{{taxobox |name = Holly |image = Ilex-aquifolium (Europaeische Stechpalme-1.jpg |image_caption = European Holly (''Ilex aquifolium'') leaves and fruit |regnum = Plantae |divisio = Angiosperms |classis = Eudicots |ordo = Aquifoliales |familia = Aquifoliaceae |familia_authority = DC. ex A.Rich. |genus = ''Ilex'' |genus_authority = L. |subdivision_ranks = Species |subdivision = About 600, see text |}}

Holly (''Ilex,'' ) is a genus of approximately 600 species of flowering plants in the family Aquifoliaceae, and the only living genus in that family.

Description and ecology

Holly berries are somewhat toxic to humans, though their poisonous properties are overstated and fatalities almost unknown. They are extremely important food for numerous species of birds, and also are eaten by other wild animals. In the fall and early winter the berries are hard and apparently unpalatable. After being frozen or frosted several times, the berries soften, and become milder in taste. During winter storms, birds often take refuge in hollies, which provide shelter, protection from predators (by the spiny leaves), and food. The flowers are sometimes eaten by the larva of the Double-striped Pug moth (''Gymnoscelis rufifasciata''). Other Lepidoptera whose larvae feed on holly include ''Bucculatrix ilecella'' (which feeds exclusively on hollies) and The Engrailed (''Ectropis crepuscularia''). Holly is commonly referenced at Christmas time.

Having evolved numerous species that are endemic to islands and small mountain ranges, and being highly useful plants, many hollies are now becoming rare. Tropical species are especially often threatened by habitat destruction and overexploitation, and at least two have become extinct, with numerous others barely surviving.

Etymology

The origin of the word "holly" is Old English , which is related to Old High German . The French word for holly, , derives from the Old High German word ''hulis'', ''huls'' , as do Low German/Low Franconian terms like ''Hülse'' or ''hulst''. These Germanic words appear to be related to words for holly in Celtic languages, such as Welsh , Breton ''kelen(n)'' and Irish . The botanical name ''ilex'' was the original Latin name for the Holm Oak (''Quercus ilex''), which has similar foliage to common holly, and is occasionally confused with it. Several romance languages use the Latin word ''acrifolium'' (turned into ''aquifolium'' in modern time), so Italian ''agrifoglio'', Occitan ''grefuèlh'', etc.

Uses

Ornamentation

In many western cultures, holly is a traditional Christmas decoration, used especially in wreaths. Many of the hollies are widely used as ornamental plants in gardens and parks. Several hybrids and numerous cultivars have been developed for garden use, among them the very popular "Highclere hollies", ''Ilex × altaclerensis'' (''I. aquifolium'' × ''I. perado'') and the "blue hollies", ''Ilex × meserveae'' (''I. aquifolium'' × ''I. rugosa''). Hollies are often used for hedges; the spiny leaves make them difficult to penetrate, and they take well to pruning and shaping. In heraldry, holly is used to symbolise truth.

Fodder

Between the thirteenth and eighteenth century, before the introduction of turnips, holly was cultivated for use as winter fodder for cattle and sheep. Less spiny varieties of holly were preferred, and in practice the leaves growing near the top of the tree have far fewer spines making them more suitable for fodder.

Teas

Several holly species are used to make caffeine-rich herbal teas. The South American Yerba Mate (''I. paraguariensis'') is boiled for the popular revigorating drinks Mate, and ''Chimarrão'', and steeped in water for the cold ''Tereré''. Guayusa (''I. guayusa'') is used both as a stimulant and as an admixture to the entheogenic tea ayahuasca; its leaves have the highest known caffeine content of any plant. In North and Central America, Yaupon (''I. vomitoria''), was used by southeastern Native Americans as a ceremonial stimulant and emetic known as "the black drink". As the name suggests, the tea's purgative properties were one of its main uses, most often ritually. Gallberry (Appalachian Tea, ''I. glabra'') is a milder substitute for Yaupon and does not have caffeine. In China, the young leaf buds of ''I. kudingcha'' are processed in a method similar to green tea to make a tisane called kǔdīng chá (苦丁茶, roughly "bitter spikeleaf tea").

Wood

Holly was also once among the traditional woods for Great Highland bagpipes before tastes turned to imported dense tropical woods such as cocuswood, ebony, and African blackwood.

Selected species

''Ilex anonoides''

''Ilex aquifolium'' – European Holly, English Holly, Christ's Thorn

* ''Ilex aquifolium'' 'Ferox' – Hedgehog holly

''Ilex aracamuniana''

''Ilex argentina''

''Ilex arisanensis''

''Ilex arnhemensis'' – Northern Holly (Northern Australia)

''Ilex bioritsensis''

''Ilex brachyphylla''

''Ilex brasiliensis''

''Ilex brevicuspis''

''Ilex brevipedicellata''

''Ilex buergeri''

''Ilex canariensis'' – Small-leaved Holly, Acebino

''Ilex caniensis''

''Ilex cassine'' – Dahoon Holly, Cassena

''Ilex centrochinensis''

''Ilex cerasifolia''

''Ilex chamædryfolia''

''Ilex chapaensis''

''Ilex chengkouensis''

''Ilex chinensis''

''Ilex chuniana''

''Ilex ciliolata''

''Ilex ciliospinosa''

''Ilex cognata''

''Ilex colchica''

''Ilex collina''

''Ilex conocarpa''

''Ilex cookii'' – Cook's Holly (Puerto Rico)

''Ilex corallina''

''Ilex coriacea'' – Gallberry

''Ilex cornuta'' – Chinese Holly, Horned Holly

''Ilex costaricensis''

''Ilex cowanii''

''Ilex crenata'' – Japanese Holly, Box-leaved Holly, ''inutsuge'' (Japanese)

''Ilex crepitans''

''Ilex cyrtura''

''Ilex dabieshanensis''

''Ilex davidsei''

''Ilex decidua'' Walter – Possumhaw (Eastern United States, Northeastern Mexico)

''Ilex dehongensis''

''Ilex dimorphophylla''

''Ilex diospyroides''

''Ilex dipyrena'' – Himalayan Holly

''Ilex dumosa''

''Ilex ericoides''

''Ilex euryoides''

''Ilex fargesii''

''Ilex fengqingensis''

''Ilex fertilis''

''Ilex florifera''

''Ilex gardneriana'' (extinct: 20th century?)

