How many people can say that they have sung and performed more than 6,000 shows before more than 2 million people?  Holly Norman can.  For the past decade, Holly’s life has revolved around singing, songwriting, and entertaining crowds.  With a voice that is pure country, smooth, and takes you back to the days of traditional country crooners like Tammy Wynnette and Patsy Cline, Holly draws you in.  Her songwriting is emotional and appealing with songs about real people, real subjects, and real emotions that create a common thread among people.  The first chapter of Holly’s story does not begin like most.  Holly is not one of those singers that has been singing since she could talk, but when she opens her mouth and the words come out it is obvious that singing is what she was born to do. 

 

Holly grew up in Powell, Tennessee; a small town outside of Knoxville near areas rich with country roots and talent such as Archie Campbell, Don Gibson, Dolly Parton, and Roy Acuff.  Although Holly grew up surrounded by country music, it wasn’t until college that she decided to give singing a try and let her voice be heard.  

Holly’s country roots extend back to her grandfather Bill Norman.  Bill was a fellow fiddle player who became a close personal friend of Roy Acuff.  Together he and Roy formed a band and played all around Knoxville and surrounding areas.  Roy offered Bill the chance to go to Nashville with him and play, but Bill declined and gave up that dream to stay in Powell and raise his family.  Her grandfather’s love of music and the dream he never realized with Roy would later lead Holly to write a song about him entitled “Papaw.”  Her Uncle W.A. was also a musician and singer who traveled throughout the southeast entertaining.  W.A. saw a spark in Holly and helped develop her musical talents.

 

Even though Holly didn’t begin singing until college, she was no stranger to performing and entertaining large crowds.  Holly spent her childhood twirling the baton and reached her greatest twirling achievement when she was named the featured twirler for the University of Tennessee Pride of the Southland Marching Band.  For five years every fall Saturday Holly twirled before more than 100,000 football fans.  This was the first stepping stone in performing that would prepare her for the next chapter in her life.  It was during college that Holly finally revealed her singing and songwriting talents and began traveling around Knoxville, Kentucky, and North Carolina to sing with her beloved Uncle W.A. Norman and band.  She fell in love with it and decided that this is what she wanted to pursue.  Soon after she auditioned at Dollywood, Dolly Parton’s theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee hoping to polish her vocal skills and stage presence.  She was chosen for Dollywood’s brand new show that year and was the youngest cast member.  It was there where Holly would stay for many years and also where she would have the opportunity to portray Dolly in a show about Dolly's life called "Paradise Road," and sing numerous times with Dolly herself.   During her years at Dollywood, Holly became known as one of the most versatile performers singing everything from country, to gospel, to 50’s and 60’s music and she became one of the most loved performers at the park.  She developed one of the largest fan bases in the area.  As busy as Dollywood kept her, it was not the only place that Holly let her talents shine.  She was also one of the headlining female vocalists at several theaters including The Smokey Mountain Jubilee, Southern Nights, and The Smith Theatre.  She also performed weekly shows at several restaurants in the area.  As Holly was gaining experience and exposure around East Tennessee singing the songs of her idols like Patsy Cline, Tammy Wynette, Dolly Parton, and Loretta Lynn, she always longed to record and sing her own songs. 

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With years of singing, performing, and writing under her belt, the final chapter of this story  led Holly to Nashville to pursue the dream her grandfather never got the chance to.  With her striking looks, infectious southern twang and charm, her traditional roots, unique sound, and original songs it looks as though her story as a recording artist and songwriter is only just beginning. 

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Holly released her debut Bluegrass CD, Appalachian Angel, made up of mostly original songs in 2014.  She recently released her new CD, Taking Care of Bluegrass-A Tribute to Elvis.