Delta Rae

Delta Rae

Delta Rae is an American band from Durham, North Carolina, formed in 2009 and active since then. The group is associated with blues rock, country rock, folk rock, rock and roots rock, and releases music on Never Die Records.

Line-up

The band includes the Hölljes siblings Ian Hölljes, Eric Hölljes and Brittany Hölljes, along with Elizabeth Hopkins, Mike McKee and Grant Emerson. Ian Hölljes sings and plays guitar; Eric Hölljes sings and plays guitar, piano and keys; Brittany Hölljes and Elizabeth Hopkins sing; Mike McKee plays percussion; and Grant Emerson plays bass guitar. The group begins as a four-piece and adds McKee and Emerson in 2010.

Early history and debut album

Delta Rae grows out of the Holljes family’s musical background, with Ian, Eric and Brittany moving between Durham, the San Francisco Bay Area, Nashville and Marietta, Georgia during childhood. Their parents’ record collection includes artists such as James Taylor, Cat Stevens, Fleetwood Mac and Paul Simon, and Ian and Eric start writing songs together from a young age. Brittany develops a powerful voice that becomes central to the band’s harmonies. Elizabeth Hopkins is a childhood friend of the siblings.

The band develops a reputation for intense live performances, often adapting its approach to difficult venues and sound systems. It sometimes performs in the middle of the audience or uses shouted vocals to create a more immediate effect. This live experience shapes the writing and recording of the songs on its debut album, Carry the Fire, which contains 12 tracks and appears in 2012.

Style and themes

Delta Rae’s music combines Americana, gospel, bluegrass, blues and pop, alongside storytelling, folklore, mythology and Southern imagery. The band’s songs also draw on themes of love, family and shared history, and its harmonies are a key part of its sound.

Major label meeting

In 2011 the six members meet Seymour Stein at his office in Rockefeller Plaza, where they perform “Hey Hey Hey” for him. The performance leads to a label connection and contributes to the path toward the release of their debut album.