Hollies | Artist

The Hollies are a British rock group formed 1962 in Salford, Manchester, by Allan Clarke (vocals), Graham Nash (guitar, vocals), Eric Haydock (bass), Vick Farrell (guitar) and Don Rathbone (drums). Tony Hicks (guitar, banjo, sitar, vocals) and Bobby Elliot (drums) replaced Farrell and Rathbone in 1963. The band is best known for their pioneering and distinctive three-part vocal harmony style and string of melodic psych-pop hit singles throughout the '60s and '70s. They are also famous for being the launch pad for Graham Nash before he went to America to become part of Crosby, Still & Nash, then Crosby, Still, Nash & Young. The Hollies became one of the leading British groups of the 1960s and into the mid 1970s, and from the outset they were heralded as being on par with the Beatles. In fact, like The Beatles, The Hollies were discovered while performing at The Cavern club in Liverpool, and soon signed to Parlophone Records. It's fair to say that The Hollies were a more successful with their Singles than with albums, which, apart from several standouts, tend to be patchy affairs. Their run of hit singles included classics such as "Look Through Any Window", "Bus Stop", "On a Carousel", "Carrie Anne", "King Midas in Reverse", "Jennifer Eccles", "Sorry Suzanne", "He Aint Heavy.. he's my Brother" and "The Air That I Breathe". The superb songwriting of Clarke, Nash and Hicks was carried by their distinctive vocal harmonies and often enveloped in baroque pop production layers redolent with strings, horns, sitars, etc. Between 1964-2009 the band released 26 studio albums, standouts include the earlier works Would You Believe?, For Certain Because..., Evolution and Butterfly. The 1973 compilation The Hollies' Greatest Hits is also highly recommended. Graham Nash left the band in 1968 to relocate to the USA, and the band's sound was never quite the same, however they did continue to release many excellent singles, penned by Allan Clarke and Tony Hicks, who still carries on The Hollies name.

Artist Website: theholliesofficial.com

Featured Albums: Hollies

Related Artists: Graham Nash, Allan Clarke

Video Clips: Hey Carrie Anne, Bus Stop, On a Carousel