Derek St. Holmes

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Derek St. Holmes, born February 1953 is an American rock musician who is most famous for being Ted Nugent's vocalist and rhythm guitar player.

[edit] Early years

In Riverview, Michigan Derek had gotten his first guitar for his eleventh birthday. Allowed to practice in his basement, Derek St. Holmes played and learned everything he could from all the rock and roll idols of the era. He started his own neighborhood band, played for all the high school dances and perfected his craft.

Then in 1974, hard-rocker Ted Nugent first saw Derek's band, "Scott", as he opened for a Michigan Nugent show at the Lincoln Park Theater. After several months, Nugent's road manager tracked down and phoned St. Holmes about auditioning for Nugent's band, then called Amboy Dukes. The Amboy Dukes had already recorded several albums and was popular among the rock circuit but, after the lead-singer left, Nugent needed a lead singer to give his band the sound that would catapult him into stardom.

St. Holmes was hired and the band of Ted Nugent with Derek St. Holmes, Rob Grange and Vic Mastriani, later changed to be known as The Ted Nugent Band was launched and started immediately on an extensive U.S. tour. Traveling and performing nearly 300 days a year, they played with other popular bands, such as Aerosmith, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bob Seger, Van Halen and Black Sabbath among other greats. They created an era of music which has been admired by millions of fans. At only 22 years old, St. Holmes found himself traveling the world and playing to sold out audiences in U.S. and European cities.

[edit] Reunited with Ted on an on-again, off-again basis

Although St. Holmes returned to Nugent's band to record numerous albums, not until 1995 did St. Holmes and Nugent co-write another project. This was the first Nugent / St. Holmes writing collaboration in nearly fifteen years. Atlantic Records' Spirit of the Wild was reminiscent of the early Ted Nugent works and confirmed to many fans the Nugent / St. Holmes sound still rocked.

The song "Hey, Baby" was recorded originally by blues legend Koko Taylor, St. Holmes said that he could die and go to heaven, as she is certainly a blues icon. His Motown rhythm and blues roots surface on songs such as this.

The only thing that St. Holmes regrets after all these many years is that most people do not know that he's the voice on such songs as "Stranglehold", "Live It Up", & "Hey, Baby"^{[citation needed]}.

Derek St. Holmes says he was the inspiration for the name "David St. Hubbins" in Spinal Tap.

An episode for VH1's series, "Behind the Music" he talks about this dilemma in late summer '98.

St. Holmes' new solo CD, Then and Now, is a collection of many St. Holmes' rock material. Bassist Chase Chitty (Pat Travers Band), drummer Steve Pace (Hydra, Krokus, Whitford / St. Holmes) and keyboardist Russ Still accompany St. Holmes with songs such as "Dr. Love" and "Surrounded", and the energy rocker "In Too Deep".

    In June of 2008 he will be making a new album with ted nugent^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Discography

1975 Ted Nugent Ted Nugent (Epic Records)*

1976 Ted Nugent Free-for-All (Epic Records)*

1977 Ted Nugent Cat Scratch Fever (Epic Records)*

1978 Ted Nugent Double Live Gonzo! (Epic Records)*

1979 St. Paradise St. Paradise (Warner Bros. Records)

1980 & 1995 Whitford/St. Holmes Whitford/St. Holmes (CBS Records) 1981

Ted Nugent Great Gonzos (Epic Records)**

1984 &1985 Michael Schenker Built to Destroy (Chrysalis Records)

1990 & 1993 Vanilla Fudge Live (Rhino Records)

1993 Ted Nugent Out of Control (Epic Records)

1994 Dazed and Confused Movie Soundtrack (MCA Pictures)

1995 Ted Nugent Spirit of the Wild (Atlantic Records)

1997 Private Parts Movie Soundtrack (Paramount/WB)

1999 That 70's Show/Rockin TV Sitcom Soundtrack (Volcano Records)

THEN AND NOW

The latest album from Derek. Features: "Standing in the Rain", "Dr. Love" and "Surrounded".

Derek's version of Aerosmith songs are now available online on his website. Derek has re-recorded some famous Aerosmith songs for a special promotion and is making them available to all his fans in MP3 format.

Derek is singing in guitar maker Paul Reed Smith's band. Derek has co-written many of the tunes for a new CD including "One In the Same" and "Ice Cold Kisses". The CD is in the vein of 70's rock with some more modern elements. The yet unnamed CD is currently unreleased.