''Ilex geniculata''

''Ilex georgei''

''Ilex gigantea''

''Ilex glabella''

''Ilex glabra'' L. A.Gray – Evergreen Winterberry, Bitter Gallberry, Inkberry (Eastern North America)

''Ilex gleasoniana''

''Ilex goshiensis''

''Ilex graciliflora''

''Ilex grandiflora''

''Ilex guaiquinimae''

''Ilex guayusa'' – Guayusa

''Ilex guianensis''

''Ilex harrisii''

''Ilex holstii''

''Ilex huachamacariana''

''Ilex humboldtiana''

''Ilex ignicola''

''Ilex illustris''

''Ilex integerrima''

''Ilex integra'' – Mochi Tree, Nepal Holly

''Ilex intricata''

''Ilex jamaicana'' Proctor (Jamaica)

''Ilex jauaensis''

''Ilex jelskii''

''Ilex karuaiana''

''Ilex khasiana''

''Ilex kingiana''

''Ilex kudingcha''

''Ilex kusanoi''

''Ilex lævigata'' – Smooth Winterberry

''Ilex lasseri''

''Ilex latifolia'' – Tarajo Holly, ''tarayō'' (Japanese)

''Ilex lechleri''

''Ilex leucoclada''

''Ilex longipes''

''Ilex longzhouensis''

''Ilex machilifolia''

''Ilex maclurei''

''Ilex macoucoua''

''Ilex macrocarpa''

''Ilex macropoda''

''Ilex magnifructa''

''Ilex maingayi''

''Ilex marahuacae''

''Ilex marginata''

''Ilex margratesavage''

''Ilex mathewsii''

''Ilex × meserveae''

''Ilex microdonta''

''Ilex mitis''

''Ilex montana'' Torrey & A.Gray – Mountain Winterberry (Eastern United States)

''Ilex mucronata'' (L.) M.Powell, Savol., & S.Andrews – Mountain Holly, Catberry (Eastern North America)

''Ilex myrtifolia'' – Myrtle Holly, Myrtle Dahoon

''Ilex neblinensis''

''Ilex nothofagifolia''

''Ilex oblonga''

''Ilex occulta''

''Ilex opaca'' – American Holly (Eastern United States)

''Ilex ovalifolia''

''Ilex palawanica''

''Ilex pallida''

''Ilex paraguariensis'' – Maté, yerba maté, ''erva-mate'' (Portuguese)

''Ilex parvifructa''

''Ilex patens''

''Ilex pauciflora''

''Ilex paujiensis''

''Ilex pedunculosa'' – Longstalked holly

''Ilex peiradena''

''Ilex perado'' – Madeiran Holly

''Ilex perlata''

''Ilex pernyi'' – Perny's Holly

''Ilex polita''

''Ilex praetermissa''

''Ilex pringlei''

''Ilex pseudobuxus''

''Ilex puberula''

''Ilex pubescens''

''Ilex pubiflora''

''Ilex purpurea''

''Ilex qianlingshanensis''

''Ilex quercetorum''

''Ilex quercifolia''

''Ilex rarasanensis''

''Ilex reticulata''

''Ilex rotunda''

''Ilex rugosa''

''Ilex sclerophylla''

''Ilex serrata'' – Japanese Winterberry

''Ilex sessilifructa''

''Ilex shimeica''

''Ilex sikkimensis''

''Ilex sintenisii'' (Urban) Britt. – Sintenis' Holly (Puerto Rico)

''Ilex sipapoana''

''Ilex socorroensis''

''Ilex spinigera''

''Ilex spruceana''

''Ilex steyermarkii''

''Ilex subrotundifolia''

''Ilex subtriflora''

''Ilex sugerokii''

''Ilex sulcata''

''Ilex syzygiophylla''

''Ilex tahanensis''

''Ilex tateana''

''Ilex taubertiana''

''Ilex ternatiflora'' (extinct: 20th century?)

''Ilex theezans''

''Ilex tiricae''

''Ilex tolucana''

''Ilex trachyphylla''

''Ilex trichocarpa''

''Ilex tugitakayamensis''

''Ilex uraiensis''

''Ilex vaccinoides''

''Ilex venezuelensis''

''Ilex venulosa''

''Ilex verticillata'' (L.) A.Gray American Winterberry (Eastern North America)

''Ilex vomitoria'' – Yaupon Holly, ''casseena'' (Spanish)

''Ilex vulcanicola''

''Ilex wenchowensis''

''Ilex williamsii''

''Ilex wilsonii''

''Ilex yunnanensis''

''Ilex wugonshanensis''

''Ilex yuiana''

Gallery

References

Category:Christmas plants * Category:Medicinal plants Category:Winter traditions

ar:بهشية ca:Ilex cs:Cesmína da:Kristtorn de:Stechpalmen nv:Didzéłchíí el:Ίλεξ es:Ilex fa:خاس fr:Ilex hi:शूलपर्णी it:Aquifoliaceae id:Aquifoliaceae la:Ilex (genus) lt:Bugienis ml:അക്വിഫോളിയേസി nl:Ilex pl:Ostrokrzew pt:Ilex qu:Wayusa ru:Падуб simple:Holly sv:Järnekssläktet tl:Asebo uk:Падуб zh:冬青

Coordinates	27°50′″N48°25′″N
name	Holly Madison
birth name	Hollin Sue Cullen
birth date	December 23, 1979
birth place	Astoria, Oregon, U.S.
residence	Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
nationality	American
height
television	''The Girls Next Door''''Holly's World''
website
footnotes	}}

Hollin Sue Cullen, professionally known as Holly Madison, (born December 23, 1979) is an American model, showgirl and television personality. She is widely known for being one of Hugh Hefner's girlfriends on the reality television series ''The Girls Next Door''.

Although not a Playboy Playmate, she has appeared in nude pictorials with her ''Girls Next Door'' costars, Bridget Marquardt and Kendra Wilkinson. In 2009, she appeared as a contestant on the eighth season of ''Dancing with the Stars''.

Early life

Madison was born in Astoria, Oregon. She has one younger sister, Stephanie, and a younger brother, Joe; both of whom were featured on season 3 and season 4 episodes of "The Girls Next Door." Her father's work in the timber industry led her family to travel. From ages two through eleven, she lived on Prince of Wales Island, near Ketchikan, Alaska. Her family later moved back to Oregon, this time to St. Helens. She attended Portland State University for two years, majoring in both theater and psychology.

In 1999, Madison moved to Los Angeles to attend Loyola Marymount University.

To afford college tuition, she competed to become a Hawaiian Tropic model and worked at Hooters. Madison's appearance at these venues led to invitations to Hefner's Playboy Mansion. After more than a year of such visits, Madison was invited to move in. She became one of Hefner's seven official girlfriends in August 2001. In February 2002, after all but two of his girlfriends left, Madison became Hefner's "#1 Girl" and moved into his bedroom. She was named among the top Hooters girls of all time in 2008 as part of the restaurant's twenty-fifth anniversary.

