Ten Questions with Rick Henry Christopher Episode #29

This article is a companion piece for my YouTube interview with Tori Holub: Click Here for YouTube Interview

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I first came to hear about Tori Holub when I was visiting a Facebook fan group for the 70s pop group Carpenters. The group is called Close to the Carpenters and is run by my friend John Deblaere and his wife Jay Crystille Deblaere.

Tori possesses a beautiful singing voice which is similar to the pop music icon Karen Carpenter. Her tone, pitch, and range are close to Karen's.

Tori deeply respects Karen's talent and is immensely grateful for the legacy that Karen and her brother Richard Carpenter have created. Tori has mentioned that she doesn't think she sounds like Karen and knows that no one can ever replicate Karen's unique style. Tori isn't trying to imitate Karen Carpenter; instead, she is focused on developing her own voice and forging her own path to success in music. At the same time, she pays tribute to Karen Carpenter's beautiful voice by covering her songs.

Rick Henry Christopher's Note: Tori has continued to cover Carpenters tunes for two reasons: She's a fan of their music and she gets tons of requests from her fans to record Carpenters songs.

Tori enjoys social media and spends time interacting with fans of Carpenters. Many of these fans are also Tori's fans.

Rick Henry Christopher's Note: I consider myself to be a Tori Holub fan!!!

At the age of 21, Tori is just starting to build her fan base and career. She has more than 68,000 followers on her Facebook musician's page aptly titled Tori Holub Music. She also has 28,000 followers on YouTube, 107,000 followers on Instagram, and a whopping 178,000 followers on TikTok. It's easy to say that Tori is well on her way to success. She has captured the hearts of music fans around the world

Tori's favorite Carpenters songs are “Someday” and “Crescent Noon.” She loves how “Someday” builds in a theatrical way. With “Crescent Noon” it's John Bettis' poetic lyrics, the slightly out-of-tune piano, and the low “basement” notes that really get to her.

Tori comes from a supportive family in Minnesota. She says, “My family has been a huge source of support throughout my life. My parents have always supported my craziest dreams and ideas, and I'm very grateful to have them in my life!”

Rick Henry Christopher’’s Note: Tori Holub is a down-to-earth young lady and has her heart in the right place. She has her feet firmly planted in reality.

While she was in high school Tori was already taking her career in music seriously. She attended a trade school class to learn the technical aspects of recording, mixing, and reproducing sound in the studio. She learned the basics of audio engineering including how to use ProTools which she uses to this day.

Tori has always been heavily inspired by producers like George Martin, Jeff Lynne, and Richard Carpenter.

Rick Henry Christopher's Note: Tori and I branched off into a conversation about Jeff Lynne's amazing work with his band Electric Light Orchestra.

Tori mentioned she's especially a fan of Jeff Lynne's work with The Beatles. Lynne co-produced “Free as a Bird” (1995), “Real Love” (1996), and “Now and Then” (2023). All three songs originated as demos recorded by John Lennon. Lynne also did backing vocals and played guitar on “Free as a Bird” and “Real Love.” Tori has recorded an impressive cover of “Now and Then.”

On Thursday, April 25, 2024, Tori performed at the Downey United Methodist Church as part of the Carpenters' 55th Anniversary Celebration. She sang the Carpenters' classic “Yesterday Once More” and the Richard Carpenter-penned ballad “Something in Your Eyes.” Tori expressed her gratitude to the event organizers for inviting her and for putting together such a fun and historic celebration. The event marked the anniversary of the Carpenters signing with A&M Records on April 22, 1969.

Rick Henry Christopher's Note: Tori is full of gratitude for the many opportunities that have come her way over the past year. Her humble attitude, upbeat disposition, and awesome voice are the catalysts of her success.

Tori has recorded several non-Carpenters songs, including a standout rendition of “Georgia on My Mind.” Produced and arranged by Chris May, this version showcases Tori's soulful, bluesy vocal performance.

She has recorded a few original songs, including the dazzling “Something to Believe In,” written by Richard Kraft. One of her best songs is a warm Christmas tune called “Christmas Again,” which was also written by Steve Eaton and Donnie Demers.

Tori is currently working on a new song, “Years Gone By,” which she co-wrote with Donnie Demers and Steve Eaton. Steve Eaton is known for writing “Rag Doll,” recorded by Art Garfunkel, “Out on the Road,” recorded by Anne Murray, and the worldwide Top 40 hit “All You Get from Love is a Love Song,” recorded by Carpenters.

Tori's music is available everywhere you can stream music - Tidal, Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon, and all the others.

Tori Holub's journey is just beginning, and her future looks incredibly bright. With her remarkable voice, dedication to her craft, and a growing fan base, she is well on her way to making a lasting impact in the music world. Keep streaming her music and supporting this talented young artist—you won't be disappointed.

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With Love, RHC ❤️