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Musician

Greg Holden

Greg Holden

born in in Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom

Greg Holden

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Greg Holden

Greg Holden is a New York-based British singer-songwriter. He is best known for his hit charity single "The Lost Boy" and for co-writing "Home", the 2012 debut single for American Idol-winner Phillip Phillips.

Early life

Holden was born in Aberdeen, Scotland and lived in Methlick in Aberdeenshire until he was three.[1] The family then moved to England, and he was raised in Morecambe and then Leyland (Lancashire). He went to St Patricks Primary School, Heysham near Morecambe, then attended Leyland St. Mary's Catholic Technology College and the University of Central Lancashire.[2]

After leaving education he went to Brighton with his band.[3] He then moved to London in 2007 to attempt a career, before moving to New York in 2009.[1]

Music career

Holden wrote his first song called "You Go Left, Ill Go Right" when he was 18.[4] He won the Lancashire Evening Post Battle of the Bands in 2005.[2]

Greg first gained a large following by posting live videos of himself performing his songs on YouTube. One series of videos was called the "Not My Living Room Tour" where he performed for his fans in their living rooms.[5] Greg Holden's debut album, A Word in Edgeways (2009, 9 tracks) was followed by the EP "Sing For the City".[5] All of Holden's albums were initially either self-released or released on his own label, Falling Art Recordings.

In 2009, Holden moved to New York soon after the release of his first album. A few months later, he toured as a support act for Ingrid Michaelson in the US after she heard him live in his previous visit to New York.[6][5]

His songs have been featured on several TV shows, for example a track from A Word In Edgeways, "Choking on the Concrete", was featured on an episode of the TV show Private Practice.[7] Other shows include ABCs Make It Or Break It, One Tree Hill and the CWs Life Unexpected.

I Don't Believe You (2011-2013)

Greg Holden's second album, I Don't Believe You, was funded by fan donations using Kickstarter, and was released digitally in 2011.[8] In March 2012, he released an acoustic version of I Don't Believe You, including 2 bonus tracks, one of which is "The Lost Boy".

"The Lost Boy" was written by Holden in 2011 but was not included in the original release of the album, but added in its subsequent releases. It was inspired by the book What is the What by American writer Dave Eggers about a Sudanese refugee. Holden recorded it and released as a charity single in December 2011, and it became a hit for him in the Netherlands, topping the Dutch iTunes singles chart on Christmas Day and reaching #2 on the Dutch Top 40.[9] In December 2013, he released an official video for "The Lost Boy" after his album I Dont Believe You was re-released in the US when he became signed by Collective Sounds.[10][11]

The song "The Lost Boy" was featured prominently at the end of Season 5 Episode 4 "Stolen Huffy" of the smash hit show Sons of Anarchy (10/02/2012). It was used as the musical backdrop during the funeral procession of a slain "SAMCRO" member.[12] Holden's single "I Need An Energy", which was released in October, 2012, is found on the soundtrack of the film, Chasing Mavericks.[13]

Holden toured throughout Europe and the United States as a headliner. The Dutch leg of his 2012 European tour sold out months in advance.

In 2012, Holden became known in the United States for "Home", a song he co-wrote with Drew Pearson. The song was picked by American Idol mentor Jimmy Iovine for Phillip Phillips as his coronation song for the final of the show's season 11.[14][15] The song quickly topped the US iTunes singles chart and became the best-selling song by an American Idol alum.[16]

Discography

Albums

Title Album details Peak
chart
positions
Notes
NL
Top 40
[17]
A Word in Edgeways
  • Released: 19 February 2009
  • Label: Falling Art Recordings
  • Formats: digital download
-
I Don't Believe You
  • Released: 31 May 2011, 30 September 2013
  • Label: Falling Art Recordings, Collective Sounds
  • Formats: CD (2013), digital download (2011, 2013)
Re-released in 2013
I Don't Believe You
(Acoustic Version)
  • Released: 13 March 2012
  • Label: Falling Art Recordings
  • Formats: CD, digital download
22

EPs

  • Greg Holden
  • 9 September 2009: Sing for the City

Singles

Year Title Peak
chart
positions
Album
NL
Top 40
[17]
20 December 2011
(The Netherlands)
1 January 2012
(Internationally)
"The Lost Boy" 2 Non-album song
Songwriter
  • 2011: "Home" (non-album song)

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Michele Amabile Angermiller, Songwriter Greg Holden Discusses the Success of Phillip Phillips' 'Home', The Hollywood Reporter, 2012-06-18.
  2. 2.0 2.1 Melanie Wallwork, Millions wowed by Gregs song, Lancashire Evening Post, 25 May 2012.
  3. Karen Bale, Scots songwriter Greg Holden tells of his shock as song he co-wrote becomes hit for American Idol winner, Sunday Mail, Scottish Daily Record and Sunday Mail Ltd, June 17, 2012.
  4. Andrianna Yeatts (November 17, 2013). Greg Holden. American Songwriter.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Q&A with Greg Holden. You Sing, I Write (November 25, 2009).
  6. R.P.M. (October 3, 2009). Concert Review: Ingrid Michaelson with Greg Holden Center Stage Loft, Atlanta, Georgia on September 22, 2009. Blogcritics.
  7. Maggie Gryske (March 14, 2010). Greg Holden Interview: SXSW 2010. Spinner.
  8. Help Greg Holden Fund His New Album!. Kickstart.
  9. Phil Gallo (June 8, 2012). Home is Where the Cash is. Billboard.
  10. Craig Shelburne, Greg Holden Sees the World With The Lost Boy, CMT Edge, December 17, 2013.
  11. Kyle Anderson (September 12, 2013). Singer-songwriter Greg Holden steps into the spotlight from behind Phillip Phillips and 'Sons of Anarchy'. Entertainment Weekly.
  12. Mandi Bierly (October 2, 2012). 'Sons of Anarchy' recap: The Lost Boy. Entertainment Weekly.
  13. Greg Holden's Releases Official Music Video For "I Need An Energy".
  14. Shirley Halperin (May 22, 2012). 'American Idol': The Story Behind Phillip Phillips' Coronation Song (Exclusive). The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved on May 26, 2012.
  15. Marissa R. Moss (May 24, 2012). The Ballad Of Phillip Phillips. American Songwriter.
  16. Grein, Paul, Chart Watch Extra: Phillips Takes Idol Title, Chart Watch, Yahoo, 2013-03-27. URL accessed on March 27, 2013.
  17. 17.0 17.1 Greg Holden in the Dutch Top 40 (Dutch). dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved on 22 May 2012.

External links

websites

This page was last modified 14.04.2014 09:59:59

This article uses material from the article Greg Holden from the free encyclopedia Wikipedia and it is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.