Malcolm Holcombe CD Release Show

Malcolm Holcombe

http://www.malcolmholcombe.com/

"I chainsmoke and complain, goin' broke inside," Malcolm Holcombe growls with his signature gritty vocals while sharply picking his guitar; If chain-smoking and complaining are some of the characteristics that embody the kind of talent Malcolm reveals in his raw, heartfelt story telling, well then everyone should applaud chain-smoking complainers.

On the exterior Malcolm is a chain-smoking, coffee-loving, flannel shirt-wearing man with a five-o’clock shadow and a cutting stare, but the minute he walks on a stage, out comes the performer with his jabbered witticisms and off-beat style. He has the audience eating out of the palm of his hand.

From the foothills of Appalachia North Carolina, Malcolm found musical inspiration from a†pocket transistor radio, his mom's French harp and all the music shows on the Fada TV, which sometimes could only pick up 2 channels. Malcolm was "glued to the tube" watching shows like "Sing Along with Mitch", "The Flatt and Scruggs Show", "Where the Action Is" and "The Ed Sullivan show". He learned to play a few chords on a flat-top guitar his mother bought from Sears in the mid-sixties, and the handy Mel-Bay Chord Book. "I couldn't make it past the first page 'er two. Mother said I sang through my nose. I just tried to carry a tune some way or another, just to pass the time."

The critical acclaim Malcolm always deserved, has finally came with Gamblin’ House through publications like Rolling Stone, The Wallstreet Journal, and Billboard Magazine. He’s been featured in BBC and NPR interviews, countless local radio shows, newspapers, blogs and foreign press. The album was in the top 20 of the Americana Music Association chart for 9 straight weeks. His eighth release, For The Mission Baby, will be released in the Fall of 2009 by Echo Mountain Records. Once again, Malcolm went with Grammy Award winning producer, Ray Kennedy and a few other familiar faces like Tim O’Brien, Jared Tyler and Kenny Malone. As always, no lack of cryptic undertones; the album consists of upbeat vocals, twangy country western melodies and the harmonies of Mary Gauthier, Siobhan Maher. Malcolm considers it†his best work yet.

For The Mission Baby is a brilliant adventure into stimulating stories of unvarnished life expression full of heart, soul and mystery from a master. - Ray Kennedy

Not quite country, somewhere beyond folk, Holcombe's music is a kind of blues in motion, mapping backwoods corners of the heart. - David Fricke Rolling Stone Magazine