Holly Lamar
{{short description|American country music singer-songwriter (born 1966)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Holly Lamar
| image =
| image_size =
| origin = Atlanta, Georgia
| instrument =
| genre = Country
| occupation = Singer-songwriter
| years_active =
| label = Universal South
| associated_acts =
| website =
}}
Mary "Holly" Holladay Lamar (born 1966 in Atlanta, Georgia{{cite book|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|title=Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008|publisher=Record Research, Inc|page=230|year=2008|isbn=978-0-89820-177-2}}) is an American country music singer-songwriter. Lamar co-wrote "Breathe", a number one country and adult contemporary single by Faith Hill.[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p306428|pure_url=yes}} Holly Lamar] at Allmusic Her songs have also been recorded by Sara Evans, Wynonna Judd, Lonestar, Tim McGraw, Jo Dee Messina and Jessica Simpson, among others.[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p306428/songs|pure_url=yes}} Songs Composed by Holly Lamar] at Allmusic
In 2002, Lamar was one of the first artists signed to Universal South.{{cite news|title=Universal South Set to Open|url=http://www.cmt.com/news/news-in-brief/1451735/universal-south-set-to-open.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023233607/http://www.cmt.com/news/news-in-brief/1451735/universal-south-set-to-open.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 23, 2012|accessdate=July 11, 2011|newspaper=Country Music Television|date=January 10, 2002}} Between 2002 and 2003, she had two singles on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. The first, "These Are the Days", was previously recorded by Jo Dee Messina on her 2000 album Burn.[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r490618|pure_url=yes}} Burn] at Allmusic Deborah Evans Price of Billboard gave Lamar's version of the song a favorable review, calling it "a solid song and a great performance that adds up to a promising debut from a new voice with a lot to say".{{cite news|last=Price|first=Deborah Evans|title=Single Reviews|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_AwEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22holly%20lamar%22&pg=PA28|accessdate=July 11, 2011|newspaper=Billboard|date=September 14, 2002|via=Google Books}} Her second single, "Unkissed", also received a positive review from Price, who described it as "a shining calling card for a songwriter looking to make her own mark".{{cite news|last=Price|first=Deborah Evans|title=Single Reviews|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CA8EAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22holly%20lamar%22&pg=PA31|accessdate=July 11, 2011|newspaper=Billboard|date=February 22, 2003|via=Google Books}}
Personal life
Lamar appeared on the BBC daytime TV show Homes Under the Hammer, first broadcast in 2012.{{cite web |title=Homes Under the Hammer |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01czdrs |website=BBC One |accessdate=October 12, 2018}} She bought a house at auction in the Fulham area of London.
In 2014, Lamar lost US$600,000 in a fake investment scam by American David Plate, which, she said, left her "on the brink of bankruptcy".{{cite news |title=Man who duped US songwriter of $792k jailed for a year |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/man-who-duped-us-songwriter-of-792k-jailed-for-a-year |accessdate=October 14, 2018 |work=The Straits Times |date=April 24, 2018}}
In October 2018, Lamar pleaded guilty in England to two offences relating to the illegal possession of a wild and unregistered peregrine falcon and received an 18-week sentence for each, suspended for 12 months, as well as being sentenced to 120 hours of community service.{{cite news |title=Grammy nominee Holly Lamar had dead peregrine falcon in freezer|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-45836621 |accessdate=October 12, 2018 |website=BBC News|date=October 12, 2018}}{{cite web |title=Derbyshire Constabulary Wildlife Officer |website=Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/DerbyshireWildlifeCrime/posts/523293794812348 |accessdate=October 14, 2018}} She was also banned from owning or being in possession of any birds classed as "Schedule 4" of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 which are birds that must be registered and ringed if kept in captivity.
In the United States, Lamar continued to face legal and logistical challenges to her possession of raptors. In 2022, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency confiscated 13 birds from her possession and charged her with 30 misdemeanors. A court order declared the search warrant, seizure, and charges invalid and the birds were returned to Lamar’s possession.{{Cite web |last=Wadhwani |first=Anita |date=2023-02-14 |title='Egregious' abuse of the law: Tennessee wildlife agency takes falcons and prosecutes their owner • Tennessee Lookout |url=https://tennesseelookout.com/2023/02/14/egregious-abuse-of-power-tennessee-wildlife-agency-takes-falcons-and-prosecutes-their-owner/ |access-date=2025-06-30 |website=Tennessee Lookout |language=en-US}}
Discography
=Singles=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2" style="width:12em;"| Single ! Peak positions ! rowspan="2"| Album |
| width="60"| US Country |
|---|
| 2002
! scope="row"| "These Are the Days" | 51 | rowspan="2" align="left"| Unkissed |
| 2003
! scope="row"| "Unkissed" | 59 |
=Music videos=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
! Year ! style="width:12em;"| Video ! Director |
| 2002
! scope="row"| "These Are the Days" |
=Singles written by Lamar=
| class="wikitable" |
| Year
! Single |
|---|
| 1999
| "Breathe" |
| rowspan="2"| 2000
| "To Get to You" |
| "That's the Way" |
| 2001
| "To Quote Shakespeare" |
| 2002
| "Unbroken" |
| 2003 |
References
{{reflist}}
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Category:American women country singers
Category:American country singer-songwriters
Category:Show Dog-Universal Music artists
Category:Country musicians from Georgia (U.S. state)