Amy Holland

Amy Holland (born on August 11, 1953) is a pop rock singer. Her mother was country star Esmereldy and her father was opera singer Harry Boersma.[1] Holland’s self-titled album, produced by Michael McDonald (who became her husband three years later) of the Doobie Brothers, was released in 1980 and featured the hit «How Do I Survive», which peaked at #22 in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.[2] She was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 1981. A second album called «On Your Every Word» followed in 1983, featuring the single «Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing»/»You’re All I Need to Get By» with Chris Christian. That same year she landed two songs on the soundtrack to the movie Scarface. One of the songs Holland recorded for Scarface «She’s on Fire» was also used in Grand Theft Auto 3. She later married Michael McDonald and sang backup vocals on his records, in addition to singing backup on records by bands such as First Call.

Amy and Michael McDonald later had two kids named Dylan (born in 1987) and Scarlett (born in 1991) and they moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where in 1995, Amy became terminaly ill by breast cancer, and fought the disease. She had to have a hip replacement in order to survive.

In 2008, Amy released THE JOURNEY TO MIRACLE RIVER on Chonin Records. Produced by long time friend Bernie Chiaravalle (singer/guitarist for Michael McDonald since 1988) the album was recorded in Nashville, TN over an 8 year period. Amy co-wrote 10 of the 12 songs with Chiaravalle along with other writers John Goodwin, Jon Vezner, and Michael McDonald. Other songs were also penned by Robben Ford and Chazz Frichtel. Musicians include Bernie Chiaravalle (guitar, bass, keys, drums and vocals), Shannon Forrest (drums), Vince Gill (vocals), Michael McDonald (keys, vocals), John Deaderick (keys), Tim Akers (keys), Stuart Duncan (violin), Tim Lorsch (violin), Dylan McDonald (vocals) and Dylan Morrison (bass)