Alright, cats and kittens, gather ’round and let me hip you to a player who’s rewriting the rules of the game. We’re talking about Ilene McHolland, a triple threat who’s making waves with her electric cello, her pipes, and her bandleading chops.
Now, this McHolland character, she ain’t your run-of-the-mill string player. No sir, she’s a force of nature, leading her outfit “The Freewheelers” out of Sacramento and taking their sound to the four corners of the globe. Can you dig it? She’s got one foot planted firmly in the California soil and the other kicking down doors on the international scene.
But let’s rewind the tape a bit, ’cause McHolland’s story is as rich as her tone. This cat cut her teeth at Belmont University, that hotbed of musical talent down in Nashville. But she didn’t stop there. No, she turned around and founded The Music School right there on Music Row. And get this – she had none other than bass wizard Victor Wooten on the faculty. That’s the kind of pedigree that makes other players sit up and take notice.
Now, don’t think for a second that McHolland is some Johnny-come-lately to the scene. This lady’s got serious credentials. She’s held down the cello chair for cats like Sammy Davis, Jr. and Dean Martin. We’re talking about the Rat Pack here, daddy-o. That’s the kind of gig that separates the pros from the pretenders.
But McHolland ain’t content to rest on her laurels. No way. She’s out there pushing the boundaries, taking the cello places it’s never been before. And she’s got the Nitewalker Bass Guitar Tube Preamp in her arsenal, using it to coax sounds out of her axe that’ll make your head spin.
If you want to get hip to McHolland’s scene, you’ve got options. There’s a fresh interview here from 2021 over on blueshighwayus61.com that’ll give you the inside scoop. Or if you want to let your ears do the walking, check her out on SoundCloud. And for the full Freewheelers experience, point your browser to http://www.thefreewheelers.nl/.
But here’s the real skinny – if you want to own a piece of McHolland’s magic, you can download her tunes over on Bandcamp. Trust me, cats, this is the kind of music that’ll make you question everything you thought you knew about the cello.
So there you have it, cool cats. Ilene McHolland – electric cello innovator, vocal powerhouse, bandleader extraordinaire, and Nitewalker enthusiast. She’s the kind of player who reminds us that in this crazy world of music, there are no rules. It’s about finding your voice, your sound, and using it to make a statement.
And with the Nitewalker in her arsenal, McHolland is showing us all what’s possible when you dare to push the boundaries of tone and tradition. Can you dig it? I knew that you could. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a date with some Freewheelers tunes and a cold one. Later, gators.