Lonnie Holley

Lonnie Holley is a multidisciplinary artist who was originally a sculptor working with found objects going back to 1979. When it came out in the '00s that he has also been creating improvisational music as a vocalist, it led to a series of recordings and collaborations with a variety of musicians including Matthew E. White and Moor Mother. His music is intrinsically independent of genres since it is built on his improvisations. There are, however, shades of blues and soul in his vocals, sometimes delivered with a deep growl. His producers and collaborators also contribute to the stylistic framing of the final product, whose textures can vary from song to song as he moves from soul and blues to funk infused indie rock and avant-garde, though almost always with a solid sense of melody (when it is not spoken words, of course). His songs tend to focus on aspects of his life story and his political takes.