Madison has spoken openly about her cosmetic surgeries, having had both a rhinoplasty and breast augmentation. After the latter procedure, her bust measurements went from an A-cup to a D. She also once had a red Playboy Bunny logo tattooed on her lower back but later had it removed.

Career

2003-2009: Playboy and ''The Girls Next Door''

In 2003, Madison was the subject of a Playboy Cyber Girl of the Week pictorial on the magazine's website. She also appeared on the cover and inside of the November 2005 issue of ''Playboy'', along with Marquardt and Wilkinson, as part of a special pictorial promoting ''The Girls Next Door''. The women were featured again on the covers of the September 2006, March 2008, and February 2009 issues.

In the Season 3 episode "Girls Next Door," Madison stated that she wanted to have a career producing ''Playboy'' spreads. During seasons three and four, Madison was shown working at the Playboy studios as an intern and later a junior photo editor. She also helped design and put together ''The Girls Next Door'' 2008 calendar.

A self-described animal lover, Madison started writing articles about pets in 2006 for a friend's quarterly magazine, ''The Coolest Little Pet Magazine''. In April 2007, Madison was featured nude in a PETA advertisement, with the tagline "I'd Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur".

In February 2009, she quit working for the company altogether due to the split from Hefner making her position "awkward".

2009-present: ''Peepshow'' and ''Holly's World''

In 2009, Madison attempted a Guinness World Record rallying women from all over Las Vegas to hold the World's "largest bikini parade ever," winning the title.

Madison was chosen to replace Jewel Kilcher on ''Dancing with the Stars'' after Kilcher was forced to withdraw (along with Nancy O'Dell) due to injuries sustained during rehearsal. She partnered with Dmitry Chaplin. On March 31, 2009 Holly and Dmitry were voted off the show in a double elimination episode.

Madison stars in topless burlesque show ''Peepshow'' at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. She was brought in to replace Kelly Monaco after Monaco's three month contract was up. Madison was likewise initially signed to a three month contract, but she has since extended her contract to a full year.

Like former ''The Girls Next Door'' co-star, Kendra Wilkinson, Madison stars in her own reality show, ''Holly's World'', which revolves around her life at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. "It's all good-natured and not mean like other reality shows," Madison said of her show. "I'm really excited about the new series because I am also getting a legitimate co-producer credit for all the work I do behind the camera. It's not a vanity credit. I'm super excited to learn from the best and take on new responsibilities." The show premiered with a "preview episode" on December 6, 2009, and it started airing regularly in June 2010.

Personal life

In the past, Madison has stated that she wanted to marry Hefner and have his children. During an interview at the ''Playmate of the Year'' luncheon in May 2008, Hefner stated, "I love Holly very much and I think we’re going to be together the rest of my life, but marriage isn’t part of my puzzle. It’s not a personal thing; I just haven’t had much luck with marriages."

On October 7, 2008, Madison announced in a video posted on TMZ.com that her relationship with Hefner had ended, but that she, Bridget Marquardt, and Kendra Wilkinson are "still filming stuff together." Hugh Hefner confirmed the breakup stating that, "If Holly says it's over, I guess it's over." Despite the breakup, all three girls committed to a sixth season of ''The Girls Next Door.''

In November 2008, Madison began dating illusionist Criss Angel, but the relationship ended in February 2009. Madison was interviewed by ''People'' on March 4, 2009, stating "I'm never dating anybody again. I don't need a man. I'm really happy with myself and being with my friends...I'm focused on forwarding my career. I'm working on producing my own shows. ''Girls Next Door'' was a great place to start but it was somebody else's show. I'm just ready to move on." In December 2009, she began dating Good Charlotte guitarist Benji Madden, but their romance ended in January 2010. In July 2010, Madison began dating All Time Low guitarist Jack Barakat. She was interviewed on December 9, 2010, stating that, "It’s just a case of having fun together and not thinking about the future.” However, Madison's reps confirmed to People Magazine on March 21, 2011 that Madison and Barakat had broken up after nearly ten months of dating. Apparently, the decision was mutual and amicable.

Filmography

Film

Film
! Year	! Film	! Role	! Notes
1998		Miss Lady Bright Eyes
2006	''Scary Movie 4''	Blonde # 1
2008	''The House Bunny''	Herself
2009		Stephanie
	''Resurrection: Wrath of Seduction''	Angel
''Slash''	Polly Nichols

Television

colspan="4" style="background: LightSteelBlue;"	Television
! Year	! Title	! Role	! Notes
2002	''MTV Cribs''	Herself	1 episode
		Herself	Episode: "The Wedding and Goodbye"
''Doggy Fizzle Televizzle''	Herself
		Herself	1 episode
''The Bernie Mac Show''	Bunny
''Viva La Bam''	Herself
	''Curb Your Enthusiasm''	Herself	Season 5 Episode 6 - "The Smoking Jacket"
''The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch''	Herself	1 episode
2005		Herself	Episode: "Aquamansion"
2005–2006	''The Tyra Banks Show''	Herself	2 episodes
2005–2009	''The Girls Next Door''	Herself	(seasons 1-5. 80 episodes)
	''E! True Hollywood Story''	Herself	Episode: "Hugh Hefner: Girlfriends, Wives and Centerfolds"
''Amazon Fishbowl''	Herself	1 episode
''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson''	Herself	Uncredited, 2 episodes
''Robot Chicken''	Herself (Voice)	Episode: "Drippy Pony"
''The Ellen DeGeneres Show''	Herself	1 episode
	''Keeping Up with the Kardashians''	Herself
	Herself
''Last Call with Carson Daly''	Herself	1 episode
		Herself	1 episode
''Celebrity Family Feud''	Herself	Episode: "Vincent Pastore vs. The Girls Next Door"
''Living Lohan''	Herself
''Chelsea Lately''	Herself	1 episode
2009		Contestant	(Season 8, eliminated 3rd round)
2009–2010		Herself	2 episodes
2009–	''Holly's World''	Herself	(Season 1 - present)
	2010	''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation''	Hot Blonde	Episodes: "Pool Shark"
2010	''When I Was 17''	Herself	1 episode

