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One man electric band Steve Hill blazes away

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CALGARY — This year Quebec guitarist Steve Hill won four Maple Blues Awards in the following categories: Electric Guitar, Guitarist, Recording /Producer and Entertainer. To top it off, he won a 2015 Juno for Blues Album of the Year. Not too shabby, and a big boost for a veteran player whose career has seen better days.

Speaking from his home studio in Montreal, I ask Hill if he’s still basking in the afterglow of his Juno win. “Oh man, I’m looking at it right now. It really helped,” he says. “It’s a Juno! I’ve one a lot of awards, but a Juno is quite a big thing. I’m still psyched about that.”

Before the Juno fame, who was Steve Hill and where did he come from?

“I’ve done many things,” replies Hill. “Started playing at 16 and was doing it as a profession at 18. Put my first album out at 20 in 1997 and eight since then. I’ve done blues rock, stoner rock, country, I’ve done a lot of things. A lot of things here in Quebec.”

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Montreal’s Steve Hill Tops Tally With Four Wins

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January 19, 2015 (Toronto) – Blue Monday, thought to be the most depressing day of the year, was anything but last night Toronto’s Koerner Hall, as internationally renowned Canadian Blues Artists from coast-to-coast were honoured by their peers at the 18th Annual Maple Blues Awards gala.

Montreal’s one-man band, Steve Hill took home all of the awards he was nominated for including Entertainer of the Year, Electric Act of the Year, Recording of the Year for Solo Recordings Vol. 2, and Guitar Player of the Year. Angel Forrest won two awards including Female Vocalist of the Year and Songwriter of the Year. Also representing the thriving Quebec blues scene were Nanette Workman who won the Blues with a Feeling Lifetime Achievement Award and Greg Morency of the Paul DesLauriers Band who won Bassist of the Year. From Montreal, Guy Belanger won Harmonica Player of the Year, sharing it with Vancouver’s Harpdog Brown in the first ever Maple Blues Awards tie.

Vancouver’s Brandon Isaak won the Acoustic Act of the Year award with David Vest taking home the award for Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year. The New Artist or Group of the Year award was presented to Ottawa’s Wicked Grin. Edmonton Folk Festival producer Terry Wickham joined Stony Plain Records president Holger Petersen to present the Blues Booster of the Year Award to Edmonton’s Peter North, who was recognized for his dedication to promoting the blues as a broadcaster, talent buyer and festival Artistic Director.

An additional award was handed out last night as the winners of the first ever Cobalt Prize for Contemporary Blues Composition were announced. The creator and benefactor of the award, musician Paul Reddick, presented Digging Roots the grand prize for their song “Hwy 17”, with Rob Lutes and Samantha Martin announced as runners up.

Hosted by renowned musician and broadcaster, Toronto’s own Danny Marks, the Maple Blues Awards included outstanding performances from Maple Blues Award nominees past and present, including the evening’s big winners Steve Hill and Angel Forrest, Joel Johnson, Downchild, Harpdog Brown and Brandon Isaak, all backed by The Maple Blues Band.

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Northern Life: ‘One-man band’ set to play The Townehouse

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“One-man band” Steve Hill is set to make a stop at The Townehouse Oct. 16 as part of a tour of Canada in support of his latest album, “Solo Recordings Volume 2.”

“When it comes to one-man bands, guitarist and singer extraordinaire Steve Hill has no limits,” a press release said.

“Throughout his lengthy and intense shows, Hill performs standing up while singing and playing guitar, with his feet playing bass drum, snare drum, hi-hats and – with a drum stick fused to the head of his trusty guitar – any other percussion within reach.

“With roots in blues, rock and a little bit of country, Hill performs his original songs, blues classics and quite often raucous renditions of Jimi Hendrix tunes.

For the past 20 years Hill has been touring and recording and has shared the stage with the likes of Ray Charles, BB King, ZZ Top, Jimmie Vaughan, Hubert Sumlin and Jeff Beck.

The show will start at 8 p.m. with Lori and Jessie from the Sulfer City Blues Band followed by an intimate solo performance by Hill.

Tickets to the event cost $15 at the door.

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