Visual artist, musician and educator Lonnie Holley was born in 1950 in Birmingham, AL, and his first efforts at making art came in 1979, when he carved tombstones for two nieces who died in a house fire. He soon evolved into making paintings and performing his music in public, and has had gallery and museum exhibitions around the country, including the current Thumbs Up for the Mothership at Mass MoCA. All of Lonnie Holley's musical performances rely thoroughly on improvisation.