Charleston rock ‘n’ roll ensemble Hollifield rolls out amiable, cozy small town tunes on its eponymous debut EP. The trio is composed of the group’s namesake, guitarist Connor Hollifield, along with bassist Tommy Merritt and drummer Drew Lewis.
Establishing this musical alliance was very intentional, Hollifield told the Charleston City Paper, and the result of much soul-searching on his part.
“A big shift in my life had happened when the [previous] band I was in throughout college with my best friends decided to split up,” Hollifield said. “This prompted some big questions like, ‘What makes me happy?’ and ‘What message do I want to share with people?’ ”
Lewis, who has known Hollifield since childhood and later became friends with Merritt while attending the University of South Carolina, said that it just made sense for such like-minded musicians to join forces, which eventually happened in the autumn of 2021.
It certainly helped, Lewis added, that they had each been working separately from the same cultural reference points. “I’d say we all draw the most influence from the songwriting of The Beatles and Bob Dylan combined with the spontaneous and sensitive music of artists like Jimi Hendrix and The Band,” he said.
For these Charleston-based practitioners, the first Susto record was also “a great high water mark” according to Lewis, and an example of the sort of definitive statement that could be made right here at home. Hollifield’s record echoes the sounds of all of these forebearers with its own stripped back sincerity.
Tracks such as “Let it Grow” and “Fishcamp” show an unguarded, reflective side. On “Fishcamp,” Hollifield sings: “Isn’t it strange how / people we change and / just like that we go back again.” While the songs “Come Up” and “Queen Bellevue” are percussion heavy pick-me-ups.
“This collection of songs is our thank you to this ever-changing life,” Hollifield said. “The message we hope to get to people is to be who you are and let your light shine.”
Lewis said the group plans to take these tunes out on the road. “We are looking at booking a tour later this year,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll be traveling up the East Coast, maybe hitting New York City.”
For now, Hollifield can be frequently found holding court and dreaming big at The Royal American downtown — the trio’s self-professed “home.” And for Merritt at least, that’s not such a bad position to be in.
“Success is getting to do it your way,” Merritt said. “Not ignoring everyone else, but writing music the way you want to, and getting in front of people who resonate with that. The music industry is crazy, but then again, everything’s a bit crazy.”
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