References

External links

Official Website

Category:1978 births Category:Living people Category:American television personalities Category:Hooters Category:Loyola Marymount University alumni Category:Miss Hawaiian Tropic delegates Category:Participants in American reality television series Category:People from Astoria, Oregon Category:People from St. Helens, Oregon Category:Portland State University alumni

cs:Holly Madison da:Holly Madison de:Holly Madison es:Holly Madison fr:Holly Madison it:Holly Madison nl:Holly Madison no:Holly Madison nn:Holly Madison pl:Holly Madison pt:Holly Madison ro:Holly Madison ru:Мэдисон, Холли sh:Holly Madison fi:Holly Madison sv:Holly Madison uk:Холлі Медісон

Coordinates	27°50′″N48°25′″N
name	Buddy Holly
background	solo_singer
birth name	Charles Hardin Holley
born	September 07, 1936Lubbock, Texas, U.S.
died	February 03, 1959Grant Township, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, U.S.
instrument	Vocals, guitar, piano, fiddle, violin
genre	Rock and roll, pop rock, rockabilly
occupation	Singer-songwriter, musician
years active	1956–1959
label	Decca, Brunswick, Coral
associated acts	The CricketsThe Picks
notable instruments	Fender Stratocaster }}

Charles Hardin Holley (September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959) known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll. Although his success lasted only a year and a half before his death in an airplane crash, Holly is described by critic Bruce Eder as "the single most influential creative force in early rock and roll." His works and innovations inspired and influenced contemporary and later musicians, notably The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and Eric Clapton, and exerted a profound influence on popular music. Holly was among the first group of inductees to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. In 2004, ''Rolling Stone'' ranked Holly #13 among "The Fifty Greatest Artists of All Time".

Biography

Early life

Charles Hardin Holley was born on September 7, 1936, in Lubbock, Texas, U.S.A. to Lawrence Odell and Ella Pauline (Drake) Holley. Holly was always called "Buddy" by his family. Older brothers Travis and Larry taught their sibling to play a variety of instruments, including the guitar, four-string banjo and lap steel guitar. At the age of five, his young voice and exuberance won him a talent contest singing a then-popular song, "Have You Ever Gone Sailing (Down the River of Memories)." In 1949, still retaining his soprano, he recorded a bluesy solo rendering of Hank Snow's "My Two Timin' Woman" on a wire recorder borrowed by a friend who worked in a music shop.

In 1952, he met Bob Montgomery at Hutchinson Junior High School. They shared an interest in music, and teamed up as "Buddy and Bob". Initially influenced by bluegrass, they sang harmony duets at local clubs and high school talent shows. The duo performed on a local radio station KDAV Sunday broadcast that made them a top local act. Hutchinson Junior High School now has a mural honoring Holly, and Lubbock High School, where he sang in the school choir, also honors the late musician.

The Crickets

Holly saw Elvis Presley sing in Lubbock in 1955, and began to incorporate a rockabilly style, similar to that of Chuck Berry, which had a strong rhythm acoustic and slap bass. On October 15, 1955, Holly, along with Bob Montgomery and Larry Welborn, opened the bill for Presley in Lubbock, catching the eye of a Nashville talent scout. Holly's transition to rock continued when he opened for Bill Haley & His Comets at a local show organized by Eddie Crandall, the manager for Marty Robbins.

Following this performance, Decca Records signed him to a contract in February 1956, misspelling his name as "Holly". He thereafter adopted the misspelled name for his professional career. Holly formed his own band, later to be called The Crickets, consisting of Holly (lead guitar and vocals), Niki Sullivan (guitar), Joe B. Mauldin (bass), and Jerry Allison (drums). They went to Nashville for three recording sessions with producer Owen Bradley. However, he chafed under a restrictive atmosphere that allowed him little input. Among the tracks he recorded was an early version of "That'll Be The Day", which took its title from a line that John Wayne's character says repeatedly in the 1956 film ''The Searchers''. (This initial version of the song played more slowly and about half an octave higher than the later hit version.) Decca released two singles, "Blue Days, Black Nights" and "Modern Don Juan", that failed to make an impression. On January 22, 1957, Decca informed Holly his contract would not be renewed, insisting, however, that he could not record the same songs for anyone else for five years.

Holly then hired Norman Petty as manager, and the band began recording at Petty's studios in Clovis, New Mexico. Petty contacted music publishers and labels, and Brunswick Records, a subsidiary of Decca, signed the Crickets on March 19, 1957. Holly signed as a solo artist with another Decca subsidiary, Coral Records. This put him in the unusual position of having two recording contracts at the same time.

On May 27, 1957, "That'll Be The Day" was released as a single, credited to the Crickets to try to bypass Decca's claimed legal rights. When the song became a hit, Decca decided not to press its claim. "That'll Be the Day" topped the US "Best Sellers in Stores" chart on September 23, and was the UK Singles Chart for three weeks in November. The Crickets performed "That'll Be the Day" and "Peggy Sue" on ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' on December 1. They also sang "Peggy Sue" on ''The Arthur Murray Party'' on December 29 and were given a polite introduction by Kathryn Murray. The kinescopes of these programs are the only record of their 1957 television appearances.

Holly helped win over an all-black audience to rock and roll/rockabilly when the Crickets were booked at New York's Apollo Theater for August 16–22, 1957. Unlike the immediate acceptance shown in the 1978 movie ''The Buddy Holly Story'', it actually took several performances for the audience to warm up to him. In August 1957, the Crickets were the only white performers on a national tour including black neighborhood theaters.

As Holly was signed both as a solo artist and a member of the Crickets, two debut albums were released: ''The "Chirping" Crickets'' on November 27, 1957 and ''Buddy Holly'' on February 20, 1958. His singles "Peggy Sue" and "Oh Boy!", with backing vocals later dubbed on by The Picks, reached the top ten of United States and United Kingdom charts. Buddy Holly and the Crickets toured Australia in January 1958 and the UK in March. Their third and final album, ''That'll Be the Day'', was put together from early recordings and was released in April.

In the liner notes to ''Buddy Holly: The Definitive Collection'', Billy Altman notes that "Peggy Sue" was originally written as "Cindy Lou," but Holly later changed it prior to recording as a tip of the hat to Crickets drummer Jerry Allison's girlfriend (and future wife), Peggy Sue Gerron.

Holly wrote the song "True Love Ways" about his relationship with his wife, Maria Elena. It was recorded in her presence on October 21, 1958 at Decca's Pythian Temple, with Dick Jacob, Coral-Brunswick's new head of Artists and Repertoire, serving as both producer and conductor of the 18-piece orchestra, which included members of the New York Symphony Orchestra, NBC Television's house orchestra and Abraham "Boomie" Richman, formerly of Benny Goodman's band.

