Lonnie Holley (born Lonnie Bradley Holley in Birmingham, Alabama, on 10 February 1950) (sometimes known as the Sand Man) is an American artist, art educator, and musician. He is best known for his assemblages and immersive environments made of found materials. In 2012, he released his debut album "Just Before Music".
Holley was born the seventh of 27 children. From the age of five, Holley worked various jobs: picking up trash at a drive-in movie theatre, washing dishes, and cooking. He lived in a whiskey house, on the state fairgrounds, and in several foster homes. His early life was chaotic and Holley was never afforded the pleasure of a real childhood. Since 1979, Holley has devoted his life to the practice of improvisational creativity. His art and music, born out of struggle, hardship, but perhaps more importantly, out of furious curiosity and biological necessity, has manifested itself in drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, performance, and sound.
Holley's professional music career began in 2006 when he made improvisational vocal recordings, at the urging of Matt Arnett (son of William Arnett), in an Alabama church using just a keyboard and a microphone. In 2012, he released his debut album "Just Before Music" on the Dust-to-Digital label, followed by "Keeping a Record of It" the following year. In September 2018, he released his third album MITH on Jagjaguwar. In April 2021, Holley released a collaboration album with Matthew E. White titled Broken Mirror: A Selfie Reflection.
Holley did not start making and performing music in a studio nor does his creative process mirror that of the typical musician. His music and lyrics are improvised on the spot and morph and evolve with every event, concert, and recording.
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