“The songs on this record are centered around the realities of everyday life, with all its difficulty and beauty, and the hope that keeps us from falling apart,” says Erick Baker about the inspiration behind “Holding The Pieces In Place”, his recently released first full length album. Drawing from his own personal experiences, Baker’s songwriting is defined by the honesty and emotion that he pours into each of the album’s 12 songs. At the heart of “Holding The Pieces In Place” is Baker’s powerful voice that not only makes you listen, but more importantly, it makes you feel. Each song is rooted in the universal emotions that connect us all, and the more you look into the pieces of this album’s open heart, the more you may start to recognize them as a part of your own. Since releasing his debut EP, “It’s Getting Too Late To Say It’s Early”, in 2008, Baker has been building a strong following with his passionate and heartfelt live performances. He has been widely accepted by a diverse group of fans while sharing the stage with artists ranging from James Blunt and Gavin Degraw, to John Legend and Natasha Bedingfield, along with receiving the honor of playing on the main stages of several major music festivals like Bonnaroo and Voodoo Fest. “Baker’s set list of deeply personal tunes, sung with aching intensity, manages to connect with fans across demographic lines,” says Alli Marshall of the Asheville Mountain Xpress. Baker’s unique sound is a direct product of his live performances, and “Holding The Pieces In Place” was recorded with the goal of capturing the raw emotion and feeling of a live performance. “I feel like I am at my best when I am performing live,” says Baker “Playing in front of an audience, is when I think my songs reach their full potential.” While Erick Baker’s music is now a reflection of his life, it wasn’t until he graduated from college with a degree in Public Relations that he even started playing music. But he learned quickly, and soon discovered a passion and purpose that had been hidden inside of him. Baker has had only one voice lesson and he taught himself how to play guitar, but what he lacks in technicality, he makes up in authenticity. Despite his late start in music, Baker has managed to put the pieces of a promising music career together, and with the release of “Holding The Pieces In Place”, he takes a dramatic step forward in his songwriting and succeeds in carving out his own identity and unique sound amongst an over population of other acoustic singer-songwriters. Baker forgoes typical instrumentation by replacing the electric guitar with the romance of Erin Archer’s viola. His commanding voice and Archer’s moving string arrangements dance back and forth like a conversation between lovers throughout each song. Erick Baker’s new album, “Holding The Pieces In Place”, is defined by a unique combination of passion, honesty, and vulnerability that is highlighted by the marriage of melody between his voice and Erin Archer’s viola. Each of these pieces fit together to make a powerful collection of songs that is sure to serve as the soundtrack to many people’s everyday lives.