Sherman Holmes releases One Step Ahead of the Blues
Sherman Holmes’ eleven-track Nola Blue album is produced by Andreas Werner. The label says it includes two previously unrecorded Wendell Holmes songs.
Sherman Holmes has released One Step Ahead of the Blues through Nola Blue Records. The eleven-track album arrived on October 9, 2026, with Andreas Werner producing. The release follows the label’s July announcement of the project.
A new chapter with a Holmes Brothers connection
Nola Blue says the record includes two previously unrecorded songs by Wendell Holmes. Their inclusion carries his brother’s writing into Sherman’s new collection.
The Holmes Brothers were named National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellows in 2014. The new record continues Sherman’s work beyond that group, with a family connection through the two Wendell songs announced by Nola Blue.
Who worked on the album?
The official credits identify Werner as producer and Joe Funderburk as the recording engineer at Creative Workshop and Crazy Chester Studio in Nashville. Funderburk also handled the mix and master.
The announced collaborators include The Blind Boys of Alabama and the singers Catherine Russell, Joan Osborne, Amy Helm and Ada Dyer. The label groups Russell, Osborne, Helm and Dyer together under the name “The Honorary Holmes Sisters.”
Where to explore the record
The sequence includes “Your Livin’ Does Your Preachin’,” “I’m So Lonely” and the closing “Change My Heart.” The official album page lists all eleven tracks, along with the recording credits and available formats. It provides the clearest starting point for exploring the music beyond the announcement.
Read Nola Blue’s original announcement for the project’s background. The artist’s release page provides the corresponding track list and production credits.
Sources
Editorial illustration based on Mobilus In Mobili’s 2017 photograph of Sherman Holmes. Adapted into an illustrated magazine composition, with other performers omitted. Source and adaptation: CC BY-SA 2.0. No endorsement implied.