(March 11, 2021) James Holvay left an indelible mark on music through his work as a top tier songwriter in the 60s – with hits like the Buckinghams’ #1 smash “Kind of a Drag” - but he has stayed out of the limelight for four decades. That exile will end on April 16, when he releases his five-song salute to Chicago soul, the EP Sweet Soul Song, on his Mob Town Records.
The Chicago native grew up as a huge fan of the legendary Chi-Town hero, Curtis Mayfield, and he turned that love into a role writing hits for many local acts and fronting his own influential band, the MOB.
When the band broke up, Holvay left the music business, but always had the itch to return. And after four decades away, that itch is being scratched now with Sweet Soul Song, a throwback of an album featuring top notch backing musicians and some new material from Holvay.
(March 11, 2021) James Holvay left an indelible mark on music through his work as a top tier songwriter in the 60s – with hits like the Buckinghams’ #1 smash “Kind of a Drag” - but he has stayed out of the limelight for four decades. That exile will end on April 16, when he releases his five-song salute to Chicago soul, the EP Sweet Soul Song, on his Mob Town Records.
The Chicago native grew up as a huge fan of the legendary Chi-Town hero, Curtis Mayfield, and he turned that love into a role writing hits for many local acts and fronting his own influential band, the MOB.
When the band broke up, Holvay left the music business, but always had the itch to return. And after four decades away, that itch is being scratched now with Sweet Soul Song, a throwback of an album featuring top notch backing musicians and some new material from Holvay.
The album’s first song hits you with its rhythm section and earworm tune. “Working On It” sounds like a Chicago smash, circa 1967. But it is all new, and a Holvay original. He tells us, "I worked at an office equipment company as a sales rep for years, selling copiers and mailing equipment. The Manager that I worked for, if anyone approached him with a problem, his usual response was, ‘I’m workin’ on it.’ I thought that was a great title for a song.
Lyrically I didn’t want to apply the phrase to work experience... Customer deliveries and billing issues. One night I was thinking about some of the relationships that I had messed up. So, I wrote the lyric about a fella trying to save his relationship. Having a lot of experience in that area the lyrics just flowed.”
Holvay’s vocals have the full Tyrone-Davis-meets-Clarence-Carter vibe to them, and the song flows beautifully.
We’re happy to present the World Premiere of “Working On It.” Check it out, and welcome James Holvay back!
World Premiere
James Holvay – “Working On It”