Hillbilly-Music.com—The People. The Music. The History.
Ed Gary
Born:  October 14, 1945

About The Artist

Ed Gary - Today He was born Edward Gary Holcombe in 1945 to the Reverend Earl Forrest Holcombe and Maybell Kathrine Dean Holcombe at the John Gaston Hospital in Memphis, Tennesseee.

Ed Gary, as country music fans came to know him, grew up around music as Memphis was a melting pot for music genres like Gospel, Rockabilly, Blues and Country. and with both sides of his family being blessed with singers and musicians. In addition, both his father and mother were gospel singers, so it came natural for Ed to find the interest to be a singer and musician.

Ed first sang in his father's church at the age of three. He learned to play guitar by the time he was nine years old. And shortly after that, he was being heard on a weekly radio show when he was just ten!

He later moved to Nashville where he continued to hone his talents with country music andn gain the respect and support of the country music community.

His made his first recording at the age of seventeen (circa 1962) - a couple of country classics - "Blackboard Of My Heart" b/w "Am I That Easy To Forget". Those recordings were the beginning of a long career in the music he loved—Country Music.

It was in 1980 that he met music producer John (Fish man) Fisher. In the latter part of the 1980s and early 1990s, Fish Man would produce Ed's music for the Player International Label, leading to three Number One hits for Ed.

The only "problem" was that they were all Number One in Europe and only made it as high as the Top 30 charts here in the United States.

Mr. Fisher suffered a major stroke in 1993 and that meant Ed was without a producer again. But he regrouped and released a TV album for CMI in early 1993.

Ed now lives in Peoria, Arizona, which is a suburb of Phoenix. Ed is still singing and playing bass in his four piece band plus being booked as a single and duo shows.

Over the years he has been blessed to work with some of the biggest and best names in the music business. In early years he was a front man for many big acts and later as opening act for package shows. He was also the headliner of his own shows.

To name a few he has roused the crowds for: Ernest Tubb, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, David Houston, Ronnie Milsap, Mac Wiseman, Bill Anderson, Roy Acuff, Little Jimmy Dickens, Hank Snow, Tanya Tucker, Barbara Mandrell.

Ed even a pre show for Elvis. As you can see, the list goes on and on.

He has hosted his own television and radio shows across America. He was featured on The Ralph Emory Show, The Jerry Lewis Telethon in its early days, Lee Mace's Ozark Opry from Osage Beach, Missouri and and last, but not least, The Grand Ole Opry.

Ed has also found the time to appear in a few movies such as Coal Miners Daughter and Smoky and the Bandit. In 2008 he has appeared in the films;

  • "Blood Moon Rising" — as Cowboy / Marshall and Zombie
  • "This must be the place" — as a Featured Extra
  • "King" — as Scott Rigliano, owner of the Phoenix NBA Team
  • "Locker 13" — as supporting actor and stand-in for David Huddleston
  • "Red Corvette" — as multi-millionire Duke Myers
  • "Fallen Blue" — Lead role as Himself, Police Detective Gary
  • "I Am Ghost" — as a retired husband
  • "Trade In" — as himself
  • "Harold" — as himself
  • "Schism" — as himself

And even today, he's still looking for more films to do.

Credits & Sources

  • Hillbilly-Music.com wishes to thank Ed Gary himself for contacting us and sharing with us the highlights of his career.