Holly in New York

The ambitious Holly became increasingly interested in the New York music/recording/publishing scene, while his band mates wanted to go back home to Lubbock. As a result, the group split up in late 1958. The Hollys settled in Greenwich Village, New York, in the new Brevoort apartment block at Ninth Street and Fifth Avenue. Here he recorded the series of acoustic songs, including "Crying, Waiting, Hoping" and "What to Do," known as the "Apartment Tapes," which were released after his death.

The Hollys frequented many of New York's music venues, including The Village Gate, Blue Note, Village Vanguard, and Johnny Johnson's. Maria Elena reported Buddy was keen to learn finger-style flamenco guitar, and would often visit her aunt's home to play the piano there. He wanted to develop collaborations between soul singers and rock 'n' roll, hoping to make an album with Ray Charles and gospel legend Mahalia Jackson. He also had ambitions to work in film, like Elvis Presley and Eddie Cochran, and registered for acting classes with Lee Strasburg's Actors' Studio, where the likes of Marlon Brando and James Dean had trained.

According to Billy Altman's liner notes to the Geffen/Universal compilation, ''Buddy Holly: The Definitive Collection'', in addition to "True Love Ways", during the October 1958 sessions at Decca's Pythian Temple, Holly also recorded two other songs, "I Guess It Doesn't Matter Anymore" and "Raining In My Heart". The songs were firsts for Holly, not only in the use of orchestral backing players, but also the tracks were his first stereo recordings. They were also to be his last formal recording studio recording sessions.

Holly was still having trouble getting his royalties from Petty, so he hired the noted lawyer Harold Orenstein at the recommendation of his friends the Everly Brothers, who had engaged Orenstein following disputes with their own manager, Wesley Rose. Yet, with the money still being withheld by Petty and with rent due, Buddy was forced to go back on the road.

Death

Holly was offered a spot in the Winter Dance Party, a three-week tour across the Midwest opening on January 23, 1959, by the GAC agency, with other notable performers such as Dion and the Belmonts, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson. He assembled a backing band consisting of Tommy Allsup (guitar), Waylon Jennings (bass) and Carl Bunch (drums), and billed as The Crickets.

The tour turned out to be a miserable ordeal for the performers, who had to endure long overnight travel in a bus plagued with a faulty heating system in temperatures. The bus also broke down several times between stops.

Following a performance at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, on February 2, 1959, Holly chartered a small airplane to take him to the next stop on the tour. He, Valens, Richardson and the pilot were killed en route to Moorhead, Minnesota, when their plane crashed soon after taking off from nearby Mason City in the early morning hours of February 3. Bandmate Waylon Jennings had given up his seat on the plane, causing Holly to jokingly tell Jennings, "I hope your ol' bus freezes up!" Jennings shot back facetiously, "Well, I hope your ol' plane crashes!" It was a statement that would haunt Jennings for decades.

Holly's funeral was held on February 7, 1959, at the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Lubbock. The service was officiated by Ben D. Johnson, who had presided at the Hollys' wedding just months earlier. The pallbearers were Jerry Allison, Joe B. Mauldin, Niki Sullivan, Bob Montgomery, Sonny Curtis and Phil Everly. Waylon Jennings was unable to attend due to his commitment to the still-touring Winter Dance Party. The body was interred in the City of Lubbock Cemetery in the eastern part of the city. Holly's headstone carries the correct spelling of his surname (Holley) and a carving of his Fender Stratocaster guitar.

Holly's pregnant wife, a widow after barely six months of marriage, miscarried soon after, ending that part of the Holly family tree. The miscarriage was reportedly due to “psychological trauma”. Because of this incident, authorities found it necessary, in the months following, to implement a policy against announcing victims’ names until after families had first been informed.María Elena Holly did not attend the funeral, and has never visited the gravesite. She later told the ''Avalanche-Journal'':

In a way, I blame myself. I was not feeling well when he left. I was two weeks pregnant, and I wanted Buddy to stay with me, but he had scheduled that tour. It was the only time I wasn't with him. And I blame myself because I know that, if only I had gone along, Buddy never would have gotten into that airplane.

The first song to commemorate the musicians was “Three Stars” by Eddie Cochran. This song was recorded just a single day after the disaster occurred. Years later, in 1971, Don McLean released his single, "American Pie”, to commemorate Buddy Holly’s death and further accentuate the loss of the United States’ innocence. Don McLean’s song began the reference to the tragedy as "The Day the Music Died".

Influence

Holly set the template for the standard rock and roll band: two guitars, bass, and drums. He was also one of the first in the genre to write, produce, and perform his own songs.

Holly managed to bridge the racial divide that marked music in America. Along with Elvis and others, Holly made rock and roll, with its roots in rockabilly country music and blues-inspired rhythm and blues music, more popular among a broad white audience. From listening to their recordings, one had difficulty determining if the Crickets, the name of Buddy's band, were white or black singers. Holly indeed sometimes played with black musicians Little Richard and Chuck Berry. The Crickets were only the second white rock group to tour Great Britain. Holly's essential eyeglasses encouraged other musicians, such as John Lennon, also to wear their glasses during performances.

In his biography of rock legend Elton John, Phillip Norman recounted that by his early teens, John (then known as Reg Dwight) was wearing glasses "not because he needed them, but in homage to Buddy Holly." After wearing glasses for a while, his eyes became adjusted to the lenses, and at that point he really did need glasses, which would years later establish John as one of the most famous "four-eyes" in rock and roll, though Holly is considered the first.

Contrary to popular belief, teenagers John Lennon and Paul McCartney did not attend a Holly concert, although they watched his television appearance on ''Sunday Night at the London Palladium''; Tony Bramwell, a school friend of McCartney and George Harrison, did. Bramwell met Holly, and freely shared his records with all three. Ian Whitcomb said "Buddy Holly and the Crickets had the most influence on the Beatles." Lennon and McCartney later cited Holly as a primary influence. (Their band's name, The Beatles, was chosen partly in homage to Holly's Crickets.) The Beatles did a cover version of "Words of Love" that was a close reproduction of Holly's version, released on late 1964's ''Beatles for Sale'' (in the U.S., in June 1965 on ''Beatles VI''). During the January 1969 sessions for the ''Let It Be'' album, the Beatles played a slow impromptu version of "Mailman, Bring Me No More Blues" — although not written by Holly, it was popularized by him — with Lennon mimicking Holly's vocal style; the recording was eventually released in the mid-1990s on ''Anthology 3''. In addition, John Lennon recorded a cover version of "Peggy Sue" on his 1975 album ''Rock 'n' Roll''. McCartney owns the publishing rights to Holly's song catalogue.

