Delores Holmes
Encyclopedia
Delores Holmes was an American soul
singer. She was best known for her years as backup singer for the Bruce Springsteen
Band during 1969 to 1972, the last grouping before the E Street Band
. The Bruce Springsteen Band included David Sancious
, Vini Lopez
, Garry Tallent
and Steven Van Zandt
, among others.
, Holmes grew up singing in a gospel
family. Later the Jersey Shore
singer performed with choirs and girl groups. In the 1960s and the 1970s, she performed with a number of rock bands, including Hot Ice, with fellow Springsteen back-up singer Barbara Dinkins. She sang with a number of Shore bands and was also a member of Gabrielle Roth
's group, The Mirrors, for several years. Holmes also recorded or performed backgrounds for many artists and producers, including Garry Tallent
, Danny Federici
, Bill Chinnock
, Neal Coty
, Steve Delopoulos of Burlap to Cashmere
and Fernando Saunders of Lou Reed
's Band.
Holmes auditioned for the Bruce Springsteen Band through a newspaper advertisement asking for singers with a "gospel sound". She spent several years performing and touring the Eastern Seaboard with the band, including a concert at the University of Virginia, and the Jersey Shore's own Brookdale College, The Student Prince, Sunshine Inn, among others.
In 2001, she appeared on the internationally-televised Tribute to Heroes 9/11 telethon as a backup singer for Springsteen with Clarence Clemons
,
Little Steven, Patti Scialfa
, Soozie Tyrell
and Lisa Lowell. She would later perform at New York's Beacon Theatre with Phoebe Snow, Beth Nielsen Chapman
, and Bar Scott in a concert to honor rescue workers.
Holmes formed a soul music
group with her daughter, Layonne Holmes, called Rain, while continuing to perform and record with local bands. She was also a member of Holiday Express, a charity group of local New Jersey shore musicians and volunteers.
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
singer. She was best known for her years as backup singer for the Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
Band during 1969 to 1972, the last grouping before the E Street Band
E Street Band
The E Street Band has been rock musician Bruce Springsteen's primary backing band since 1972.The band has also recorded with a wide range of other artists including Bob Dylan, Meat Loaf, Bonnie Tyler, Air Supply, Dire Straits, David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Stevie Nicks, Tom Morello, Sting, Ian...
. The Bruce Springsteen Band included David Sancious
David Sancious
David Sancious is an American musician. He was an early member of Bruce Springsteen's backing group, the E Street Band, and contributed to the first three Springsteen albums, and again on the 1992 album Human Touch. Sancious is a multi-instrumentalist but is best known as a keyboard player and...
, Vini Lopez
Vini Lopez
Vini "Mad Dog" Lopez is an American drummer. Between 1968 and 1974 Lopez backed Bruce Springsteen in several bands, including Steel Mill and the E Street Band. He also played on Springsteen’s first two albums, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. and The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle...
, Garry Tallent
Garry Tallent
Garry Wayne Tallent , sometimes billed as Garry W. Tallent, is an American musician and record producer, best known for being the longtime bass player in Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band....
and Steven Van Zandt
Steven Van Zandt
Steven Van Zandt is an Italian-American musician, songwriter, arranger, record producer, actor, and radio disc jockey, who frequently goes by the stage names Little Steven or Miami Steve...
, among others.
Biography
From Matawan, New JerseyMatawan, New Jersey
Matawan is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,810. The name "Matawan" comes from a Native American Lenape word....
, Holmes grew up singing in a gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
family. Later the Jersey Shore
Jersey Shore sound
The Jersey Shore sound is a genre of rock and roll popularized at the Jersey Shore on the Atlantic Ocean coast of New Jersey, United States, that goes by a variety of names or, more often, is defined by its artists...
singer performed with choirs and girl groups. In the 1960s and the 1970s, she performed with a number of rock bands, including Hot Ice, with fellow Springsteen back-up singer Barbara Dinkins. She sang with a number of Shore bands and was also a member of Gabrielle Roth
Gabrielle Roth
Gabrielle Roth is a musician, author, music director, dancer, philosopher and recording artist in the world music and trance dance genres, with a special interest in shamanism. Known as the "urban shaman", she is music director of the theatre company The Mirrors and has been a member of the...
's group, The Mirrors, for several years. Holmes also recorded or performed backgrounds for many artists and producers, including Garry Tallent
Garry Tallent
Garry Wayne Tallent , sometimes billed as Garry W. Tallent, is an American musician and record producer, best known for being the longtime bass player in Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band....
, Danny Federici
Danny Federici
Daniel Paul "Danny" Federici was an American musician, best known as the longtime organ, glockenspiel, and accordion player for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.- Career :...
, Bill Chinnock
Bill Chinnock
Bill Chinnock , also referred to as Billy Chinnock, was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. Born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, he was a prominent member of the Jersey Shore music scene during the late 1960s, leading bands that included future members of the E Street Band...
, Neal Coty
Neal Coty
Neal Lee Coty is an American country music artist. A musician from an early age, Coty has recorded two studio albums, both on divisions of Mercury Records...
, Steve Delopoulos of Burlap to Cashmere
Burlap To Cashmere
Burlap to Cashmere is a contemporary Christian world music band formed in the 1990s by John Philippidis and Steven Delopoulos. Their music draws heavily on folk and world music influences, especially Greek folk music.-Background:...
and Fernando Saunders of Lou Reed
Lou Reed
Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
's Band.
Holmes auditioned for the Bruce Springsteen Band through a newspaper advertisement asking for singers with a "gospel sound". She spent several years performing and touring the Eastern Seaboard with the band, including a concert at the University of Virginia, and the Jersey Shore's own Brookdale College, The Student Prince, Sunshine Inn, among others.
In 2001, she appeared on the internationally-televised Tribute to Heroes 9/11 telethon as a backup singer for Springsteen with Clarence Clemons
Clarence Clemons
Clarence Anicholas Clemons, Jr. , also known as The Big Man, was an American musician and actor. From 1972 until his death, he was a prominent member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, playing the tenor saxophone. He released several solo albums and in 1985, had a hit single with "You're a...
,
Little Steven, Patti Scialfa
Patti Scialfa
Vivienne Patricia "Patti" Scialfa is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. She is married to Bruce Springsteen and they have three children.- Early life :...
, Soozie Tyrell
Soozie Tyrell
Soozie Tyrell, , formerly known as Soozie Kirschner, is an American violinist and vocalist, most known for her work with Bruce Springsteen in the E Street Band.-Biography:...
and Lisa Lowell. She would later perform at New York's Beacon Theatre with Phoebe Snow, Beth Nielsen Chapman
Beth Nielsen Chapman
Beth Nielsen Chapman is an American singer-songwriter, mostly known for her numerous hits recorded by country and pop music performers.-Early history:...
, and Bar Scott in a concert to honor rescue workers.
Holmes formed a soul music
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
group with her daughter, Layonne Holmes, called Rain, while continuing to perform and record with local bands. She was also a member of Holiday Express, a charity group of local New Jersey shore musicians and volunteers.