Musician’s Corner Feature – The Man the Legend Mr. Tommy Hill

Oct 22, 2024 | Musician's Corner, Trinity River Blues Society

“The Man the Legend Mr. Tommy Hill “a pocket full of soul, a gentleman and longtime professional infused with integrity . Tommy is also a Texas Tornado !

Tommy Hill was born in the Deep South and knew as a child that music was his God given talent, a natural percussionist, keyboardist, and vocalist. He has played and toured the world with many great blues and R&B artists over the course of the past 50 years.

In the early 70’s, Tommy found steady work with an R&B/Jazz band at the well known “Warehouse Club” in Denver, opening for national acts touring thru Denver such as: Grover Washington, O. C. Smith, Della Reece, Gene Harris and Three Sounds, Eddie Harris, Dizzy Gillespie, and Charles Lloyd. One special night, renowned Hammond B-3
player, Jimmy Smith asked Tommy to join him onstage.

This moving experience further confirmed to Tommy that his place would always be in the entertainment industry.
In the years to follow, Tommy toured with The Coasters on the Reno/Vegas circuit on drums and vocals. After coming off the road with The Coasters, Tommy was invited to join the Johnny Taylor Band.

Tommy moved to Dallas and became active in his church, having been influenced by the great traditions of Gospel music as a child.

Tommy and close friend Andrew “Jr. Boy” Jones joined forces with famed harp player, Charlie Musselwhite, touring domestically & internationally for the next 8 years, playing all the major jazz and blues festivals around the world. This combination of talent was explosive and recognized by being awarded the W.C. Handy Award for “Best Blues
Band of the Year”.

Tommy also collaborated with Musselwhite on three CD”s before moving back to Dallas where he and Jr. Boy formed their own band and were quickly signed with JSP Records, recording several CDs together. Tommy has also collaborated with other local artists such as Cookie McGee, Randy McAllister, Gregg Smith, R.L.
Griffin, Bob Kirkpatrick, and Eugene Church to name just a few.

Tommy began writing his own material and recorded “Hanging with Tommy”, playing drums, keyboards and
recording all vocals himself. After this release, Tommy formed his own band “Tommy Hill & The Hilltones” and recorded “Rolling with Tommy in 2000”.
Presently, Tommy is available for booking live, in studio or touring.

For booking information, contact Tommy at 214-586-7621 
Biography ~by Michelle Sirchio