications like Performing Songwriter Magazine, Rockrgrl Magazine, Seattle Sound Magazine, and the Seattle Weekly, to name a few. *** The second half is comprised of the same songs…but they are the demos. The songs before the songs. Because this is not going to be released as a physical CD, the downloads are mostly for fans, who have been asking for demos of the records for years. The demos that aren't here are usually released on Holly's Itunes Podcast called, "The Process". (URL on the left.) ** Quick Facts Featured three times on NPRs "All Things Considered". (see "press") Third studio record and Cake Records release, "How It Is", distributed by Red/Sony Distribution. Founder of "Indiegrrl", an organization for women in the independent music industry, 1998-2003 (5,000 members internationally). While organizing Indiegrrl, worked with Mary Gauthier, Erin McKeown, Girlyman, Laura Gibson, Ingrid MIchaelson, Kyler England and Adrienne Gonzalez of "The Rescues", and thousands of other women, equally talented, but not as well recognized.) Competitions and Conferences: International Songwriting Competition finalist, 2007 Telluride Bluegrass Festival Songwriter's Competition finalist, 2005 Rockrgrl Conference performance review committee and panelist, 2005 JPF "Album of the Year", "Gifts and Burdens", 2009 NACA West Coast Showcase, 2004 Mountain Stage NewSong Contest Finalist, 2006 Discmakers Independent Music World Series Finalist, 2003 (2nd place) Durango Songwriter's Expo Showcase, 2002 Durango Songwriter's Expo panelist, 2002 Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, 2002 AMG Music Pick, "Dream in Red", 2001 Featured on KMTT's, "Local Access", (Seattle's AAA radio station) in 2007, and did 4 on airs at KMTT before they stopped supporting local artists. Rockrgrl Music Conference Showcase and panelist, 2000 (on panel with Wanda Jackson and Amy Rigby) Played over 1000 tour dates between 1999 and 2003. Lil' Factoids: Finalist: Acoustic Live Songwriting Contest, 2002. (I came in second. Sarah Bareilles came in first.) I asked my friend, Laura Veirs, to open for my CD release of "Dream in Red" at the Tractor Tavern in Seattle, 2001. Showcased at the Durango Music Conference in 2002 with Colin Brooks (Band of Heathens). He introduced me to Tony Levin and Jerry Marotta, who comprised the rhythm section on my record, "How It Is". Sponsorships with Luna Guitars and Lee Oskar Harmonicas. Sisters Folk Festival Songwriting Contest Finalist, 2008 and 2009 (BOTH times, I got sick and couldn't perform. One of these days, I am going to Sisters!) SHARED THE STAGE WITH: Brandi Carlisle, Laura Veirs, Sarah Bareilles, Kelly Joe Phelps, Dan Fogelberg, Susan Werner, Rose Polenzani, Barbara Kessler, Mary Gauthier, Ingrid MIchaelson, Laura Love, Caroline Aiken, Vicci Martinez, , Andrew Bird, Wanda Jackson, Tret Fure, Buddy and Julie Miller, The Kennedys, and hundreds more equally talented, lesser known artists. SELECTED VENUES Bluebird Cafe, Nashville, TN Caffe Lena, Saratoga Springs, NY Passim, Boston (Cambridge), MA Bumbershoot (twice), Seattle, WA Eddie's Attic, Atlanta, GA Cactus Cafe, Austin, TX Ruta Maya, Austin, TX Jannbones, Tacoma A Uncle Calvin's, Dallas, TX Lizard Lounge, Boston, MA The Triple Door, Seattle, WA Tractor Tavern, Seattle, WA Slim's, San Francisco, CA Caffe Lena, Saratoga Springs, NY. Genghis Cohen, Los Angeles, CA Knitting Factory, Los Angeles (the big room) Sweetwater, Mill Valley, CA The Bitter End, NY, NY The Living Room, NY, NY (before and after it moved.) Falcon Ridge Folk Festival Missoula Women's Festival International Women's Festival National Women's Festival Michigan Womyn's Music Festival SELECTED COLLEGES Mills College, San Francisco, CA (4 times) Lewis and Clark College, Portland, OR Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA NACA West Coast Conference UCLA, Los Angeles, CA (taught a small songwriting workshop, and did a performance.) UCLA, Young Hall (Taught a large lecture on songwriting, and gave a performance.) Whatcom Community College, Bellingham, WA Linfield College, McMinnville, OR Menlo College, Atherton, CA Contra Costa College, San Pablo, CA Whittier College, ("The Pub"), Whittier, CA IMC-Urbana Champaign University, Urbana, IL Western WA University's Underground Coffeehouse, Bellingham, WA University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK Columbia University, Postcrypt Coffeehouse, NY, NY I am also on the board at the University of Washington's Audio Engineering Department. (Currently in the studio, recording a cover record and a record of original music...both will be released before the end of the 2010.) Compilations: Remembering Rachel: The Rachel Bissex Tribute Album (also featuring Dar Williams, Catie Curtis, Patty Larkin, Jennifer Kimball, The Kennedy's, Sloan Wainwright, and many others.) First, Last, and Deposit: a Benefit for the Noel House 3 Indiegrrl Compilations Guest Performances: Holly has performed as a guest on the following records, according to the All Music Database: 2000 Lucy Mongrel Lucy Mongrel Harmonica, Vocals (bckgr) 2003 On the Mend Kym Tuvim Vocals (bckgr) 2005 Shimmer Shimmer (Skip Peri) Vocals (bckgr) 2006 Change David LaMotte Vocals (bckgr) 2008 City of Refuge Rachel Harrington Vocals (bckgr) 2008 Democracy for Lovers Paul Lippert Vocals (bckgr) 2008 The River Grace Jenee Halstead Vocals (bckgr) 2008 Giving Up the Ghost Julie Loyd Vocals (bckgr) 2010 Roads Jeremy Serwer Vocals (bckgr)