“Uncle Charlie” — Dick Holler and the Nightrainers. Written by Dick Holler and recorded on January 12, 1957, at Cosimo Matassa’s New Orleans recording studio. Preserved on acetate and unreleased for nearly 70 years, the recording’s official debut: October 16, 2026 — Dick Holler’s 92nd birthday.
Louisiana Music Hall of Fame certificate honoring Dick Holler’s induction on October 27, 2007, in recognition of his contributions to Louisiana music and rock ’n’ roll. The certificate was signed by the Governor of Louisiana.
For the performance photo, I’d keep the caption focused on the event itself: Dick Holler performing “Abraham, Martin and John” at the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Baton Rouge, Louisiana — October 27, 2007. Holler was inducted that evening in recognition of his contributions to Louisiana music and rock ’n’ roll.
Dick Holler on Atlantic Records / recorded at Mira Sound Studios, NYC, April 16, 1970
Bob Dylan and Clydie King performing “Abraham, Martin and John” in 1980. Dylan performed the song regularly during his 1980–81 tours. The duet with Clydie King was later included in Trouble No More: A Musical Film, released by Sony Music Entertainment in 2017. Dylan’s recording of the song also appears on the 2021 Columbia Records release Springtime in New York.
Dion — “Abraham, Martin and John” (Laurie Records, 1968). Written by Dick Holler and produced by Phil Gernhard, Dion’s recording reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Dion had first become famous with Dion and the Belmonts before scoring solo hits including “Runaround Sue” and “The Wanderer.” “Abraham, Martin and John” marked his return to Laurie Records and became one of the defining recordings of his career.
Billboard Hot 100 — December 14, 1968. Dion’s “Abraham, Martin and John” reached No. 4, surrounded by an extraordinary group of songs: Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” at No. 1, The Supremes’ “Love Child” at No. 2, Stevie Wonder’s “For Once in My Life” at No. 3, The Beatles’ “Hey Jude” at No. 6, Glen Campbell’s “Wichita Lineman” at No. 7, Steppenwolf’s “Magic Carpet Ride” at No. 10, Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” at No. 11, and Mary Hopkin’s “Those Were the Days” at No. 12.
The Royal Guardsmen — “Snoopy vs. the Red Baron” (Laurie Records, 1966). Written by Dick Holler and Phil Gernhard. The single peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it remained for four weeks. It was also the third-highest chart debut of 1966, behind only The Beatles’ “Nowhere Man” and “Paperback Writer.” The Royal Guardsmen were a young Florida rock band when the record transformed them virtually overnight. The single sold nearly three million copies worldwide and was later featured in Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 Academy Award-winning film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood during the climactic poolside sequence, as Leonardo DiCaprio’s character sings along to the recording.
The Royal Guardsmen — “Snoopy vs. the Red Baron” (Laurie Records, 1966). Written by Dick Holler and Phil Gernhard and produced by Gernhard with John Brumage, the single peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it remained for four weeks. It was also the third-highest chart debut of 1966, behind only The Beatles’ “Nowhere Man” and “Paperback Writer.” The Royal Guardsmen were a young Florida rock band when the record transformed them virtually overnight. The single sold nearly three million copies worldwide and was later featured in Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 Academy Award-winning film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood during the climactic poolside sequence, as Leonardo DiCaprio’s character sings along to the recording.
Dick Holler and the Holidays, 1963. From top to bottom: Merlin Jones, Dick Holler and Don Smith. The group recorded the original version of “Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love),” written by Don Smith and Cyril Vetter. The song later became a Top 20 hit for The Swingin’ Medallions and went on to become a college-party classic.
Johnny Rivers in Mexico City, 1960. Backing him are Junior Bergeron on drums, Bobby Loveless on saxophone, and Dick Holler on piano. Rivers was managed at the time by Audrey Williams, former wife of Hank Williams. Rivers had known Holler since his early Baton Rouge days and later recalled that Dick “introduced me to a lot of R&B artists and opened up a whole new world for me.” Rivers would go on to find major success with “Memphis,” recorded live at the Whisky a Go Go and reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1964 — and the rest, as they say, is history.
From far left - unknown, Lenny Capello, Don Smith and Dick Holler, with an unidentified musician at far left. Don Smith co-wrote “Double Shot (Of My Baby’s Love)” with Cyril Vetter. Dick Holler was closely connected with Smith and Capello during this period in the Baton Rouge/New Orleans music scene.
