Holly Sherwood
Encyclopedia
Holly Sherwood is an American
rock
vocalist
, best known for her work with Jim Steinman
, providing both lead and backing vocals.
' The Sound of Music, which led to appearances in no less than eighteen other productions of the show. In 1966, she was cast in the Broadway
revival of Annie Get Your Gun, where her talent was noticed by the show's composer Irving Berlin
, who added a new song tailored to her abilities. This was followed by an appearance in the Los Angeles premiere of Leonard Bernstein
's MASS.
Later in her career, she appeared on television in Steven Bochco
's Cop Rock
for ABC
, and was at one point part of the musical support for Saturday Night Live
, performing comical jingles; she also provided background vocals for Olivia Newton-John
's performance of "Let's Get Physical."
(which also incorporated a medley of two other numbers from the show), produced by Tony Orlando
for Rocky Road Records (a subsidiary of Columbia Records
). Her version rose to #29 on the Billboard charts, and also charted in the UK
. In 1973, she released the song "Yesterday and You," a Top 30 single on the Easy Listening chart and #117 on the Bubbling Under chart.
In the late Seventies, she performed a duet
with Leonard Coleman Boone called "There's No Me Without You," and was a part of the musical group Wondergap with Jim Ryan and Andy Goldmark, signed to A&M Records. Later in her career, she recorded background vocals for Billy Joel
and Kenny Loggins
, sang with Cindy Bullens
on the MCA release "The Touch," and performed with Joe Cocker
, Arlo Guthrie
, and Pete Seeger
(on his Hudson Valley Sloop tour, singing with the Rooster River Boys).
when she performed background vocals for Bonnie Tyler
on the hit "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and other tracks on her album Faster Than the Speed of Night
, produced by Steinman. She became part of a group of regular background vocalists, including Bat Out of Hell
veteran Rory Dodd
and Eric Troyer
, who appeared frequently on Steinman product during the Eighties, including tracks recorded by diverse artists such as Barry Manilow
, Barbra Streisand
, and Tyler, both performing and arranging background vocals.
, created by Steinman to perform two songs he had written for the Walter Hill "rock and roll fable" Streets of Fire
. Holly's performances on the songs "Nowhere Fast
" and "Tonight Is What It Means To Be Young
" were dubbed over Diane Lane
's in the movie.
, which released one album, Original Sin, in 1989. In addition to background vocals, Holly sang lead on the track "Good Girls Go To Heaven (Bad Girls Go Everywhere)
," later covered by Meat Loaf
on his album Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell
. According to Steinman, she also recorded a demo of "It's All Coming Back to Me Now
," later a hit for Celine Dion
in 1996, in connection with this album, but her take was passed over in favor of fellow vocalist Elaine Caswell
's.
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
vocalist
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, best known for her work with Jim Steinman
Jim Steinman
James Richard "Jim" Steinman is an American composer, lyricist, and Grammy Award-winning record producer responsible for several hit songs. He has also worked as an arranger, pianist, and singer...
, providing both lead and backing vocals.
Acting Career
At the age of three, Holly Sherwood began her professional career as the star of Procter and Gamble's "Rosemary's Reflects" Ivory Soap commercials. As she grew, she and four of her sisters were cast in a production of Richard RodgersRichard Rodgers
Richard Charles Rodgers was an American composer of music for more than 900 songs and for 43 Broadway musicals. He also composed music for films and television. He is best known for his songwriting partnerships with the lyricists Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein II...
' The Sound of Music, which led to appearances in no less than eighteen other productions of the show. In 1966, she was cast in the Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
revival of Annie Get Your Gun, where her talent was noticed by the show's composer Irving Berlin
Irving Berlin
Irving Berlin was an American composer and lyricist of Jewish heritage, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history.His first hit song, "Alexander's Ragtime Band", became world famous...
, who added a new song tailored to her abilities. This was followed by an appearance in the Los Angeles premiere of Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
's MASS.
Later in her career, she appeared on television in Steven Bochco
Steven Bochco
Steven Ronald Bochco is a US television producer and writer. He has developed a number of popular television hits including Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, and NYPD Blue, as well as some notable flops such as Cop Rock....
's Cop Rock
Cop Rock
Cop Rock is an American musical police drama series that aired on ABC in 1990. The show, a police drama presented as a musical, was co-created by Steven Bochco, who also served as executive producer...
for ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, and was at one point part of the musical support for Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
, performing comical jingles; she also provided background vocals for Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John
Olivia Newton-John AO, OBE is a singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who has amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles and 14 of her albums have been certified gold by the RIAA...