A 17-year-old Bob Dylan attended the January 31, 1959, show, two nights before Holly's death. Dylan referred to this in his 1998 Grammy acceptance speech for his ''Time out of Mind'' being named Album of the Year:

}}

Keith Richards attended one of Holly's performances, where he heard "Not Fade Away" for the first time. The Rolling Stones had an early hit covering the song.

The launch of Bobby Vee's successful musical career resulted from Holly's death, when he was selected to replace Holly on the tour that continued after the plane crash. Holly's profound influence on Vee's singing style can be heard in such songs as "Rubber Ball" and "Run to Him."

Holly influenced many other singers during and after a career that lasted barely two years. Keith Richards once said Holly had "an influence on everybody." In an August 24, 1978 ''Rolling Stone'' interview, Bruce Springsteen told Dave Marsh, "I play Buddy Holly every night before I go on; that keeps me honest."

The Grateful Dead performed "Not Fade Away" 530 times over the course of their career, making it their seventh most-performed song. The song also appears on eight of their official live recording releases.

Various rock and roll histories have asserted the singing group The Hollies were named in homage to Buddy Holly. According to the band's website, although the group admired Holly (and years later produced an album covering some of his songs), their name was inspired primarily by the sprigs of holly in evidence around Christmas of 1962.

Don McLean's popular 1971 ballad "American Pie" is inspired by Holly and the day of the plane crash. The ''American Pie'' album is dedicated to Holly.

Weezer's single, "Buddy Holly", released on September 7, 1994 (Holly's 58th birthday), references Holly.

The Dixie Chicks reference Holly in the song "Lubbock or Leave It" (on the Grammy-winning ''Taking the Long Way''); during the middle eight, lead singer Natalie Maines, also a Lubbock native, compares his legacy with her infamously outspoken behavior after seeing his statue: "I hear they hate me now, just like they hated you / maybe when I'm dead and gone, I'm gonna get a statue too".

Discography

Buddy Holly released only three albums in his lifetime. Nonetheless, he recorded so prolifically that Coral Records was able to release brand-new albums and singles for 10 years after his death, although the technical quality was very mixed, some being studio quality and others home recordings.

Buddy Holly continued to be promoted and sold as an "active" artist, and his records had a loyal following, especially in Europe. The demand for unissued Holly material was so great that Norman Petty resorted to overdubbing whatever he could find: alternate takes of studio recordings, originally rejected masters, "Crying, Waiting, Hoping" and the other five 1959 tracks (adding new surf-guitar arrangements), and even Holly's amateur demos from 1954 (where the low-fidelity vocals are often muffled behind the new orchestrations). The last new Buddy Holly album was ''Giant'' (featuring the single "Love Is Strange"), issued in 1969. Between the 1959–60 Jack Hansen overdubs, the 1960s Norman Petty overdubs, various alternate takes, and Holly's undubbed originals, collectors can often choose from multiple versions of the same song. There are also many different versions of Holly's "Greatest Hits" as well as covers/compilation albums of Buddy's songs performed by various artists. One such album has been announced recently at an event at P.J. Clarke's in New York. Listen to Me: Buddy Holly is being produced by Peter Asher and includes contributions from Stevie Nicks, The Fray, Cobra Starship, Jeff Lynne, Train's Pat Monahan, Patrick Stump, Jackson Browne, Chris Isaak, Natalie Merchant, Imelda May, Ringo Starr, Lyle Lovett, Zooey Deschanel, Brian Wilson and more.

Film and musical depictions

Holly's life story inspired a Hollywood biographical film, ''The Buddy Holly Story''. Star Gary Busey received a nomination for Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Holly. The movie was widely criticized by the rock community and Holly's friends and family for its inaccuracies. This led Paul McCartney to produce and host his own documentary about Holly in 1985, titled ''The Real Buddy Holly Story''. This video includes interviews with Keith Richards, Phil and Don Everly, Sonny Curtis, Jerry Allison, Holly's family, and McCartney himself, among others.

In 1987, Marshall Crenshaw portrayed Buddy Holly in the movie ''La Bamba''. He is featured performing at the Surf Ballroom and boarding the doomed airplane with Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper. Crenshaw's version of "Crying, Waiting, Hoping" is featured on the ''La Bamba'' original motion picture soundtrack.

''Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story'', the Jukebox Musical depicting his life, is credited as being the first of its kind, spawning a breed of jukebox shows, including the likes of 'Mamma Mia'' and 'We Will Rock You''. "Buddy", as it is abbreviated on occasion, is still running in the UK after 22 years, with a UK tour that went out in February 2011.

There are also a number of acts both in the USA (Johnny Rogers, John Mueller) and UK (Marc Robinson, Spencer J etc.) who specialise in bringing the songs of Buddy Holly to life at events across the continents. The best of these present Holly's work with great respect for the man and his life's work.

Personal life

In June 1958, he met Maria Elena Santiago, who worked as a receptionist for Murray Deutch, an executive for New York publisher Peer-Southern Music. Holly managed to have Santiago invited to a luncheon at Howard Johnson's, thanks to Deutch's secretary, Jo Harper. He asked her to have dinner with him that night at P. J. Clarke's. Holly proposed marriage to her on their very first date. "While we were having dinner, he got up and came back with his hands behind his back. He brought out a red rose and said, 'This is for you. Would you marry me?'" He went to her guardian's house the next morning to get her approval. Santiago at first thought he was kidding, but they married in Lubbock on August 15, 1958, less than two months later. "I'd never had a boyfriend in my life. I'd never been on a date before. But when I saw Buddy, it was like magic. We had something special: love at first sight," she told the ''Lubbock Avalanche-Journal'' on what would have been their 50th wedding anniversary. The newlyweds honeymooned in Acapulco.

Maria Elena traveled on tours, doing everything from the laundry to equipment setup to ensuring the group got paid. Although Holly had already begun to become disillusioned with Norman Petty before meeting his bride, it was through Maria Elena and her aunt Provi, who was the head of Latin American music at Peer-Southern, that he began to fully realize what was going on with his manager, who was paying the band's royalties into his own company's account. Many fans became aware of his marriage only after his death.

Lubbock

Holly was based in Lubbock as his career took off between 1956 and 1958. Lubbock has a Walk of Fame with, as its centerpiece, a statue, created by sculptor Grant Speed in 1980, of Holly playing his Fender guitar. Other memorials to Buddy Holly include a street named in his honor and The Buddy Holly Center, which contains a museum of Holly memorabilia as well as a Fine Arts Gallery. In 2010, Grant Speed's statue was taken down for refurbishment, and construction began on a new Walk of Fame. On May 9, 2011, the City of Lubbock held a ribbon cutting ceremony for The Buddy and Maria Elena Holly Plaza, the new home of the statue and the Walk of Fame. The Plaza is within walking distance of the museum.

