Queen City Sounds Podcast S3E33: Dale Hollow

Dale Hollow, photo by Jessica DiMento

Dale Hollow got his start in music in his hometown Nashville, Tennessee but is now based out of New York City. Hollow refers to himself as THE Country Music Superstar (“Trademark Pending”) and his stage persona larger than life, his mystique as a fully-formed artist when his earliest released dropped in terms of songwriting and musicianship and the quality of his output supports a case for that designation regardless of that dubious claim on purely verifiable commercial grounds by the likes of Luke Bryan, Loretta Lynn, Jessica Simpson, Darius Rucker or Kenny Chesney. There is a thrilling earnestness to Hollow’s performance on recording and on stage that is commanding even when there’s an element of humor and playfulness to many aspects of Hollow’s craft. His new record Hack of the Year beats critics to the punch with the title and yet it speaks to the spirit of the underdog and the performative humility rampant in much of country music. Hollow takes on the tropes of the genre and and both embraces their virtues and upends the pretensions. Hollow’s use of humor doesn’t mean his songwriting is a joke or satire rather it plays the same role humor does in approaching life and putting everything into the proper perspective and injecting a little joy into some of the most downbeat moments we might experience. The songs of Hack of the Year are very much unalloyed country performed with a grace, elegance and passion one might hope for out of any record or any genre.

Listen to our interview with Dale Hollow on Bandcamp and follow the adventures of the songwriter at his website linked below. Hollow is currently on tour with a stop at Globe Hall in Denver, Colorado on Tuesday, November 7, 2023 with Sarah Adams and Peter Stone, doors 7pm, show at 8pm.

dalehollowcountrymusicstar.com

Author: simianthinker

Editor, primary content provider for this blog. Former contributor to Westword and The Onion.