Matt Wickstrom
Matt Wickstrom is a freelance journalist based at the foothills of Appalachia in Waco, Kentucky. His passion for the music of Tyler Childers, Kelsey Waldon and other acts from his home state is only rivaled by his love of mountain drives, auto racing, University of Kentucky basketball and a good bourbon (on the rocks).
LIVE REVIEW•Review: Railbird Festival
Railbird’s merging of top shelf music, bourbon and horse racing culture helped to create an event that was uniquely Kentucky in every way imaginable.
INTERVIEW•Introducing: Abby Hamilton
A modern-day country queen slinging bourbons at The Burl one night and lighting up its stage with her songs the next, Abby Hamilton is a force to be reckoned with.
INTERVIEW•Introducing: Sierra Ferrell
While prepping for a run of west coast shows, Ferrell caught up to discuss all things Long Time Coming, busking, Billy Strings, overcoming her anxieties and more. But before all of that, we started with food – a certain West Virginia institution in particular.
STAFF PICKS•Marcus King - Young Blood
Marcus King channels the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Grand Funk Railroad and Black Sabbath on Young Blood, the South Carolinian’s most polished and boisterous album to date.
ALBUM REVIEW•Brother Smith - La Sinfonía del Vaquero Suburbano
Dynamic vocals paired with a sonic landscape traversing everything from country to funk, soul, bluegrass, jazz, rock’n roll and more.
INTERVIEW•Introducing: Brit Taylor
Calling from a front porch swing on her Mt. Juliet, Tennessee farm with dog Whiskey by her side, Taylor candidly reflected on everything from using nature as inspiration to working on your own terms, while discussing the long and difficult road to releasing Real Me.
INTERVIEW•One Hot Minute: Joy Oladokun
Oladokun talks candidly about learning to open up during co-writes, how meditation and nature have kept her grounded and being an inspiration to others as a queer Black woman.
INTERVIEW•Home Sweet Home: The Panhandlers
The Panhandlers speak to Holler about the influence of West Texas, their favorite places to visit there and the significance of the iconic Billy Bob’s.
INTERVIEW•My Essentials: Arlo McKinley
As we sit down to mull over the five essentials he couldn’t live without, Arlo McKinley shares what kept him going through a period of self-doubt and what continues to bring him comfort in both music and life.
INTERVIEW•Introducing: Emily Scott Robinson
A truly nurturing soul, Telluride, Colorado-based songwriter Emily Scott Robinson has mastered the art of using music as a means of healing.
ESSENTIALS•The Best Tyler Childers Songs
To celebrate his stellar discography and ponder what’s to come, Holler has compiled a list of some - but certainly not all - of the best Tyler Childers songs.
INTERVIEW•Home Sweet Home: Town Mountain
Sitting down in his Asheville home during a break from touring, Langlais and Greer spoke over the phone about their go-to spots in the bustling and artsy mountain town, in the latest instalment of Holler’s Home Sweet Home.
LIVE REVIEW•Jade Bird at The Burl in Lexington, KY
It may have been billed as an intimate evening of acoustic music, but at their show at The Burl in Lexington, Kentucky, vocal powerhouses Jade Bird and Savannah Conley certainly filled the instrumental void (and then some).
INTERVIEW•Home Sweet Home: The Local Honeys
The Local Honeys sit down to talk about their home state, revealing some of their favorite places in Central Kentucky.
ALBUM REVIEW•The Wooks - Flyin' High
The Wooks pay homage to bluegrass tradition while pushing the boundaries of the genre on their third studio album, Flyin’ High.
INTERVIEW•Cuts The Deepest: Lilly Hiatt
Lilly Hiatt catches up with Holler to discuss the music and albums most dear to her heart for Cuts The Deepest.
INTERVIEW•In Conversation: Jade Bird
As she tucks into a cherry bagel, cup of tea and chocolate orange, Jade Bird discusses her new album Different Kinds of Light, her transition to moving to the USA and why acoustic performance allows her to express herself with total honesty.
INTERVIEW•The Songs That Changed My Life: Gabe Lee
Gabe Lee is the embodiment of the American Dream. He joined Holler to discuss his melting pot of inspirational influences; the music that made him the artist he is today.
LONG READ•Rissi Palmer's Color Me Country: Championing Change
“Platforms like Color Me Country have completely changed the game in country music. The work that it's doing for Black, Indigenous and other artists of color is incredible".
ALBUM REVIEW•Yonder Mountain String Band - Get Yourself Outside
As they start this latest chapter on their musical journey, Yonder Mountain String Band have proven that even after 25 years they’re still open to innovating and pushing boundaries.
INTERVIEW•Who The F*** is Think I'll Just Stay Here and Meme?
