Combining sultry power with gentle grit, Floramay Holliday deftly blends the essence of old-school country with a contemporary brand of alternative style. Her self- titled debut album, released on Roseneath Records, captures the overwhelming presence and warm resonance of a talent truly unique to the music industry. Drawing vocal comparisons to Kelly Willis, a spiritual essence to Joni Mitchell and a musical style influenced by that of Van Morrison, Floramay has taken the Austin music scene by storm.
Her debut album is produced by Riley Osbourn and is fueled by the high-octane musical talents of Lloyd Maines on petal steal, John Inmon on guitar, Gene Elders on fiddle, Mark Kazanoff on saxophone, Chris Maresh on bass and Eddie Cantu on drums. Fans have responded so strongly to Floramay's first independent effort that she is now in the planning stages for a follow-up album due to be released next summer.
Tommy Hancock, known as the godfather of West Texas music and noted music critic, calls Floramay "a Texas angel ... and of coarse good and unexpected things happen around angels." Clifford Antone, owner of famed Antone's - the place where Stevie Ray Vaughn got his start, in Austin, Texas, calls Floramay "one of Austin's best-kept secrets." Floramay has earned the attention of the King of Texas himself: Willie Nelson, after meeting her in Austin.
As her broad and expansive fan-base attests, the essence of Floramay Holliday remains largely in her live shows. Keeping a steady and ambitious schedule, performances in the last few years have spanned international territory from the United States to Indonesia. Floramay's energy rages like a Texas tornado, stomps like a cowboy boot on a sawdust dance floor and even sometimes rolls rather than rocks. Regardless, her carefully structured songs with prominent choruses and lyrics that deliver heartfelt earnestness, move the spirit of her audiences, leaving them shouting, "yea-haw"!
She has also recently co-created the musical group S.A.S.S. (South Austin Soul Sisters) - collaborating with Shelley King and Terri Cote. S.A.S.S. is an all female supergroup featuring stunning three-part harmonies and finely crafted pop songs with a Texas attitude. She has also appeared with Austin's legendary rockers The Resentments, Stephen Bruton and John Dee Graham, Monte Montgomery, Joe Ely, Toni Price, Eliza Gilkyson, Reckless Kelly, and Earl Poole Ball himself. Floramay has also worked extensively on a number of projects for Austin City Limits and has twice been voted as Best Local Performer in Florence, South Carolina.
Recent industry showcase performances include: SXSW, Austin, Texas, LMNOP, New Orleans, Louisiana, Hamstein Publishing Songwriters Night, Austin, Texas, Humble Time Radio Show, Freiheight, Texas, Whole Life Music Exposition, and an invitation to try-out for the Lilith Fair. Recent performances on the Austin Music Network, Internet Simulcast on BigJam.com, and Fox News Network's Ladies First "Featured Artist" have landed her continued national exposure.