Widgeon Holland
Press Page
Widgeon has been interviewed and reviewed by many newspapers and magazines all over the world including The New York Daily Times, The LA Daily News, Acoustic Guitar Magazine, Texas Monthly, The Austin American Statesman, The Austin Chronicle, The Irish Independent and Beat Magazine. Of course, he has also been on the cover of Gitaar Plus Magazine in Holland.
“What They Say About Widgeon”
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
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
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
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
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.”
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
“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) review
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