HOLLY MONTGOMERY

HOLLY MONTGOMERY 

Holly Montgomery is an Americana artist and singer-songwriter known for her soulful voice and multi-layered compositions. Her career spans nearly three decades; she’s wowed audiences as frontwoman, toured internationally as the bassist for The Mustangs of the West, and shared a stage with big names including Dan Bern and Foreigner. Today Montgomery remains a staple of the live circuit, booking hundreds of gigs each year. She also continues to write, record, and produce new music. Montgomery’s forthcoming 2022 LP Sorry for Nothing showcases her signature sound and solidifies her transition from rock to roots.

Holly Montgomery's songs tell universal stories about struggles, triumphs, societal challenges, and the importance of living an authentic life. This is music for roadhouses and rough-edged dive bars, dreamt into existence by a songwriter who's always been happy to defy expectations...and, when needed, bend the rules a bit. “I’ve always made music on my own terms,” Montgomery says. “Now that message of unapologetic authenticity has become a core theme of my songwriting. Being yourself can be messy, but it’s also empowering. People connect with that.”

Raised in Louisville, Kentucky, Montgomery can’t remember a time before music was a part of her life. She sang on stage with her mom beginning at age five and studied classical piano and trombone as a child. After becoming inspired by Spirit of the Radio, a Rush classic, she also picked up the bass. At age 14, Montgomery formed her first band, Dorothy Boy. By then she had honed her musical palette with a variety of influences, including the likes of Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, Dolly Parton, and John Denver. She remained engaged with music throughout high school and college.

Montgomery relocated to Los Angeles early in her career, soon becoming a favorite at the House of Blues where she played with her band HOLLY. Next, she joined the group Big Planet, which received the "Best Acoustic Band in Los Angeles" award from the National Academy of Songwriters. “During that time I was all hustle. I played with my own band. I played solo gigs. I played in other people's projects as a sidewoman. I even played bass on an Ice Cube album.”

In the early nineties, Montgomery joined an all-female cowpunk band called The Mustangs. She played bass alongside vocalist Suzanna Spring and guitarist Sherry Rayn Barnett. Soon the group earned a cult following in LA, thanks to its regular shows at the Palomino Club. After innumerable gigs and three tours in Europe, The Mustangs dissolved as the artists began to pursue independent projects.

In 2016, Montgomery joined Spring and Rayn Barnett to reform the group as The Mustangs of the West. In that same year, Holly Montgomery released her seminal fifth album, Leaving Eden. Critics raved; The Huffington Post described it as “an animated lyrical wonder.” Shortly

thereafter, the Mustangs of the West released their 2017 LP titled TIME under the Blue Élan Records label. This project also marks the origin of Montgomery’s relationship with Blue Élan founder, Kirk Pasich. In 2021 Pasich signed Montgomery to KZZ Music, a music production company that he co-founded alongside producers Zachary Ross and Zackary Darling.

When she’s not engrossed in artistic pursuits, Montgomery turns her talents to the nonprofit world. She’s written themes for major charity organizations, including S.O.M.E. (So Others May Eat). She’s been joined in these projects by world-class musicians, recording alongside icons like guitarist Randall Hall, of Lynyrd Skynyrd, and drummer Aynsley Dunbar of Journey, Frank Zappa, David Bowie, and Jefferson Starship. Montgomery’s philanthropy also bridges into her personal life. She adopted three Kazakhstani children who, prior to their adoption, lacked both shelter and food. Montgomery mines her experience as a mother with "For My Son," featured on her forthcoming album.