Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: I was born on the southside of Chicago into a big Irish Catholic family. My father played guitar and he taught me to play. So I have been playing and writing songs since a very young age. My father played at all the neighborhood parties, picnics, at the church talent shows, and around the campfire. He was a real showman and loved playing.
Q: How are you planning on growing your fan base and sharing your music with the world? What message do you have for anyone who is about to discover “Gregg Hill”?
A: I get my music out there on all the streaming platforms. On my last record, Born Liar, I had CDs and LPs as well. On my new record, Bayou St. John, I’ll just have streaming and CDs. I have my own record label called Skippy Records, and under that entity I’m connected to some talented people that help promote the records and me. The main vehicle though is just getting out there and playing gigs. I just completed a small tour in Florida and I have a bunch of mini tours scheduled through the end of the summer and into the fall.
Q: Who is the most inspiring artist for you right now? And where do you find inspiration for making music?
A: Tom Petty, John Prine, Bob Dylan, Lucinda Williams, Shannon McNally…those are my top inspiration players right now, but that changes. Recently, I have been listening to a lot of 1950s and early sixties Doo-wop and rock and roll. I love the vocals in this music. I love how they are so live sounding and right up front in the mix. I told a producer friend of mine that I like it because they did not have autotune then. He said, “yes they did! It was called “take 42!”
Q: Can you tell us about the story or message behind the album, “Bayou St. John.”?
A: Bayou St. John is my sixth album. It is a record of the songs written, or completed, in my time living on the bayou in New Orleans. Most of the songs were written late at night and in the morning coffee hours on my screen porch overlooking the water. It’s a very stripped down record. Minimal tracks. I play all the guitars and piano. Roland Guerin produced the record and he plays bass and sings. Doug Belote plays drums, and Joy Clark and Lynn Drury sing some backing vocals. This was meant to be a very simple, song focused record. All the players live and work in New Orleans.
Q: How would you describe your sound in one word for potential listeners?
A: Quirky.
Q: Did you face any challenges while writing or recording “Bayou St. John”?
A: I started recording these songs in the fall of 2020. I sent some of those recordings to Neal Cappellino and we ended up making Born Liar, which was an epic production. After that was all done, I went back to the songs we did not record for that record and this record went back to that original concept. So in a way it took 2 1/2 years to make. There were a lot of challenges in getting the mix right. We had really good recordings, but wanted to keep everything classic and also contemporary. So it took a bit of doing, but in the end I think Roland presented something very special.
Q: What is the message of your music? And what are your goals as an artist?
A: I don’t know what the message overall is. Is there one? Certain songs may have a message, but that would be for someone else to say. My main goal in all my artistic ventures is to be credible. So that value informs a lot of smaller decisions, like focusing on honesty and authenticity. My business goals in music revolve around connecting with more people, finding the people that would like my music, and getting to bigger venues as a result.
Q: Who is your dream artist to collaborate with? (dead or alive)
A: Alive? Maybe Dave Cobb or Rick Rubin. Dead? Picasso…we could just hang around in shorts and sandals on Cap D’Antibe painting some bulls and fish, and having long, wine-soaked lunches with our French lovers and arty friends…
Q: What is your advice for people interested in pursuing music as a career or for those trying to enter the industry?
A: Get a wealthy spouse.
Q: If you could go back in time and give a younger you some words of wisdom, what would they be?
A: Go for it. Follow your dreams. It will all work out okay.
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