THESE SONGS: VOLUME 1
Singer-songwriter and lead guitarist Holt Vaughn is joined by a host of friends on These Songs. Holt tackles most of the guitar parts himself, but he also trades licks – acoustic and soaring electric – with one of the most admired guitarists in modern history, 7-time Dove Award winner and 2-time Grammy nom Phil Keaggy. And Holt swaps solos with Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section guitar hero Will McFarlane (Bonnie Raitt, Joss Stone, too many to count).
You’ll also find 3-time Grammy winner Ashley Cleveland lending her soulful voice. And don’t forget the rhythm section. Gold Record bass players Rick Cua and Jerry Livingston join the fray, along with Grammy Nashville veteran Tony Morra and Ted Reinhardt (Spyro Gyra, Gamalon) on drums. Art Halperin, (who’s shared the stage with Eric Clapton, Santana, and Joni Mitchell) makes a cameo with some mandolin riffs.
See a complete credits list of all the musicians on the project, and who plays what on each song.
Do artists have a say as to whether they’ll be artists? Painters, songwriters, guitar players, poets…whatever…they know their art often just “arrives”, unannounced, unbidden. Seeping in slowly. Or in a moment’s rush: High bandwidth soul-download. “Where’s a pen, gimme some paper, where’s my guitar?! I gotta capture this before I lose it!” At times not just one idea, but a whole barrage of creativity hits. Untamed she comes, without warning or consideration, in danger of getting away.
These Songs are the ones that didn’t get away, gathered from when Holt was a kid right up until the release date! And while he scuttled about trying to get these songs recorded, gracious friends joined in to lend a hand. Special thanks go out to hit CCM artist and (former) Outlaw Rick Cua for helping in so many ways. He’s the guy who told Holt at the beginning of this project: “if it’s in your heart, you need to do this.”
It took way too long (“my fault”, says Holt)…but thanks for waiting, here it is…and btw, there’s a Volume II on the way.
Jesus Attitude
Holt Vaughn & This Ain’t Opera was fun. And it was a way to minister to lots of folks. Our fans wanted a recording of some of our songs the way we did them at concerts. We never did capture any of the acoustic tunes (we loved to see people raising their hands in worship, swaying, at times shedding a few happy tears to those tunes) but we managed to get into a studio for some of the electric set. We set up in one room as if it were a live gig, ran some microphones into an SSL board and recorded. Soon after, the band ceased to exist and we never really did much with that album. We had managed to capture a handful of tunes, without any overdubs or extra takes. The guitar and bass tracks you hear are exactly what we played start to finish, every note, imperfections included. Later we did just one or two few-second tweaks to vocals. For fun we took actual applause from a concert performance of Jesus Attitude and added it to the title track. We had to do some work on drums due to a handful of problems (that’s what happens when you do something like this in two days in the middle of a snowstorm), but things worked out ok.
Later still, through my good friend Andy Smith, who helped with the post production, I asked the ever-cool Nelson Starr (Nelson Starr and the Benjamins) to add some keyboards. On the title track and Grace and Mercy I asked my pal Rick Cua (who has 2 Gold Records with the classic rock band The Outlaws, along with a half dozen CCM hits of his own) to sing with me as we trade back and forth on some lead vocals. And many thanks to Robert White Johnson for his killer background vocals on a couple tunes (RWJ has worked with and written for major recording artists including Celine Dion, penning her first worldwide hit, Where Does My Heart Beat Now, The Beach Boys, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and . 38 Special, and he’s been nominated for 2 GRAMMYs. Yikes!).
The last track is an add-on, with a different vibe, called Twin Towers (Song For America), recorded with a different incarnation of This Ain’t Opera types. It was probably the first song ever recorded immediately after 911, way before all the rock stars, and was released via the internet and some through retailer (at the time) Media Play. It was our way of helping. It had over 20,000 downloads, about half a million hits on its website, TV interviews and some radio, which was pretty amazing back then. We also raised some funds for Salvation Army relief efforts. It was written, recorded, mixed and mastered in a few hours. U. S. Senator Hillary Clinton, Vice President Dick Cheney, (and on the 10th anniversary of 911) Vice President Joe Biden sent us notes. This mix is an updated version for the 10th anniversary.
In the end, it’s all a bit bootleggish, but we kept a Jesus attitude and hey…This Ain’t Opera. We hope you TAO fans like it. Maybe someday there will be a reunion.
No Sympathy for the Devil
As a singer, songwriter and lead guitarist Holt Vaughn has recorded his music with Gold record, GRAMMY and Dove Award winning musicians. Fellow artists have said he has a distinct, recognizable touch on the guitar. No Sympathy For The Devil, his second album includes 8 songs with soaring guitars, Scripture laced lyrics and a band of skilled veteran musicians. The title song has a cool hard rock riff, City Upside Down is a missional song featuring the haunting voice of Marietta, and The Storm is a 12-String acoustic tune that offers hope and encouragement through life’s troubles.
I Worship You speaks for itself and is a worshipful epic complete with big finish including orchestra and guitar solo. The instrumental tracks feature soaring guitars that would appeal to lovers of Santana, Clapton and Phil Keaggy. Some cuts got airplay on regional radio alongside hits by Petra, Keaggy, Rick Cua and others of the like. (Newly Mastered for Digital, originally released as Fight The Good Fight)
Made Alive
As a singer, songwriter and lead guitarist Holt has recorded his music with Gold Record, GRAMMY and Dove Award winning musicians. Fellow artists have said he has a distinct, recognizable touch on the guitar. Made Alive, his first album, features 8 songs with soaring guitars, Scripture laced lyrics and a band of skilled veteran musicians. You’ll find this album reminiscent of the styles of Eric Clapton and Phil Keaggy. The title song Made Alive is pretty much biographical and rocks hard, and Perfect Harmony is a lovers favorite, covered at weddings and anniversaries.
You’re So Beautiful and Thy Power And Thy Glory are worship songs to bring you to your knees. You’ve Got The Power is full of hope and encouragement. Some cuts got some airplay on regional radio alongside hits by Petra, Phil Keaggy, Rick Cua and others. (Newly Mastered for Digital, originally released as The Place of Glory)