Meet Heidi Holton | Guitar slinger, blues singer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Heidi Holton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Heidi, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
The music industry has this beautiful image of the “rock star,” who parties all night and rambles from town to town without a care in the world. And I wish it was true. The reality is SO different. I was fortunate to connect with mentors early on, who had been there and back, and stressed the importance of physical/mental/spiritual well being and having a solid vision and business plan. You are much more likely to see me making a green juice and doing yoga than drinking shots of whiskey and staggering home at 3 am. Career longevity is a priority for me.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m an acoustic blues artist from western North Carolina. My passion is pre-war blues: both preserving and interpreting the genre and keeping it alive by stretching the boundaries of where I can take it. I’ve been a musician and songwriter for as long as I can remember – it’s so much a part of me that it’s hard to know where the line between my personal and professional life ends. I’m writing my autobiography in front of an audience as I go along, so you really do get a back stage pass to my entire existence. A creative lifestyle feels easy to me, because it’s familiar, but of course there are challenges to any life path. It’s a daily practice to manage rejections and disappointments while keeping the big picture in focus. There has never been a time that the sacrifices I make outweigh the joy of following my calling.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I draw so much inspiration from art and literature – so we would start off with a stroll through the High Museum of Art, lingering at the Shaheen Collection of French Art. Your Dekalb Farmers Market is an essential lunch spot and the perfect opportunity to stock up on some fancy cheeses, artisan bread, and seasonal fruit. Of course we will have dinner at the Shakespeare Tavern while watching A Mid Summer Night’s Dream. A lot of visitors don’t realize how close Atlanta is to nature – there are some breathtakingly beautiful spots, both in the city and within a short drive. So we would pack up a little picnic with our farmer’s market goodies and head up to Amnicola Falls. After a nice lunch and waterfall hike, Cartecay Vineyards is the perfect place to relax with live music and a glass of wine.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Huge shout out to my incredible family (and my family of friends), who breathe life, and encouragement, into my soul.

Website: https://heidiholton.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heidirholton

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE4CTjE4oAiVvUejVd5kiaQ

Image Credits
Jeff Fasano Nathan Baerreis