Sam Holt
After the 2002 passing of forty-year-old Widespread Panic guitarist Michael Houser, Sam Holt, Houser’s guitar tech, experienced this moment of clarity as he realized the critical need to make the most of his time. "There were many times he [Houser] told me, ‘I want you to go do your own thing. You need to quit teching and go play music,’ says Holt.
“And [after he died] that really hit home for me.” It was Houser’s death that served as the catalyst for Sam Holt to dedicate himself to Outformation.
Although it’s clear his more-than-seven-year tenure with Widespread Panic has been instrumental in Holt forming and pursing Outformation, the story really begins with Holt’s old friend, bass player and singer Grady Upchurch. “Grady and I go way back and we share a lot of history,” explains Holt, “and to be able to make music with someone and connect like that and then also have that shared background is pretty special.”
Regardless of whether Holt developed his confident, “hypnotic” style by touring with Outformation, learning at the foot of Michael Houser, sitting in numerous times with Widespread Panic, or by simply tapping into the music in his head, it’s a driving factor to the Outformation sound. Having already played for packed stadiums with tens of thousands of screaming fans, Holt is ready to lead Outformation to the masses.
