Widgeon
The Passion of Texas Blues, The Energy of Rock, and Just a little bit funky...
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Feels So Good Feels So Good
This is a moody rock piece about holding on when you know you shouldn't.
Song for Ches Song for Ches
This song is a Tribute to the late, great Chesley Millikin.
Show all (8)
Widgeon Holland -
The Passion of Texas Blues
The Energy of Rock
and
Just a little bit funky...Band/artist history
Widgeon Holland began to sing before he could talk. When he turned 13, his father, a bass player for many music legends including Willie Nelson, taught Widgeon three chords and the opening lick to Johnny Be Goode. One month later he won first place at his school talent show and soon began to play regular gigs at many of the bars and clubs in his hometown of Austin, Texas.
So it would come as little surprise that just a few years later Widgeon, now 17 embarked on a meteoric rise to international acclaim, having come under the tutelage of legendary music business executive Chesley Millikin. Irish born Millikin was the first head of Epic Records in London. He is also known for his associations with The Rolling Stones and The Grateful Dead among others, but he is best known as the man who led Stevie Ray Vaughan to stardom after seeing him play The Steamboat Club in Austin, Tx, the same club where he discovered Widgeon.
After touring extensively throughout America, Canada and Europe where he has won rave reviews from the press, Widgeon has gone on to play with the likes of Rolling Stones guitarist Ron Woods, whose Irish studio he used to record his first album Sex and Vampires. (The first single Sex Junkie hit #4 on one European chart).
Widgeon has also taken to the stage or been in the studio with various members of bands such as The Animals, The Faces, Sly and The Family Stone, The Ray Charles Band, George Clinton and The P-Funk All Stars, Journey, Hothouse Flowers, The Commitments, The Sofas, Crush, Ben Prevo, Mary Stokes and The International Blues Band. Not to mention being the hired guitar slinger for Long John Baldry on his 1997 Australian tour.
Widgeon has also proven to be a favourite on the festival circuit, playing The Guinness Blues Festival, The Blackstairs Blues Festival, The Clifden Arts Festival and The Guinness Blues on the Bay Festival last year alone. Since he first visited Ireland 6 years ago, Widgeon has played in many of Dublins finest venues including The Olympia, The Gaiety, The Temple Bar Music Centre, Whelans, The Baggot Inn, Slatterys, Bruxelles, The Porter House, The Red Box, Eamonn Dorans and JJ Smyths to name but a few.Have you performed in front of an audience?I play live all over the world.
Your musical influences
The Passion of Texas Blues
The Energy of Rock
and
Just a little bit funky...Widgeon's music cuts across many boundaries from Hendrix to the Beatles. He plays his own brand of rock'n'roll which appeals to all ages and audiences. His talent, hunger and unique blend of the many facets of Texas' rich musical history renders him a force to be reckoned with, now and in the years to come."What equipment do you use?
I use a Fender Strat and a Gibson Les Paul.Anything else?
Here are some things people have to say about Widgeon Holland.
Widgeon Holland sounds like he has a "long and successful career ahead of him."
- Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia, after hearing Widgeon's first tape.
AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN (Texas): "Where a blues master such as B.B.King makes love to his guitar, Widgeon's approach to his instrument is more like a slam-bam case of raging hormones... He's a natural showman, with an aggressive command of a crowd and a stage... If they gave bonus points for cocksureness, Widgeon would long ago have gone to the head of the class."
- Don McLeese reviewing a 1994 Texas performance
BEAT MAGAZINE (Oslo, Norway): "There are times when a sensational youngster from Austin has to come all the way to Oslo to come out from under the shadow of a Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Johnson, or for example Ian Moore. Widgeon is already very much into his own style - and at the same time growing fast musically. Widgeon went berserk in his rude, sexy songs, sending wild unnatural sounds from his guitar. And when Widgeon turned up the cosmic sounds and volume of Hendrix's Third Stone From The Sun , people started to wonder how it is possible that a prodigy like this is practically totally unknown."
- Oyvand Pharo reviewing Widgeon's debut at the Oslo Jazz Festival
ACOUSTIC GUITAR MAGAZINE (USA): "If you were to stick a big ol' git box in the hands of such rising new Austin blues - rock guitar stars as Ian Moore, Chris Duarte, Widgeon Holland, or even the teenage 'Guitar Jake' Andrews, I'm sure they could all show you some special licks.
EDMONTON SUN(Canada): "He's as hot a soloist as they come. Flashing his boy-next-door grin to the women in the audience at every opportunity, Holland is dead serious on guitar. Framing arrangements to give liberal space for solos, the guitarist digs in with a vengeance. Stretching his workouts over long sections without ever getting boring, he always seems able to find a higher energy level to kick into. Seriously, the guy is amazing."
- Mike Ross reviewing a 1995 club performance
THE WHISTLER NEWS(Canada): "A hot young talent out of Texas who plays like a demon spawn of Hendrix and Billy Gibbons."
IRISH INDEPENDENT(Ireland): "One of the finds of the Guinness Blues Fest."
- Dermott Hayes reviewing Widgeon's festival debut opening for Robben Ford
SUNDAY MIRROR(Ireland): "Texan Widgeon, the find of the recent Guinness Blues Festival, plays on in Ireland. The new prince of rhythm and blues picks guitar to match Jimi Hendrix. His music may be rooted in rock and roll but Widgeon has a wicked sense of humour. He is likely to smuggle a few bars from the Flintstones theme while blasting out Hey Joe. He drops in other soap tunes and nursery rhymes to keep his audience on their toes."
WEST AUSTRALIAN(Australia): "An advantage of having history behind you means young musicians are eager to climb on board, and Baldry's batch of hot shots on this tour probably could not be bettered when it comes to delivering the hot and cool shades of rock and the blues. His band is led by guitarist Widgeon Holland, whose licks and searing solos distill rock history into a single instrument."
- Ron Banks reviewing 1997 Long John Baldry show featuring Widgeon
IRISH EVENING PRESS(Ireland): "It's only when you hear Widgeon Holland talk about the time he got to jam with a Rolling Stone that you realize he's still a teenager. All the awestruck wonder of youth shines through. When you listen to him play you'd swear he was twice that age."
- Review of Widgeon's first European appearances at age 19
"Perhaps the hottest young guitarist on the San Francisco rock scene today. Widgeon's music cuts across many boundaries from Hendrix to the Beatles. He plays his own brand of rock'n'roll which appeals to all ages and audiences. His talent, hunger and unique blend of the many facets of Texas' rich musical history renders him a force to be reckoned with, now and in the years to come."
- Marin Summer Music Fest (California) reviewContact
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Comments (12)
Great song from this Texas rocker.
Song sounds familiar.
Hey Widgeon, Great music! Scary thought that we have to go up against you on the charts! Think you are great anyway, and best of luck to you. Laura Jenney, Mindsweep Entertainment & Promotions and The Van Gillis Band.
whats up this is will with urban culture magazine in las vegas check out page to see what pop'n in vegas thanks...
we're now http://www.soundclick.com/coldjoe on here. do u have a profile on myspace widge? if u do, add us, we're http://www.myspace.com/40855390
yo widge... just downloadin a cupla d ould songs again seein as i wiped me pc a few months ago. feel free to have a listen to our stuff on here & give us a bit of feedback on em. see ya at a gig in dublin sometime soon! marc
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