Celebrity Travel: Go away with Peter Holsapple

For The dB’s guitarist-vocalist-songwriter Peter Holsapple, seeing the United States by train is a great way to unwind and spend time with loved ones. “Last year, my family and I took the train from Raleigh, North Carolina, to Whitefish, Montana, to visit Glacier National Park,” said Holsapple, 69. “It was long-winded, but fantastic. We engaged a guide to take us around on Christmas Eve [during the day] who knew the park intimately. So we got backstories on everything. I would highly recommend getting sleeping accommodations on the train, though, for those two-day trips.”

Holsapple, who resides with his family in Durham, North Carolina, keeps fans updated on his music and travels on Bluesky (https://bsky.app/profile/halfpear.bsky.social), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/peter.holsapple/) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555740781573). This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Q: What can you share about your newest album, “The Face of 68”?

A: Well, it’s my new solo album, and it sounds significantly different from the bands I played in over the years. So there’s really no jangle pop [like with] The dB’s, nor is there any Americana like with Continental Drifters. It’s a little rough around the edges and I play a lot of electric guitar on the record.

Q: Did you work on any of those songs while on the road?

A: Many have been brought forth from being in a particular locale. “Larger Than Life” is a song about my late friend and Continental Drifters bandmate Carlo Nuccio. He was one of the greatest drummers to come from New Orleans, so even if the song doesn’t sport a traditional second line drumbeat, the tune’s swampy vibe is definitely about NOLA.

Q: You've toured almost everywhere, it seems. Is there a place you'd like to get to still?

A: Yes, I’d love to go to Brazil and Colombia one day.

Q: What do you remember about the first show that The dB's performed?

A: [It] was a Halloween multi-band bill at Irving Plaza in New York. We were in the middle of the lineup and, unfortunately, we were just terrible! Went back to rehearsals, came out six months later ready to headline.

Q: What upcoming trips do you have planned?

A: I’m heading to Dallas with the band I play guitar for lately, the Paranoid Style. And hopefully that will include a side trip to Tulsa to visit the Bob Dylan [Center]. I’ll be playing a house concert tour in June and July of 2025 that will hopefully take me to the Pacific Northwest where I have played very little over the decades. And I hope to get to New York and New Orleans with shows as well.

Q: What is your favorite vacation destination?

A: I haven’t been to too many places repeatedly, to be honest. If I could go back there, I’d say the time I spent in Auckland, New Zealand, was among the best. Gorgeous place, incredibly friendly people. What’s not to love? I always love to visit London, having recorded the second dB’s album there. Many friends, great book and record stores and history around every corner.

Q: What was a trip you took as a child that stands out?

A: I remember driving with my parents and big brother to colleges he was looking at, sometime in the mid-1960s. It went all over the Northeast. While it was likely only a few days, it seemed interminable. I do remember staying in a motel that faced the screen of a drive-in movie, so you could watch in your room from bed! I believe the movie on tap that night was “The President’s Analyst” starring James Coburn. I always enjoyed riding in the backseat of our family station wagon since it pointed out the back window. And sometimes I could even play my little Silvertone acoustic guitar as we rode along. How did we ever manage without seat belts, though?

Q: What's the most important thing you've learned from your travels?

A: When you’re on tour, it’s really a worthwhile plan to get out and walk around the general area where your bus is parked. See the city you are playing in. And possibly most important of all, look up. You miss so much staring at the ground.

Q: What are your five favorite cities?

A: New York, Chicago, Amsterdam, London, New Orleans.

Q: Where would you like to go that you have never been to before?

A: I’d love to go to Bogota for the Bogotam Tam [international percussion] festival.

Q: When you go away, what are some of your must-have items?

A: My Kindle. And hopefully there’s also room for a guitar. When I go on vacation, I tend to overpack for some reason. I think I’m going to need about 10 more T-shirts than I actually do. If I’m staying someplace for a week or more, I like to bring a bag of Community Coffee from Louisiana. But these days, I think it’s probably more practical to bring Community pods.

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(Jae-Ha Kim is a New York Times bestselling author and journalist. You can reach her at www.jaehakim.com, follow her on Instagram and X @goawaywithjae, or read more from her on Substack (jaehakim.substack.com).)