By Darrell Johnson
Hometown News
Indialantic -
Singer/songwriter Ken Holt's philosophy of life has evolved over the years, but it's always been about music.
"I believe if you have an eye on the road, another eye on God and your tongue in your cheek, it's likely to come out country," he wrote recently.
Mr. Holt has released two CDs, both recorded in his own studio in his garage.
He started in 2003 with "Shouting Stones," and the latest, "Eyes Wide Open," was released last year.
He performs the lead vocal, harmony and instrumental tracks himself, then blends the final CD.
"Steve Dore, a friend in California, did the piano on some of the songs," he said. "I sent him (my recording), and he played the piano part and sent it back as an electronic sound file in wave format."
Mr. Holt's style is often Christian-based and always upbeat and positive.
He grew up in Jacksonville and studied political science in college.
"It was '69, '70, '71, and there was a lot of interest in politics," he said. "I was one of those idealistic hippie kids, one of those kids who wanted to impact the world in some way and thought politics was the way to do that."
After graduating, he moved to Kennebunkport, Maine, and helped form a band called "The Blend."
For 10 years, the group played at ski resorts and colleges, appearing in Kennebunkport during the summers and in the Mount Washington Valley in New Hampshire in the winters.
"For a regional band in New England, we were very successful," Mr. Holt said. "We had a contract with MCA records, toured the country, played with The Who at Boston Garden, played with ZZ Top, had a couple of songs in the Billboard Top 100. We were New England's version of Southern Rock."
Eventually, that old "What's next?" question prompted him to go back to graduate school, and a pastor friend suggested a Christian college in Virginia.
"I decided that was what God wanted me to do," Mr. Holt said. "I wrote a song driving up to Richmond, and I carried my guitar and introduced myself like, 'I'm Ken, and this is what I am.'"
From that point on, whenever someone needed a leader for a sing-along or music at a chapel or a conference, he was the choice, he said.
He later attended seminary, once more becoming the person who greeted incoming students with an eye toward forming a new band.
"(At my first church as a pastor), I got a bunch of kids together and taught them three chords," he said. "We had all those kids up there in the fellowship hall, along with drums, playing 'Johnnie Be Good,' and the congregation was going, 'Oh, my God, who have we hired?'"
Mr. Holt developed the habit of reaching for his guitar in the middle of a sermon to help make his point.
"It would prompt people to think, or wake up, or whatever the case may be," he said.
Having pastored four churches since 1989, the last being First Presbyterian in Palm Bay, he has moved on to working part-time as the praise band leader at Pineda Presbyterian Church.
He is trying to establish himself as a performing solo artist again.
He's had the most success working with faith-based organizations that help people in need.
"I haven't been successful getting booked at 'Joe's Bar and Grill,'" he said. "There's nothing wrong with 'Joes Bar and Grill,' but my music just doesn't fit into that setting. I don't play Jimmy Buffett."
Mr. Holt has played in some volunteer settings, such as the cold night homeless shelter in Melbourne and Resurrection Ranch (a Melbourne-based crisis center for families), and people who listen always want to hear more, he said.
"They're not paying gigs, but they're the kind of gigs I come out of saying, 'That was really cool,'" he said. "I'd like to get back into singing at churches and conferences again, especially with kids."
He said he feels like that's where God wants him to be anyway.
Ken Holt's CDs can be ordered at
www.kenholtmusic.com.
The site includes links that will enable people to listen to songs or download the albums.
For information, or to book Mr. Holt for an event, call (321) 727-9771.
Contact Darrell Johnson at (407) 592-3425 or Johnson@hometownnewsol.com.