Live Outside: John Hollier

About This Show

Join us for the 2025 season of Koger Center Presents Live Outside! Now on Friday evenings at 5 p.m., we’ve got a great lineup of free entertainment to kick off your weekend on the Plaza Stage at the Koger Center.

John Hollier

Life leaves its imprint on us in the form of memories, scars, and lessons. Like a well-trodden and trusted highway, Hollier proudly brandishes the wisdom and experience of a fascinating personal journey in his music. The Louisiana-born and Nashville-based singer, songwriter, and guitarist shares honest stories over a backdrop of gruff heartland rock with a twist of country soul. He’s gone from accompanying multiplatinum stars such as Carly Pearce and Cassadee Pope to generating north of 1 million streams independently and packing houses as a solo artist. Now, he formally introduces himself on his self-titled 2022 full-length debut, Hollier.

Hailing from Central Louisiana, Hollier absorbed a passion for music through his family. His uncle performed in a Cajun zydeco band, while his brothers picked up guitar and drums. He initially experienced live music through the church and honkytonks, teaching himself chords on the internet and gigging with local bands. At the same time, he listened to everyone from Creedence Clearwater Revival and The Byrds to Ozzy Osbourne. After two years at Louisiana State University, he transferred to Belmont University and settled in Nashville. He joined Levi Hummon’s band as a guitarist, hitting the road with Dwight Yoakam, Heart, Billy Currington and more. During 2018, he handled guitar duties for Cassadee Pope before serving as a touring guitarist for Carly Pearce. 

Opening Act: Prettier Than Matt

In the landscape of modern American music, some of the most intriguing stories emerge from the spaces between genres. Prettier Than Matt – the dynamic duo of Jessica Skinner Sims and Jeff Pitts – inhabits this liminal territory with a sound they’ve dubbed “Americana Pop,” though even they admit that labels can’t quite capture their musical alchemy.

Armed with a ukulele, a guitar, and a collection of improvised percussion created by their own feet, Prettier Than Matt transforms stages into intimate living rooms where stories unfold through crystalline harmonies and infectious melodies. Their name, borrowed from a friend’s playful joke, has become a testament to the way they approach music – with reverence for craft but never at the expense of joy. This balance has carried them from small-town venues to national television, with their songs finding homes on shows like The Bachelorette and Temptation Island, and their live shows supporting acts like Edwin McCain and Sister Hazel.