's performance of "Let's Get Physical."
Recording Career
In March 1972, she embarked on a solo career with her first single, "Day by Day," a cover of a song from the popular Broadway musical GodspellGodspell
Godspell is a musical by Stephen Schwartz and John-Michael Tebelak. It opened off Broadway on May 17, 1971, and has played in various touring companies and revivals many times since, including a 2011 revival now playing on Broadway...
(which also incorporated a medley of two other numbers from the show), produced by Tony Orlando
Tony Orlando
Michael Anthony Orlando Cassavitis , better known as Tony Orlando, is an American show business professional, best known as the lead singer of the group Tony Orlando and Dawn in the early 1970s. Discovered by producer Don Kirshner, Orlando had songs on the charts in 1961 when he was 16, "Halfway to...
for Rocky Road Records (a subsidiary of Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
). Her version rose to #29 on the Billboard charts, and also charted in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. In 1973, she released the song "Yesterday and You," a Top 30 single on the Easy Listening chart and #117 on the Bubbling Under chart.
In the late Seventies, she performed a duet
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
with Leonard Coleman Boone called "There's No Me Without You," and was a part of the musical group Wondergap with Jim Ryan and Andy Goldmark, signed to A&M Records. Later in her career, she recorded background vocals for Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
and Kenny Loggins
Kenny Loggins
During the next decade, Loggins recorded so many successful songs for film soundtracks that he was referred to as, King of the Movie Soundtrack.He began with "I'm Alright" , "Mr. Night", and "Lead the Way" from Caddyshack...
, sang with Cindy Bullens
Cindy Bullens
Cindy Bullens is an American singer and songwriter who grew up in Massachusetts. She released two albums in the late 1970s on United Artists and Casablanca and another on MCA in 1989...
on the MCA release "The Touch," and performed with Joe Cocker
Joe Cocker
John Robert "Joe" Cocker, OBE is an English rock and blues musician, composer and actor, who came to popularity in the 1960s, and is most known for his gritty voice, his idiosyncratic arm movements while performing, and his cover versions of popular songs, particularly those of The Beatles...
, Arlo Guthrie
Arlo Guthrie
Arlo Davy Guthrie is an American folk singer. Like his father, Woody Guthrie, Arlo often sings songs of protest against social injustice...
, and Pete Seeger
Pete Seeger
Peter "Pete" Seeger is an American folk singer and was an iconic figure in the mid-twentieth century American folk music revival. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, he also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of The Weavers, most notably their recording of Lead...
(on his Hudson Valley Sloop tour, singing with the Rooster River Boys).
Jim Steinman
In 1983, Holly began an extended association with Grammy-winning songwriter/producer/arranger Jim SteinmanJim Steinman
James Richard "Jim" Steinman is an American composer, lyricist, and Grammy Award-winning record producer responsible for several hit songs. He has also worked as an arranger, pianist, and singer...
when she performed background vocals for Bonnie Tyler
Bonnie Tyler
Bonnie Tyler is a Welsh singer, most notable for her hits in the 1970s and 1980s including "It's a Heartache", "Holding Out for a Hero" and "Total Eclipse of the Heart".-Early life:...
on the hit "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and other tracks on her album Faster Than the Speed of Night
Faster Than the Speed of Night
Faster Than the Speed of Night is an album by Bonnie Tyler released in April 1983. Her fifth album, and her most successful, it includes her UK and US #1 hit "Total Eclipse of the Heart"....
, produced by Steinman. She became part of a group of regular background vocalists, including Bat Out of Hell
Bat out of Hell
Bat Out of Hell is the second album by American rock musician Meat Loaf, and his first collaboration with composer Jim Steinman, released in October 1977 on Cleveland International/Epic Records #PE-34974. Selling approximately 200,000 copies per year as of 2010, it is the fifth best-selling album...
veteran Rory Dodd
Rory Dodd
Rory Dodd is a Canadian rock vocalist who has performed many songs written by Jim Steinman. He is probably best known for singing the "Turn around, bright eyes" lyrics on Bonnie Tyler's version of "Total Eclipse of the Heart."...
and Eric Troyer
Eric Troyer
Eric Lee Troyer is an American keyboardist, singer, songwriter, and occasional guitarist, best known as a member of ELO Part II and its successor, popular live band, The Orchestra. Troyer was a founding member of ELO Part II, having been recruited by band leader Bev Bevan in 1989.-Life and...
