As we come up on the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic, I wanted to share some of the music that has helped me through the year, with post a quick bit about one song each day in March. So here goes …

#2, Hold On, Yola

I first heard Yola when she sang with the alt-country, all-female supergroup The Highwomen on the title song of their debut record, which came out in 2019. Last summer a friend passed along “Hold On” and it became my resilience anthem for COVID times. Coming full circle, Yola is backed on this song by several of the Highwomen (Brandi Carlisle and Natalie Hemby, with Sheryl Crow and Morgane Stapleton, who will show up with her husband later in this list, as well). My church does contemporary music, from the Beatles to Frank Turner to Jimmy Eat World, and if we’re not singing “Hold On” by next summer, in-person or especially if we’re still remote, I will be shocked.

Mama said to me

Hold on

You gotta be wise

Hold on

Your momentary dreams

Can be gone

Water through your fingers you can’t hold

Baby hold on to the things you love

Show me who it is you are

Never let that feeling go

Let it show

Mama said to me

Stave on

No matter what they tell you girl

Stave on

Everyone that seems alright

Has a soul that’s hurting deep inside

So baby hold on to the things you love

Show me who it is you are

Never let that feeling go

Let it show

Mama said to me

Hold on

You gotta be wise

Hold on

Your momentary dreams

Can be gone

Water through your fingers you can’t hold

So hold on

Mama said to me

Hold on

You gotta be wise

Hold on

Your momentary dreams

Can be gone

Water through your fingers you can’t hold

So hold on