Rick Holmstrom

Early life

Rick Holmstrom was born in Fairbanks, Alaska, United States, one of three children and the only son of Larry and Diane Holmstrom. His paternal grandfather, Francis O. Holmstrom, was a native of Everett, Washington, who moved to Fairbanks during the early part of the middle 20th century, and owned a jewelry store in downtown Fairbanks for many years. Holmstrom grew up in Fairbanks, where his father worked as a broadcaster and broadcasting executive, and also headed the Fairbanks office of the Governor of Alaska under governor Jay Hammond.

Music career After relocating to Southern California, and while attending college in Redlands, California, Holmstrom joined a local blues group. Holmstrom also went to blues concerts, where he played guitar with Smokey Wilson and Junior Watson. Later joining forces with Johnny Dyer, Holmstrom played on his albums, Listen Up (1994) and Shake It! (1995). He moved on to join Rod Piazza's backing group, the Mighty Flyers and, in 1996, released his first solo album, Lookout! on Black Top Records.

However, Holmstrom continued to perform with Piazza, and help him record Tough and Tender (1997). By 2000, Holmstrom's second solo effort, Gonna Get Wild was released on Tone-Cool Records, and he stayed long enough with Piazza's backing ensemble to participate on Beyond the Source (2001). Holmstrom's next release, Hydraulic Groove (2002) is one of his most daring efforts, where he used loops and samples, and incorporated elements of acid jazz/nu-jazz, funk and trip hop to his blues, featuring guest performances by John Medeski and DJ Logic. They appear on her 2008 album, Live: Hope at the Hideout, her 2010 Grammy Award-winning album, You Are Not Alone, and her 2017 album, If All I Was Was Black.

Staples, in turn, appeared on Holmstrom's 2012 album, Cruel Sunrise.

Discography Year Title Record label 1996 Lookout! Black Top 2000 Gonna Get Wild Tone-Cool 2002 Hydraulic Groove Tone-Cool 2006 Live at the Cafe Boogaloo Tone-Cool 2007 Late in the Night M.C. Records 2012 Cruel Sunrise M.C. Records 2021 See That Light LuEllie Records 2022 Get It! LuEllie Records