References

Further reading

Amburn, Ellis (1996). ''Buddy Holly: A Biography''. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 978-0312145576.

Bustard, Anne (2005). ''Buddy: The Story of Buddy Holly''. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-1422393024.

Dawson, Jim; Leigh, Spencer (1996). ''Memories of Buddy Holly''. Big Nickel Publications. ISBN 978-0936433202.

Gerron, Peggy Sue (2008). ''Whatever Happened to Peggy Sue?''. Togi Entertainment. ISBN 978-0980008500.

Goldrosen, John; Beecher, John (1996). ''Remembering Buddy: The Definitive Biography''. New York: Da Capo Press. ISBN 0-306-80715-7.

Goldrosen, John (1975). ''Buddy Holly: His Life and Music''. Popular Press. ISBN 0859470180

Gribbin, John (2009). ''Not Fade Away: The Life and Music of Buddy Holly''. London: Icon Books. ISBN 978-1848310346

Dave Laing, Professor. ''Buddy Holly (Icons of Pop Music)''. Indiana University Press. ISBN 0-253-22168-4.

Lehmer, Larry (1997). ''The Day the Music Died: The Last Tour of Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens''. Schirmer Trade Books. ISBN 0028647416 or 978-0028647418.

Mann, Alan (1996). ''The A-Z of Buddy Holly''. Aurum Press (2nd edition). ISBN 1854104330 or 978-1854104335.

McFadden, Hugh (2005). ''Elegy for Charles Hardin Holley'', in ''Elegies & Epiphanies''. Belfast: Lagan Press.

Norman, Philip (1996). ''Rave On: The Biography of Buddy Holly''. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0684800829 or 978-0684800820.

Peer, Elizabeth and Ralph II (1972). ''Buddy Holly: A Biography in Words, Photographs and Music'' Australia: Peer International. ASIN B000W24DZO.

Peters, Richard (1990). ''The Legend That Is Buddy Holly''. Barnes & Noble Books. ISBN 0285630059 or 978-0285630055.

Rabin, Stanton (2009). ''OH BOY! The Life and Music of Rock 'n' Roll Pioneer Buddy Holly''. Van Winkle Publishing (Kindle). ASIN B0010QBLLG.

Tobler, John (1979). ''The Buddy Holly Story''. Beaufort Books.

^ VH1's Behind the Music "The Day the Music Died" interview with Waylon Jennings

External links

Buddy Holly And The Crickets.com

Buddy Holly Lives.info

Listen to Me: Buddy Holly - Songmasters

peermusic presents Maria Elena: My Life with Buddy

Buddy Holly - sessions and cover songs

Telegraph article on the last songs written by Buddy Holly

'The Day the Music Died' at The Death of Rock: The Archive

''Buddy Holly is Alive and Well On Ganymede

Category:1936 births Category:1959 deaths Category:Accidental deaths in Iowa Category:American rock guitarists Category:American rock singers Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in 1959 Category:Baptists from the United States Category:American people of English descent Category:Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners Category:Lubbock High School alumni Category:Musicians from Texas Category:People from Lubbock, Texas Category:Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Category:Rockabilly Hall of Fame inductees Category:Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees Category:The Crickets members Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in the United States Category:Coral Records artists Category:Decca Records artists

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Coordinates	27°50′″N48°25′″N
name	Holly Johnson
background	solo_singer
birth name	William Johnson
born	February 09, 1960Liverpool, Merseyside, England
instrument	Vocals, Bass
genre	Dance, House, Synthpop, New Wave, Pop-rock
occupation	musician, painter, writer
years active	1977–present
label	MCA Records, Eric's Club, ZTT Records
associated acts	Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Big in Japan
website	www.hollyjohnson.com
notable instruments	}}

Holly Johnson (born William Johnson; 9 February 1960; legal name William Holly Johnson) is an English artist, writer and musician, best known as the lead vocalist of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, and former bassist for Big in Japan.

Early Life

Johnson was born in Liverpool, England.

Big in Japan

Actively involved in the Liverpool punk rock/new wave scene of the late 1970s, Johnson played bass with Big in Japan and released two solo singles on the Eric's label.

Frankie Goes to Hollywood

He then found fame as the lead singer and lyricist of Frankie Goes to Hollywood (FGTH), who experienced both controversy and phenomenal commercial success during their heyday in the early 1980s.

Clash with ZTT Records

Johnson left FGTH in 1987 due to disagreements regarding their musical direction. He became the subject of an injunction from the group's record company, ZTT Records, and its sister publishing company, Perfect Songs, which cited a breach of his prior recording and publishing contracts, thus barring him from pursuing a solo career with any other new label.

Johnson embarked on a two-year legal battle with ZTT, the case being settled in Johnson's favour on 10 February 1988, the judge ruling that the original contracts had constituted an unreasonable restraint of trade, remarking that "Mr. Johnson could be 70 years old and still be bound to this contract".

ZTT unsuccessfully appealed against the decision, the Appeal Court concluding on 26 July 1989 that the original recording and publishing contracts were "not a fair bargain". The result represented a landmark legal outcome, contemporary press reports stating that the result "set a legal precedent which rocked the music business", adding that ZTT had by this time released most of its artists from their original contracts.

Johnson's relationship with ZTT owners Trevor Horn and Jill Sinclair broke down irretrievably due to the court case: "'They [Horn and Sinclair] have never really forgiven me for winning my freedom in the law courts', the singer said, adding that the worst part of being in FGTH was 'the contract we signed with ZTT'."

Solo Work

Johnson finally released his first solo album, ''Blast'', which reached number one in the UK in May 1989 and spawned four hit-singles, "Love Train" (#4, Jan 1989), "Americanos" (#4, Apr 1989), "Atomic City" (#18, Jun 1989) and "Heaven's Here" (#62, Sep 1989). The album would eventually go platinum.

In May 1989 a charity version of "Ferry Cross the Mersey" recorded by Johnson and other Liverpool artists, including The Christians, Paul McCartney and Gerry Marsden, topped the UK singles chart.

Johnson's relations with MCA cooled over dissatisfaction with promotional budgets for his second solo album, ''Dreams That Money Can't Buy'', which was released in 1991 after Johnson had left the label.

He has continued to make music via his own Pleasuredome label, such as 1999's ''Soulstream'', an album that includes a re-recording of "The Power of Love". He appeared on the Jools Holland show performing The Power of Love and performed the song again in 2004 for ZDF Love Songs.