Marvin Gaye — “Abraham, Martin and John” (1970). Featured on the album That’s the Way Love Is, the single reached No. 9 on the UK Singles Chart.
Yes — that’s the one I’d use exactly as written: Ray Charles — “Abraham, Martin and John” (1972). Charles recorded Dick Holler’s song for his album A Message from the People, released on ABC/Tangerine Records. The album reached No. 52 on the Billboard 200 and also featured his celebrated recording of “America the Beautiful.”
Dick Holler performing at the first Earth Day, Washington, D.C. — April 22, 1970. Holler appeared at the Sylvan Theater on the Washington Monument grounds on a bill that also included Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, Phil Ochs, The Chambers Brothers and Don McLean.
Original poster for the first Earth Day celebration in Washington, D.C. — April 22, 1970. The program at the Sylvan Theater on the Washington Monument grounds lists Dick Holler alongside Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie, Phil Ochs, The Chambers Brothers, Don McLean and other performers.
Cher — “The Greatest Song I Ever Heard” (1973). Written by Dick Holler and featured on Cher’s Half-Breed album, which included the No. 1 hit “Half-Breed.” The song was also recorded and released as a single by The New Seekers in 1973, reaching No. 16 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart.
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles — “Abraham, Martin and John” (1969). Featured on the album Time Out for Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, the single reached No. 33 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was performed on The Ed Sullivan Show on June 1, 1969.
Wilson Pickett — “Cole, Cooke & Redding” (1970). Written by Dick Holler and released by Atlantic Records as the B-side of Pickett’s “Sugar, Sugar.” “Sugar, Sugar” reached No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100, while “Cole, Cooke & Redding” charted separately at No. 91 on the Hot 100 and No. 11 on the R&B chart.
Tom Clay — “What the World Needs Now Is Love / Abraham, Martin and John” (1971). The medley combined Burt Bacharach and Hal David’s “What the World Needs Now Is Love” with Dick Holler’s “Abraham, Martin and John” and reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Lobo — Introducing Lobo (1971). Dick Holler wrote “The Albatross,” “Little Joe (They’re Out to Get Ya),” and “Reaching Out for Someone” for Lobo’s debut album, which also featured his breakthrough hit “Me and You and a Dog Named Boo,” reaching No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. Lobo later scored another major international hit with “I’d Love You to Want Me,” which reached No. 2 in the U.S. and spent 13 weeks at No. 1 in Germany.
The Bellamy Brothers — “Crossfire” (1977). Co-written by Dick Holler and Jerry Careaga and featured on the album Plain & Fancy. Although the song did not chart in the United States, it reached No. 17 in Germany. Hoffmann & Hoffmann’s German-language version, “Himbeereis zum Frühstück,” reached No. 14, putting both versions in the German Top 20. The song was later recorded in various versions by Johnny Lee, of Urban Cowboy fame, Karel Gott, and DJ Ötzi & The Bellamy Brothers, whose 2012 collaborative album Simply the Best, featuring “Crossfire,” reached No. 3 in Austria.
The Bellamy Brothers — “Crossfire” (1977). Co-written by Dick Holler and Jerry Careaga, the song reached No. 17 in Germany. Its German-language adaptation, “Himbeereis zum Frühstück” by Hoffmann & Hoffmann, reached No. 14, putting both versions in the German Top 20 at the same time. The song was later recorded in various versions by artists including Johnny Lee, best known for “Lookin’ for Love” from Urban Cowboy, DJ Ötzi & The Bellamy Brothers, and Karel Gott.
Photo shoot 1970
Dick Holler performing at the Splendid Bar, Zürich, Switzerland — 1996. During the 1990s, Holler was a regular performer at the legendary piano bar in Zürich’s Old Town, often playing six nights a week, five hours a night. The intimate club was known for packed evenings of locals, tourists and sing-along crowds gathered around the piano. Zuerich
Dick Holler — 1990s European promotional photo. During the 1990s, Dick spent roughly a decade performing in piano bars, clubs and luxury hotels throughout Europe. In Switzerland, he became a regular at well-known Zürich venues including the Splendid Bar, the Dolder Grand and the Widder Bar, and also performed in Zermatt and St. Moritz. His European engagements also took him to Germany, Norway, England and Scotland.
Dick's 4 kids: from left to right David, Dana, Reno and Todd (all born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana)