Daily Inspiration: Meet Colt Holmes

Today we’d like to introduce you to Colt Holmes.

Hi Colt, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’m originally from kentucky. I moved to Los Angeles at age 19. I was born and raised in a musical family. My father was a musician, singer/songwriter playing out at the local bar or back porches. My mother was always singing, playing Meat Loaf or Queen while trying to maintaine a clean house. My older brother as well looked to my father for his musicianship, and is a phenomenal blues guitarist. I got my first musical instrument at age 11. Bought by my step father Jeff, who was such a positive impact on me growing up, and instilled so many of my good qualities.

The drumset was a black Pearl drum set. My brother and I would constantly play together growing up. He’d always try and teach me guitar, but I think because we were sibling both of our patience were too thin for me to try and learn. So I learned rhythm first (which I am so grateful for now). It wouldn’t be until about 10 years later that I would learn guitar.

Prior to moving to Los Angeles, I lived in Nashville with a blues band with a couple of guys I grew up with. I was always hanging around my older brothers friends, and so I ended up moving in, once I graduated high school. This was around the time I started to experiment with drugs. For my friends, i was their connect and would supply them with whatever they needed. It was a crazy experience getting to learn their creative processes and their promotion techniques. Eventually after about 6 months, the band would break up and I was back living with my parents.

Because I was such a pothead at the time, and California was known for their good weed, I decided I would get 2 jobs, save my money and move to Los Angeles. So I end up moving to LA, meeting a woman, falling in love and eventually moving in together. It really worked out great for me at first. We were together for a couple years. before my life would completely change in a drastic way. After we broke up, I had met Mike Lerman (my musical mentor). Mike had a roommate named Jared who I had met doing background work for TV and films. Jared had offered a spot on his living room couch for me for a small fee every month.

So there i was, sleeping on their couch for about a year and a half. During this time is where I would learn how to play guitar. Everyday after work, Mike would come home and give me little lessons for the day. He had such a creative force. I got to see his creative processes. He taught me mostly everything I know about how to write/construct a song. I would also see him play out at open mics every week. I learned so much from Mike and am so grateful to have him as my good friend.

I eventually moved out of their place, finding a room to rent in Hollywood. At the time, I was 22 and eager to get fucked up all the time. Drinking became a daily thing. I would drink and roam the Hollywood streets in hopes to find some good music. There was a particular spot I always enjoyed called The Piano Bar, and would vibe on good music there.

At the place where I was living, I had a neighbor who was into taking opioid pills. Niave as I was, I would eventually have a monkey on my back. Many of my family members struggled with alcoholism and substance abuse, so I had a predisposition. It took ahold of me pretty quick and before I knew it doing pills eventually turned into shooting heroin. It’s a process, and doesn’t happen overnight but its like a snowball effect, once it starts rolling there’s no stopping it. Drug addiction would eventually lead me to living on the streets. I was such a dope fiend, that I would stay on the streets for about 4 years. It is a lifestyle that you grow used to, and once you’ve grown used to it its nearly impossible to stop. Having No responsibility sounds good for a young 24 year old but God its a struggle.

After I had moved out from living with Mike, I didnt see him until a few years later. I was strung out, homeless in Hollywood. I had just woken up to my shoes being stolen (I would take them off at night while I slept on my cardboard bed) I had clothes on I had been wearing for weeks. My hair was nappy and long and dreaded. I looked like I crawled out of the fucking sewer. Im walking down Hollywood Blvd, dopesick and there I see Mike. Now it had been a few years since he saw me, and last time he did I wasn’t strung out and was very healthy so for him to see me in this state, I felt such shame. He almost couldn’t recognize me, due to my drastic change. He really sympathize with me at the time, ended uo giving me $20 cash and an old pair of shoes he had in his car. He was an angel.

Fast forward I would eventually end up getting multiple drug cases and got sentenced to a drug program called Impact. They changed my life. They saved my life. They helped me to understand my addiction, and taught me to love myself. Because I loved everyone at this rehab, and loved the work they did, I ended up getting a job myself working at a treatment center as a councilor. I have been doing so for nearly 7 years now. It keeps me accountable, but also keeps me motivated to stay sober.

Music has always been a passionate hobby of mine, but only in the last 2 years have I actually taken it serious or considered myself a musician. Music has saved my life really, without it I would be dead. I like to tap into previous struggles or hardships to write, but also tap into positive emotions as well. Last year I started performing out live at open mics, and since then I have had a few feature spots and have grown my confidence so much more. My hopes is to start a band and play out locally as much as possible and be a vessel. I’ve been working with Mike as he has produced quite a few songs of mine. I try and keep that muscle working by trying to create content weekly.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
By no strech was it smooth, but I like to rock and roll. I had included in last message

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I work as a counselor for people struggling with substance use disorders. It keeps me accountable, but also I empathize so much with these people, and sometimes that’s all they want.

How do you think about luck?
I would be dead if it weren’t for my luck

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @billy_the_bum_