In August 2009, Johnson presented an hour long show ''In the Beginning'' on BBC Radio 2 about The Beatles. He also appeared in the new Relax video as the DJ. Recently, he performed The Power of Love twice in Germany, he also performed the song at the opening of Life Ball 2011 in Vienna. In an interview at the Q Awards, Johnson announced plans for an album of new material.

Personal Life

In November 1991, Johnson learned he was HIV positive. This triggered a temporary withdrawal from the music business and public life in general. His condition was made public during an interview in April 1993.

Auto-Biography

In March 1994, his critically acclaimed autobiography, ''A Bone in My Flute'', was published.

Art

Since the mid 1990s, Johnson has worked primarily as a painter. His works have been exhibited at the Tate Liverpool, and The Royal Academy. He has contributed to ''Modern Painters'' and the Paul Smith sponsored ''CARLOS'' magazine.

Discography

Albums

Year	Title	Peak chart positions
!rowspan="1"	!rowspan="1"	!rowspan="1"	!rowspan="1"	!rowspan="1"	!rowspan="1"	!rowspan="1"	!rowspan="1"
1989
1990	''Hollelujah''
1991	''Dreams That Money Can't Buy''
1999

Singles

Year

Title

Peak chart positions

Album

!rowspan="1"

!rowspan="1"

!rowspan="1"

!rowspan="1"

!rowspan="1"

!rowspan="1"

!rowspan="1"

!rowspan="1"

!rowspan="1"

!rowspan="1"

!rowspan="1"

!rowspan="1"

1979

single only

1980

single only

rowspan="4"

"Americanos"

"Heaven's Here"

1990

1994

rowspan="4"

1998

"Disco Heaven"

As featured artist

1989

"—

single only

Books

''A Bone in My Flute''; hard cover Century UK ISBN 0-7126-6145-X, 17 March 1994; soft cover Arrow UK ISBN 0-09-939341-7, 6 April 1995

References

External links

Official website

Frankie Goes to Hollywood Official site

[[Category:1960 births">Ferry Cross the Mersey#Charity record for The Hillsborough Disaster Fund single only 1994 ''Sweet Revenge'' — single only

Books

''A Bone in My Flute''; hard cover Century UK ISBN 0-7126-6145-X, 17 March 1994; soft cover Arrow UK ISBN 0-09-939341-7, 6 April 1995

References

External links

Official website

Frankie Goes to Hollywood Official site

[[Category:1960 births Category:English male singers Category:English painters Category:English rock bass guitarists Category:English rock singers Category:Frankie Goes to Hollywood members Category:LGBT musicians from the United Kingdom Category:People with HIV/AIDS Category:LGBT people from England Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Liverpool Category:Scouse culture of the early 1980s Category:People educated at Liverpool Collegiate Institution

da:Holly Johnson de:Holly Johnson fr:Holly Johnson it:Holly Johnson nl:Holly Johnson pl:Holly Johnson fi:Holly Johnson sv:Holly Johnson

Coordinates	27°50′″N48°25′″N
Name	Holly Williams
Background	solo_singer
Born	March 12, 1981
Origin	Nashville, Tennessee
Instrument	Guitar, Keyboard, Vocals
Genre	Country
Occupation	Singer-songwriter
Years active	2003–present
Label	Universal South, Mercury Nashville
Associated acts	Hank Williams, Jr.
Website	http://www.hollywilliams.com/ }}

Holly Williams (born March 12, 1981) is an American country music artist. She is the daughter of Hank Williams, Jr. and half-sister of country singer Hank Williams III. Williams has released two studio albums: ''The Ones We Never Knew'' and ''Here with Me'', in 2004 and 2009 respectively. The latter album has produced two chart singles for her on the ''Billboard'' country singles charts with "Keep the Change" and "Mama", which charted to #53 and #55, respectively.

Biography

Raised in Nashville, Tennessee, she is the daughter of Hank Williams, Jr., and the half-sister of Hank Williams III. Holly's mother, Becky, is a native of Mer Rouge, Louisiana, and was married for five years to Hank Williams, Jr. She was born in Cullman, Alabama, and has an elder sister named Hilary. Her parents separated when she was young, although her father took her to many of his shows. At age 17, Holly began playing one of her father's guitars, and soon began writing songs.

Williams graduated from Brentwood Academy and decided to pursue her passion of songwriting and continue playing guitar and piano. She performed hundreds of shows throughout the US and in her hometown and usually toured alone with a guitar and a keyboard. She loved John Prine, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Jackson Browne and many other songwriter's known for their way with lyrics, including her grandfather Hank Williams Sr. Eventually she began touring throughout Europe and the United Kingdom and building a loyal fan base there. After the release of her first EP in 2003, she signed with Universal South Records and toured with Billy Bob Thornton, Jewel, Train, Keith Urban, Duncan Sheik, Kasey Chambers and many other artists. Universal South released her debut album, ''The Ones We Never Knew'', in 2004.

In March 2006, Williams was injured in a car crash and canceled a European tour, but she began touring again in November 2006. She signed in 2009 with Mercury Nashville Records. Her second single, "Keep the Change", was released in January and became her first chart single in March. The album's second single, "Mama", was released to radio on May 11, 2009. Williams' second studio album, ''Here with Me'', was released in June 2009. To promote the album, Williams appeared on ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'', ''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson'', ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'', ''Chelsea Lately'' and other television outlets. People Magazine named Williams' 2009 album one of the top ten albums of the year. Williams finished a six week tour in Europe in mid-2010, continued the rest of the year touring with John Hiatt and took time off to write for her third album.

Williams owns H. Audrey, a high end women's boutique located in Nashville.

Discography

Studio albums

Title	Details	Peak chartpositions
		! width="40"	! width="40"
''The Ones We Never Knew''		* Release date: October 5, 2004	Universal South Records>Universal South	Compact disc>CD, music download	—	—
! scope="row"		* Release date: June 16, 2009	Universal Music Group Nashville>Mercury Nashville	* Formats: CD, music download	37	11

Singles

Year	Single	Peak positions	Album
		! width="50"
2005	"Sometimes"	—
	"Keep the Change"	53
"Mama"	55

Music videos

! Year	Video	! Director
2005	"Sometimes"	Kristin Barlowe
	"Keep the Change"
"Three Days in Bed"
"Mama"	Eric Welch
"Alone"	Philip Andelman

References

External links

Holly Williams official website

Category:1981 births Category:Living people Category:American female singers Category:American country singer-songwriters Category:Mercury Records artists Category:People from Nashville, Tennessee Category:Show Dog-Universal Music artists

de:Holly Williams et:Holly Williams pt:Holly Williams