Riley Holtz & The Lost Cause

From blues to country, folk to R&B, and gospel to rock, Riley Holtz is a jack of all musical trades. With the soulful heart-wrenching ballad “Movin’ On,” the in-your-face “Father I Have Sinned,” and the folk feel of “Josey’s Ring,” Riley’s forthcoming debut album, Illegal Before Noon, has something for everyone.

 

Inspired by his great-grandfather, who used his G.I. Bill from World War II to earn a vocal performance degree, as well as home hi-fi listening sessions with his dad, where he discovered the likes of Al Green, Aretha Franklin, Frank Sinatra, James Taylor, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, and a whole lot of everything classic, Riley started singing at 6 years old and hasn’t stopped since.

 

Beginning with elementary school performances, with his mother in church on Sundays, through his high school years in Southwest Missouri, Riley longed for the day he could be on his own and play music.

 

After being medically discharged from the US Navy at nineteen, back in small-town Missouri, Riley picked up a guitar for the first time ‘out of necessity,’ as he puts it. Coming home from his second shift job driving forklifts, he would stay up until 5 in the morning practicing chords and matching his voice to the soulful strumming. It wasn’t long after that he wrote what would become the first song for his debut album, “Giving Up On Love.”

 

During a brief but auspicious tenure in college, Riley met Cam Branson (drums/vocals), the first of many talented musicians who would enter his life, and eventually become members of The Lost Cause.

 

Shortly thereafter, following his decision to drop out of college, Riley moved back to the big city (St. Louis). There, Riley was introduced to Kevin Neumann (bass), and started a cover band, which would change his life forever.

 

On boats, but a different kind this time, Riley traveled all over the world as a resident talent on cruise ships. This not only took his showmanship to the next level, but moved him to write the album’s first single, “Home.”

 

Upon his return ashore, Riley realized he was not one for the status quo 9 to 5, and began to pursue a career in music full-time. It was then he met Nathan Sickmeier (guitar/violin/brass/vocals) and spent the better part of a decade making a living off of tips from busking and playing cover gigs throughout the Midwest.

 

 While unable to gig and locked down due to the COVID pandemic, Riley began writing original songs. And, what started as an EP to get future shows, quickly became a full-length album.

 

Throughout the year in the studio recording with Cam, Kevin, and Nathan, Riley crossed paths with Chris Sanders (keys) and Patrick Ramsey (guitar), and The Lost Cause was formed.

 

Like the talented songwriters he looks up to, this album was not written for one particular audience, rather for everyone who likes good music – a culmination of a quarter century of love and loss, joy and sadness, hard work and heathens, but most importantly, a passion for music.

 

In other words, Riley and his bandmates are just a bunch of humble dudes from Missouri who like to sing and play music.