Electrician by day, meme king by night. That’s the Clark Kent / Superman dynamic portrayed by Jonathan Oost, a lifelong native of Owensboro, Kentucky and the brains behind Think I’ll Just Stay Here And Meme.
INTERVIEW•The Songs That Changed My Life: The Wilder Blue
“Music is like a glue that seeps in between us all and helps us to realize how much we all have in common"
INTRODUCING•New Artist of the Week: Sam Filiatreau
Sam Filiatreau's self-deprecating new single 'Wrecking Ball' showcases his quirky lyricism.
INTRODUCING•New Artist of The Week: Eric Bolander
Kentucky singer-songwriter Eric Bolander has no problem cutting straight to the cold, hard truth in the soul-stirring country ballads he spins.
INTERVIEW•Home Sweet Home: 49 Winchester
Calling in from a quick stint back home before heading back out on tour, frontman Isaac Gibson picks out a handful of his favorite spots in Castlewood, Russell County and Southwest Virginia that he swears by.
LONG READ•Oh Boy Records: The Spirit of Independence
John Prine's Oh Boy Records has always been - and always will be - all about the song; creating a space for songwriters and storytelling to flourish.
INTERVIEW•Introducing: Grayson Jenkins
Holler catch up with Jenkins to discuss some of the inspiration behind Turning Tides, his serendipitous encounter with Sturgill Simpson and reflecting on how he’s grown since opting to pursue music full-time.
INTERVIEW•Introducing: Leah Blevins
Chatting outside an East Nashville coffee shop, Leah Blevins discusses the long road to First Time Feeling, imposter syndrome, Appalachian stereotypes, adjusting to city life and more.
INTERVIEW•In Conversation: Blackberry Smoke
Charlie Starr discusses working with Dave Cobb, the cultural misconceptions highlighted within You Hear Georgia and how he makes sense of genre classifications.
INTERVIEW•One Hot Minute: Kelsey Waldon
Oh Boy Records artist Kelsey Waldon talks with Holler about her artistic bond with John Prine, finding her way in Nashville and more for Introducing.
OPINION•Preview: 10 Artists to see at Railbird Festival 2021
Our top artist recommendations for a weekend of great live music at Railbird Festival in Kentucky!
INTERVIEW•In Conversation: Mike and the Moonpies
Mike Harmeier caught up with Holler to discuss the concept of the working man, paternal influence, the band’s dancehall roots and more.
ESSENTIALS•The Best Nikki Lane Songs
A modern outlaw who can out smoke, out drink and out sing the best of ‘em, Nikki Lane has been turning heads and breaking hearts with her music for over a decade.
INTERVIEW•Introducing: John R. Miller
Ahead of the release of Depreciated, we spoke with Miller about linking up with Rounder Records, chance musical encounters and his West Virginia roots.
INTERVIEW•Introducing: Bendigo Fletcher
Folk-rock melodies, a thunderous howl and wide-eyed performances - Bendigo Fletcher are Elektra Record's next best thing. Their frontman Ryan Anderson caught up with Holler to talk about the group's new album, 'Fits of Laughter'.
ESSENTIALS•The Best American Aquarium Songs
With ten studio albums under their belt, the band’s blend of country rock, forthright songwriting and blue collar-mentality has earned them a devout legion of fans far and wide.
LIVE REVIEW•Katie Pruitt and S.G. Goodman Live At The Burl, KY
For many music lovers in Central Kentucky, the Burl is a home away from home, so to get to step foot back inside and lay eyes on the glowing stain glass behind the stage is nothing short of magical.
INTERVIEW•In Conversation: American Aquarium
Holler recently caught up with Barham to discuss NASCAR, working toward a better south, 90s country, the long road to Lamentations and more.
ALBUM REVIEW•Eric Bolander - Can't Get There From Here
While Bolander’s humility shines throughout Can’t Get There From Here, what’s also evident is his blossoming talent.
ALBUM REVIEW•Billy Strings - Renewal
Renewal is Billy Strings’ Sistine Chapel; his grandest work to date that’s sure to cast a wide net of influence over bluegrass music for years to come.
ALBUM REVIEW•Cristina Vane - Nowhere Sounds Lovely
Leaning heavily on old school rock and pre-war blues, Vane’s songwriting also explores paths of gospel, bluegrass, delta blues, country and even waltzes, resulting in a record that resembles a patchwork quilt of influences, both old and new.
INTERVIEW•East Bound and Down: Country Music and Trucking
“As long as there’s country music, as long as there’s backroads, there will always be truck songs."
INTERVIEW•Introducing: Great Peacock
Led by longtime friends and musical collaborators Andrew Nelson and Blount Floyd, Great Peacock have been carving out folky, southern rock ballads for close to a decade.
STAFF PICKS•Tyler Childers - Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven?
Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven? is proof that artists like Childers should never be pigeon-holed; they can bring to life anything they set their minds to with flawless execution.