Danny Holmes is returning to the region - with his wife - to perform
On May 18, a legend returns to Central New York.
And he’s bringing something special with him.
Anyone old enough to remember Hook, Line and Sinker, or Who’s on First certainly remembers the name Danny Holmes. Together with his long-time partner Rich Mancini, their duo ruled acoustic stages throughout the area.
Danny needs no introduction to local music fans, having also been the bass/vocalist in several Utica-based bands including Bad Dog NY, M.U.C.H. and Timbre.
Now, on a visit from his current home in Florida, the multi-talented singer/songwriter will perform with a new, prettier partner (sorry, Rich), his wife, vocalist Karen Holmes in the duo, Rose n’ Thorne, at Unity Hall.
Together they feature spot-on harmonies in their renditions of songs by artists like Linda Ronstadt, Joni Mitchell, Nora Jones, The Beatles, Neil Young, James Taylor and Eric Clapton. Their eclectic music selections range from Talking Heads, Dave Mason and Bonnie Raitt, to Elvis, Amy Winehouse, and the Little River Band.
“I had a pretty healthy rep as a solo act, having been around a while, and I was also doing gigs as a trio with a percussionist and another acoustic guitarist,” recalls Holmes. “When Karen came by and sang, I really liked our sound, and it gave me a chance to play songs by great female writers like Joni, Carole and Rickie Lee.”
After a stint in Nashville, Danny and Karen decided the Nashville scene wasn't for them, so they moved to Florida to be with family and stopped playing altogether for 15 years, working day jobs in Florida until Danny got injured on the job and music found its way back.
It proved to be the fresh start they needed.
“We came back to performing with a clean slate from our audience here, no expectations,” explains Karen. “They don't know us as separate artists, so we're a unit and they love our harmonies.
“Plus, we like to laugh and have fun with the crowd.”
The duo has a diverse song list of cover tunes from the late 50s to the 90s and relies on solid male and female lead vocals and tight harmonies, supplementing the tunes with improvised humor and husband-and-wife banter.
“We have no preconceived ideas how a performance will go,” says the pair, “and it always unfolds and reveals itself, good or bad.
“Luckily, mostly good.”
Expect to hear more from this group in the upcoming months, including a new, limited-edition album called “It's a Human Thing” that will be released in vinyl, CD and digital form, available by the end of July. It can be preordered at the Unity Hall show.
Tickets are $20 in advance through Humanitix and locally at Adirondack Cheese Company on Rt. 12 in Barneveld. Tickets for the night of the concert, if available, will be $20 for members and $25 for non-members at the Unity Hall box office starting at 7:15 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Rose n' Thorne set to perform at Unity Hall
