Growing up in her birthplace ofHouston, Texas,[1] Holland left in 1994, moving toAustin,New Orleans, andSan Francisco before ending up inVancouver, Canada, where she was one of the founding members ofThe Be Good Tanyas. Holland left the band before the release of their debut album,Blue Horse, on which she appears prominently.[3] She returned to San Francisco, where she recorded her first album, 2002'sCatalpa.[4] Originally self-released, the album was later picked up and re-released byANTI-. In 2004 she released her first album for ANTI-,Escondida. ANTI- labelmatesTom Waits andSage Francis are both outspoken fans of Holland's: Waits nominated her for theShortlist music prize,[5] while Francis has said thatEscondida was his most listened to album of 2005.[6]
As well as releasing another four solo albums for ANTI- and touring globally, Holland has performed a number of collaborations with other artists, including with fan Sage Francis (on his albumHuman the Death Dance) andBooker T. (with whom she recorded "What A Wonderful World" in 2007). In 2016, she reunited with Be Good Tanyas bandmate Samantha Parton and they began touring as a duo,[7] releasing the jointly-credited albumWildflower Blues, on Cinquefoil Records, in 2017 and embarking on a joint tour through 2018.[8]
Multiple vocal, instrumental, and writing contributions on theBe Good Tanyas' debut album,Blue Horse, released in 2000 (after Holland's departure from the band).[9]
Multiple collaborations withDavid Dondero, including backing vocals on the song "Analysis of a 1970's Divorce" on Dondero's 2001 albumShooting at the Sun With a Water Gun[10]
