Biography

I seem to have always been involved in music. I can remember having lots of fun with my Grandparents' piano when I was about 6 years old. Mum & Dad then bought a piano for our home & I had some lessons.

Tenor recorder was the next instrument for me. I played recorder for several years, until my instrument was destroyed in an accident. Today I play neither piano nor recorder but love to hear them played by competent musicians, perhaps one day I will return.

I first took an interest in bass, when I heard a track called "These Boots Were Made for Walkin’". There is a great descending line in the track, which got my attention. I used my Uncle’s old guitar to play this bass line. I suppose I’ve been a bassist since then, although it was nearly 10 years later, in 1981, that I bought my first bass.




		Herbie Flowers


		Ian, Gary’s Father - Accordian player. Maypole band, Maypoles to mistletoe show

	My Dad, Ian Holder, was a full time musician in the 70’s, working in ‘The Etchingham Steam Band’, with bassist, Ashley Hutchings, founder of ‘Fairport Convention’, ‘Steeleye Span’ & ’The Albion Band’. Ashley was the first bassist I studied. Some years later I bought a ‘Sky’ album, which introduced me to double bass. Herbie Flowers was the bassist & two tracks in particular got my interest, ‘Meheeco’ & ‘Carrillon’. In 1997, I met Herbie, who was running a music course, where I had the opportunity of performing on stage, with my wife on flute, myself on Herbie’s double bass & Herbie, himself, on grand piano. We played ‘Carrillon’. More recently I have been listening to the works of bassists Danny Thompson & Edgar Meyer. In the Spring of 2001, I went to a local Jazz club to listen to Big Jim Sullivan play. He came over to where I was sitting & introduced himself as I was new to the club. We had a conversation, which led to an opportunity to audition & subsequently join a band with singer/guitarist Duncan McKenzie, drummer Stephan Grimmet & Big Jim Sullivan on lead guitar.

I like to play many types of music & gain the sort of experience that can only come from working with many great musicians. I have also been fortunate enough to have worked on a number of albums, with artists including Martyn Wyndham-Read, Iris Bishop, Marilyn Bennett and Shirley Collins. I reckon that just about everything I've ever learned about music & performing, has come from watching & listening to others.

Some time ago, I read an article about a very famous artist (Dolly Parton, I believe), which asked what she thought was the key to her long and highly successful career. Her reply was ‘ Well I’ve never quit trying & I’ve never tried quitting.’

Discography

Martyn Wyndham-Read

Beneath the Southern Sky - Fellside Recordings FECD 115

Beyond the Red Horizon - Fellside Recordings FECD 146

Maypoles to Mistletoe - Country Branch CBCD 091

Where Ravens Feed - Fellside Recordings FECD 157

Songlinks - Fellside Recordings FECD 176D (double album)

Songlinks 2 Fellside recordings FECD 190D (double album)

Oceans in the Sky - Fellside recordings FECD 197

Stuart Coupe

Heart : Wood : Song - Arrancourt Music Publishing

Anemo

Slow Burn - City Canyons Records

Shirley Collins

Within Sound - Fledg'ling NEST 5001 (box set)

The Other Band

Food - Country Branch CBCD 202

Julie Roberts

States of Mind - Saxon Media XSM 001

Threewheeler

Listen to Yourself - Threewheeler Music


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