Amy Holland
The Journey To Miracle River
Amy Holland\'s songs of a personal life journey with universal appeal and interesting musical contributions from well known Nashvillians.
Amy Holland’s career began at 15 years old when she migrated to LA to sign with Brother records a label started by the Beach Boys. Though no album was to materialize, it was a ticket out of palisades NY straight into the music business of the 70’s in that mecca known as Hollywood California.
Amy Boersma came to LA as a singer songwriter in 1970 and during the typical string of artist development deals that for some reason, don’t quite pan out, she met and captured the interest of more than a few distinguished record producers. Among these were Jack Daugherty (the Carpenters. Paul Williams) and Rick Jarrard (Jefferson Airplane, Nillson, Jose Feliciano). However it was a randomly brief but fortuitous rehearsal encounter with a relatively unknown composer, and for the moment, piano accompanist Michael McDonald, during these early years that would lead ultimately to Amy Hollands success at radio years later, winning her a best new artist nomination at the Grammy Awards of 1980. McDonald who, years later, remembering the allure of her vocal style, would join forces with keyboardist/composer/producer, Patrick Henderson to produce her first Capitol LP from which the top 20 hit “How do I Survive,” (composed by Paul Bliss), emerged on to the charts, taking Amy Holland around the world as an American 80’s ingénue. This period of Amy’s career is documented by TV appearances in Japan and the US that can still be found on You Tube.
A second Capitol LP titled “On Your Every Word” and musical contributions to films such as “Scar Face” and “Teen Wolf” (Some of those tracks produced and written by the infamous Georgio Maroder) along with her contributions to the projects of other artist’s such as Kenny Loggins, Joni Mitchell, Tim Weisburg, Doobie Brother Patrick Simmons and McDonald’s solo projects, would mark her career path for the next few years.
During this time her music business relationship with producer McDonald had developed into something much more and with their marriage and the subsequent birth of their two children, Amy found herself embracing the role of wife and mother. discovering along the way that she had to somewhat relax her grip on her lifelong dream of being a recording artist.
After a much longer than intended hiatus due to a battle to survive breast cancer, Amy has found a renewed inspiration in the making and release of her most recent CD “The Journey To Miracle River”. Produced by Bernie Chiaravalle, this Album is very much the autobiography of a personal sojourn she was destined to return from at this point in her life, It’s her first solo CD release in over 20 years.
With songs co-written by Amy with friends Jon Vesner, John Goodwin, Michael McDonald and Bernie Chiaravalle. The much anticipated album is slated for an early fall release and features contributions from Vince Gill, Michael McDonald, Shannon Forrest, Bernie Chiaravalle, Stuart Duncan, Tim Akers, and her son, Dylan McDonald to name a few.
Most recently, Amy’s voice can be heard on Willie Nelson’s release of “Whatever Happened To Peace On Earth”. A poignant call to conscience featuring other artists such as Ben Harper, Jack Johnson, Michael McDonald, and Pat Simmons with all proceeds going to benefit the National Veterans Foundation.
Rock: Americana