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Nolan Taylor, “Hold Me,” ft. Clarke Sexton // GemsOnVHS™

GemsOnVHS | January 4, 2026



I’ve known about Nolan Taylor a long time now. We actually met once, before Jon Grace’s much celebrated Laurel Cove festival in Bell County, Kentucky. Nolan was probably still a mailman back then, and our mutual friend Aaron Cordell (amazing drummer and former roommate of Hayden Karchmer lol) brought him along for a hike. We all talked music and played tunes and had a good ole time.

Sometime after that, Nolan entered the “Gems in the Rough” contest we were holding. He produced easily one of the best recordings ever for it, which subsequently went hella viral, his song “500 Days” (https://youtu.be/AX52m6cU2M8?si=toalb9xpRJU-hOjo). Unfortunately, he didn’t follow the rules (no cuts in the video, so we know you made it for the contest lol), and we had to disqualify his entry. Luckily that didn’t stop him from getting a record deal with Atlantic, and gaining thousands of fans.

I jumped in the tour van with him for a leg of shows in Tennessee/Georgia recently. We recorded this in the van one day, just jamming out and having fun on the way to Knoxville. Nolan is seriously salt of the earth, a normal guy with a killer voice and a humble story. I can’t stand rock stars, and despite sounding like one Nolan is not that guy.

Nolan is going on tour! Check out the tour dates at https://www.nolantaylormusic.com/tour. You can find him on Instagram at @nolantaylormusic.

Our undying love and gratitude go to our executive producers for making this project possible: Brad Sirois, Mitchell Davis, Keith McQuillan, David Jameson, Lisa Galvan, Irvin Maddox, Josh Collins, Brady Jones, Julie Nestoroff, VJ Arizpe, Mr. Free, Rusty Shackleford, and Joshua Taylor.

Consider becoming a Patreon contributor to help sustain this project. For the price of a cup of coffee every month, you let us continue finding and filming amazing artists.
https://www.patreon.com/gemsonvhs

GemsOnVHS is a long running series of intimate, off-stage performances by songwriters we love.
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Written by GemsOnVHS

Comments

This post currently has 29 comments.

  3. @JohnDeereOriginal02

    January 4, 2026 at 9:47 am

    She wakes me up
    turns on the news says what did you do?
    And lately it's tough, when she calls my bluff and I've hidden the proof. It's not always me, you're blinded by these half-hearted truths
    There's no blood on my hands
    I do all that I can to bring what I earn home to you
    But you push me away for the things I won't say
    And the unspoken things that I do, yes it's true
    It's getting late, it seems it's my fate time to load up my guns
    At it again? Why even pretend that I am anyone
    But me, I'm the one she makes out to be All the things she can't work through
    But you push me away for the things I won't say
    And the unspoken things that I do, yes it's true
    Hold me up, don't hold me down
    (Don't you hold me down)
    Feel my cup go'n pass it around
    (Oohhhhh)
    Hold me up, don't hold me down

  10. @BENJAMINMEADOWS-x6m

    January 4, 2026 at 9:47 am

    My wife and I had the pleasure of meeting Nolan this past weekend at Healing Appalachia. He is the most humble and approachable person you'll ever meet. He also put on an amazing show.

  16. @greenteambc

    January 4, 2026 at 9:47 am

    [Intro]
    F C G

    [Verse 1]
    Bm C
    She wakes me up
    G F
    And turns on the news and says "What
    C
    did you do?"
    Bm C
    Lately it's tough
    G F
    When she calls my bluff and I've hid
    C
    in the proof
    Bm C G
    It's not always me blinded by these
    F C
    half-hearted truths
    D C
    There's no blood on my hands, I do all
    that I can
    G D Em
    To bring what I earn home to you

    [Chorus]
    B7 C
    But you push me away for the things I
    don't say
    G D Em
    And the unspoken things I do
    Am C
    It's true

    [Verse 2]
    Bm C
    It's getting late
    G F
    It seems it's my fate, time to load up
    C
    my gun
    Bm C
    I'm at it again
    G F C
    Why even pretend that I am anyone
    D C
    But me, I'm the one she makes out to
    be
    G D
    All the things that she can't work
    Em
    through

    [Chorus]
    B7 C
    But you push me away for the things I
    won't say
    G D Em
    And the unspoken things I do
    Am C
    It's true

    [Interlude]
    Bm C
    G F C Cm

    [Bridge]
    G C
    Hold me up, don't hold me down (don't
    you hold me down)
    G C
    Fill my cup, don't pass it around
    G C
    Hold me up, don't hold me down (don't
    you hold me down)
    G C
    Hold me up, don't hold me down

    [Verse 1]
    Bm C
    She wakes me up
    G F
    And turns on the news and says "What
    C
    did you do?"
    X

    Print

    Report Bad Tab
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    2
    VERSIONS
    Ver 1
    COMMENTS

    SEND
    RELATED TABS
    68Nolan Taylor
    174
    Wicked WaysNolan Taylor
    50
    DarknessNolan Taylor
    46
    If You Wouldve Told MeNolan Taylor
    0
    Like Everybody DoesNolan

  28. @cedarriver

    January 4, 2026 at 9:47 am

    Man, I remember when I first heard "500", he instantly got me, such a great feeling for melodies. Love this recording as well! And damn, Clarke Sexton was amazing as well!
    Chords and lyrics below to play along!

    Standard tuning, Capo on 3

    Intro F C G
    Verse 1 Bm C / G F C / Bm C / G F C / Bm C G F C / D C / G D Em
    Chorus B7 C / G D Em / Am C
    Verse 2 Bm C / G F C / Bm C / G F C / D C / G D Em
    Interlude Bm C / G F C Cm
    Bridge G C / G C / G C / G C

    [Intro]

    [Verse 1]
    She wakes me up
    And turns on the news and says "What did you do?"
    Lately it's tough
    When she calls my bluff and I've hid in the proof
    It's not always me blinded by these half-hearted truths
    There's no blood on my hands, I do all that I can
    To bring what I earn home to you

    [Chorus]
    But you push me away for the things I don't say
    And the unspoken things I do
    It's true

    [Verse 2]
    It's getting late
    It seems it's my fate, time to load up my gun
    I'm at it again
    Why even pretend that I am anyone
    But me, I'm the one she makes out to be
    All the things that she can't work through

    [Chorus]
    But you push me away for the things I don't say
    And the unspoken things I do
    It's true

    [Interlude]

    [Bridge]
    Hold me up, don't hold me down (don't you hold me down)
    Fill my cup, don't pass it around
    Hold me up, don't hold me down (don't you hold me down)
    Hold me up, don't hold me down

    [Verse 1]
    She wakes me up
    And turns on the news and says "What did you do?"

Comments are closed.

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