| Eddie Holman | |
| Background: | solo_singer |
| Birth Date: | 3 June 1946 |
| Birth Place: | Norfolk, Virginia, U.S. |
| Occupation: | Singer, musician, minister |
| Years Active: | 1956–present |
Eddie Holman (born June 3, 1946) is an American singer, musician, and minister, best known for his distinctively high singing voice and his 1970 hit song "Hey There Lonely Girl". His specialties range from R&B and pop to soul and gospel.
Holman started his career in 1962 when he gained initial fame with his first record "What You Don't Know Won't Hurt You". He recorded his first hit record "This Can't Be True" (1966), followed by "Am I a Loser from the Start" (1966), "I Love You" (1969), "Don't Stop Now" (1970), and "Cathy Called" (1970). Starting in 1970, Holman received critical acclaim with "Hey There Lonely Girl", which was originally "Hey There Lonely Boy" by Ruby & the Romantics in 1963. Following this, Holman performed "This Will Be a Night to Remember" (1977) and "You Make My Life Complete" (1977).
Holman was born in Norfolk, Virginia on June 3, 1946. By the time he was 8 years old, Holman and his mother moved to New York City. There, his mother exposed him to the piano, guitar, singing, and the performing arts.[1] He was a regular performer on NBC's The Children's Hour and was nicknamed "Little Eddie Holman."[2]
At the age of 16, Holman started to make records. He later moved to Philadelphia with his family. After graduating from high school, he attended Cheyney State University, where he graduated with a degree in music.
In 1962, Holman made his first record "What You Don't Know Won't Hurt You" on Leopard Records.[2] In the Philadelphia soul scene, he developed his trademark style. While in college, he recorded his first hit record "This Can't Be True" (1966), which reached #17 on the Billboard chart.[2] Other hits began to follow: "Am I a Loser from the Start" (1966), "I Love You" (1969), "Don't Stop Now" (1970), and "Cathy Called" (1970). In 1970, Holman received critical acclaim with his ballad "Hey There Lonely Girl" (originally "Hey There Lonely Boy", a top 30 hit recorded in 1963 by Ruby & the Romantics), which peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The track peaked at #4 in the UK Singles Chart in November 1974.[3] It sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc from the R.I.A.A. in March 1970.[4]
British journalist Tony Cummings once wrote: "Eddie Holman's voice, an astonishing precision instrument which can leap octaves with the speed of mercury and bend notes into shapes unimagined by lesser singers, has assured its possessor a place in soul history."[5]
In 1977, Holman had a brief resurgence in popularity with his last two hit singles "This Will Be a Night to Remember" and "You Make My Life Complete".[6] He has credited artists such as Jackie Wilson and Nat King Cole as a huge influence.[7]
Holman owns his own record label Agape Records[6] and music publishing company Schoochiebug Music Publishing ASCAP.[8] He continues to tour with the Eddie Holman Band. During the summer of 2007, Holman performed weekly for the passengers aboard the cruise ship while it was en route to the inside passage of Alaska.
Holman once said, "Lyrics send powerful messages that impact the listener of songs in ways that the artist will never know. No genre of music is flawless and no music culture is completely bad."[9]
On October 29, 1968, Holman married his wife Sheila. They have since had three children and nine grandchildren.[10]
Compilations: