GREGG HILL BEGAN WRITING SONGS IN SEVENTH GRADE, BUT HE NEVER REALLY THOUGHT OF HIMSELF AS A PERFORMER — UNTIL HE MOVED TO NEW ORLEANS. INSPIRED BY THE BIG EASY AND OTHER ARTISTS WHO CALL IT HOME, HILL EMBARKED ON YET ANOTHER NEW CHAPTER IN A LIFE THAT HAS CONTAINED MANY, HONING HIS LIVE-AUDIENCE ENTERTAINING SKILLS — WHILE FORGING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE ARTISTS. THE SINGER, GUITARIST AND PIANIST THEN RECRUITED TWO OF THE CITY’S FINEST — BASSIST/VOCALIST ROLAND GUERIN AND DRUMMER DOUG BELOTTE — AS THE RHYTHM SECTION FOR HIS LATEST ALBUM, BAYOU ST. JOHN, RELEASING SEPT. 15.
NAMED FOR THE REGION THAT CONNECTS LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN TO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, IT’S ALSO THE PLACE WHERE HILL WROTE MOST OF THE ALBUM’S EIGHT TRACKS. EACH CONVEYS THE EASYGOING NATURE (AND ACCOMPLISHED PICKING) OF THIS FOLK-TINGED AMERICANA ARTIST; BUT THEY’RE ALSO SOMETHING MORE: MASTERFULLY PAINTED TABLEAUX CAPTURING MOMENTS IN TIME WITH CHARM AND EMOTIONAL RESONANCE.