, who appeared frequently on Steinman product during the Eighties, including tracks recorded by diverse artists such as Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow
Barry Manilow is an American singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, producer, conductor, and performer, best known for such recordings as "Could It Be Magic", "Mandy", "Can't Smile Without You", and "Copacabana ."...
, Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand
Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,...
, and Tyler, both performing and arranging background vocals.
Fire Inc.
Among other credits, Dodd, Sherwood, and Troyer formed the nucleus of the impromptu band Fire Inc.Fire Inc.
Fire Inc. was a Wagnerian rock band that released two songs for the rock and roll film Streets of Fire in 1984. The two songs never had any real commercial success. In the film Ellen Aim and the Attackers performed "Tonight Is What It Means to Be Young" with Face to Face playing the part of the...
, created by Steinman to perform two songs he had written for the Walter Hill "rock and roll fable" Streets of Fire
Streets of Fire
Streets of Fire is a 1984 film directed by Walter Hill and co-written by Hill and Larry Gross. It was described in previews, trailers, and posters as "A Rock & Roll Fable." It is an unusual mix of musical, action, drama, and comedy with elements both of retro-1950s and 1980s...
. Holly's performances on the songs "Nowhere Fast
Nowhere Fast
"Nowhere Fast" is a song, first performed by Fire Inc. in 1984 for the rock movie Streets of Fire. A cover of the song was later recorded by Meat Loaf. The song was entirely written by Jim Steinman. Laurie Sargent performed the lead vocals. Holly Sherwood and Rory Dodd performed the background...
" and "Tonight Is What It Means To Be Young
Tonight Is What It Means to Be Young
"Tonight Is What It Means to Be Young" was first performed by Fire Inc. in 1984 for the rock film Streets of Fire. Cover versions of this song have also been recorded by Japanese singer Megumi Shiina, and for the musical Tanz der Vampire/Dance of the Vampires. The song was written by Jim Steinman....
" were dubbed over Diane Lane
Diane Lane
Diane Lane is an American film actress.Born and raised in New York City, Lane made her screen debut at the age of 13 in George Roy Hill's 1979 film A Little Romance, starring opposite Sir Laurence Olivier. Soon after, she was featured on the cover of Time magazine...
's in the movie.
Pandora's Box
Steinman formed another group, Pandora's BoxPandora's Box (band)
Pandora's Box was a female pop music group assembled by Jim Steinman in the 1980s. Some of its members had previously worked with Steinman, in the ensemble Fire Inc., on the album Bat Out of Hell, on live shows and on other studio recordings...
, which released one album, Original Sin, in 1989. In addition to background vocals, Holly sang lead on the track "Good Girls Go To Heaven (Bad Girls Go Everywhere)
Good Girls Go to Heaven (Bad Girls Go Everywhere)
-Meat Loaf version:The song was recorded by Meat Loaf for the Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell, which was also produced by Steinman. The album contained two tracks from the Original Sin album, the other being "It Just Won't Quit"....
," later covered by Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf
Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor...
on his album Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell
Bat out of Hell II: Back into Hell
Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell is a 1993 studio album by Meat Loaf and was written and produced by Jim Steinman. It was released sixteen years after Meat Loaf's second solo album Bat Out of Hell. It reached #1 in the US, the UK and Australia...
. According to Steinman, she also recorded a demo of "It's All Coming Back to Me Now
It's All Coming Back to Me Now
"It's All Coming Back to Me Now" is a power ballad, written by Jim Steinman. According to Steinman the song was inspired by Wuthering Heights, and was an attempt to write "the most passionate, romantic song" he could ever create. The Sunday Times posits that "Steinman protects his songs as if they...
," later a hit for Celine Dion
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
in 1996, in connection with this album, but her take was passed over in favor of fellow vocalist Elaine Caswell
Elaine Caswell
-Jim Steinman:Over the years Caswell has sung on demos for composer and lyricist Jim Steinman, many of which have been released to the public. These include demos for the songs "Braver Than We Are", "Vampires in Love" and a minor part on the demo for "In the Land of the Pig The Butcher Is...
's.
Current whereabouts
Now retired from the entertainment industry, Holly Sherwood owns the Sherwood Gallery, a seller of fine gold and silver designer jewelry and art, in Bernalillo, New MexicoBernalillo, New Mexico
Bernalillo is a town in Sandoval County, New Mexico, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 6,611. It is the county seat of Sandoval County.Bernalillo is part of the Albuquerque Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
.