Hed: Listen and Learn
Dek: Dave Hollister sings about love, life and growth on his new album, Chicago Winds… The Saga Continues
Everything is different now.
With his ninth forthcoming album, Chicago Winds…The Saga Continues, Dave Hollister sings like a new man—one who has learned a few lessons in love, knows how to woo his woman and is transparent about everything from transgressions to doing tantalizing things in public. “I used to be a hard drinker and substance abuser. The first time I was married, I loved my two sons, but I wasn’t in love with my family,” Dave openly admits. “Now, I know what love is. I’ve changed my path. I’m a messenger, and I want my music to change other people’s lives as well.”
Naturally then, Chicago Winds…The Saga Continues is an album about growth. Fittingly, the first released track, “Spend The Night” is declaration of a lifetime commitment to his second wife. Heating up the urban adult contemporary airways as one of the most added songs in recent weeks, “Spend The Night” opens up with the 90s classic, “Yes, yes, ya’ll” and seamlessly moves into a sultry, midtempo melody that easily inspires listeners to pull out their best moves—on and off the dance floor. With lyrics like ‘All I want to do is spend the night with you Spend the night for the rest of my life’, the song is party perfect, especially for two.
While the album is slated for a fall release, Dave already has a few favorite tracks. Where “Spend The Night” is provocative, “Take This Picture” is a modern, titillating take on public displays of affection. ‘No need to hide how we get down I want the world to know The world would be a much better place if we all let our love show’, he sings. “We’re in public taking selfies and people are looking on like, ‘Why don’t they just get a room.’ But since we don’t care, we want people to take a picture so they can see what real love looks like.”
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The foundation of Chicago Winds…The Saga Continues is classic R&B, which Dave refers to as real music sans techno-heavy electric synthesizers. He’s a true vocalist, though he’s quick to tell you the story of how his voice matured. “Back in the days when I abused drugs and alcohol, my voice sounded strong, but it wasn’t. Now that I don’t do that anymore, my voice is truly stronger. I’m very, very blessed because a lot of people that did as much and partied as hard as I did, lost their voices. But, God has preserved my voice.”
Though it seems like yesterday, Dave has been in the music business for thirty years. He spent the first half of his career as touring as a background singer, appearing 2Pac’s on “Brenda’s Got a Baby” and Keep Ya Head Up,” and becoming a member of the group Blackstreet. For the last fifteen years however, he has enjoyed fame as a solo artist. His first two solo albums, Ghetto Hymns and Chicago 85, both went gold and included the top ten hit singles “My Favorite Girl” and “One Woman Man.”
Since Witness Protection in 2008, Dave has reunited with Teddy Riley of Blackstreet and has been successfully touring together for the last five years. Always preparing, he has added BS2, a younger, second generation of Blackstreet, to the mix, who presumably will carry the musical torch one day.
While the finishing touches are being made to Chicago Winds…The Saga Continues, Dave is keeping busy by planning for his next album and preaching. When he said change, he meant a 360° change; he is a pastor at his church, Word Assembly, A Family of Churches in California.
Considering his body of work in both gospel and secular music, this makes sense. “I’m not just an R&B or gospel artist,” Dave says. “God has allowed me to be able to do both successfully.
That’s the favor that He has put on my life.”
Chicago Winds…The Saga Continues is akin to an autobiography except that Dave is sharing his life experiences through music. This is his purpose in life—delivering messages to make listeners live vicariously through him and walk away with a resolution. Take a listen; there’s something to learn.
