Feb 11, 2023
New record!!! "Rock Night in New Jersey"
New record!!! "Rock Night in New Jersey"
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New record!!! "Rock Night in New Jersey"
New record!!! "Rock Night in New Jersey"
Curiosity Leads to Career for Blues Guitarist Billy Hector
A few curiosity record buys lead to a successful career for Jersey Shore guitarist Billy Hector. Muddy Waters, Freddie King and other blues greats inspired the teenage Billy, who was already dabbling in music and starting to find his passion and drive in life.
Billy, a long-time and popular blues guitarist in New Jersey, is known for his sultry take on the delta blues and soulful and passionate sounds. Billy and his band, The Billy Hector Experience, will take the stage as the headliner for the Point Pleasant Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Festival on June 18. The Midnight Horns will join the group.
“These music festivals cross all lines,” said Billy. “You can put a little funk and rock in there and really experiment. Everybody has a good time and can enjoy the music, and if they dance it’s even better. We always try to make it a party.”
Billy realized the struggles of a blues musician from an early age, but that never stopped him or his drive to perform for an audience who could appreciate the blues and its rich history.
“Blues has never been that popular of a style, but all American music is rooted in it,” said Billy. “It was a hard sell at times, trying to find an audience to play for. But we kept our nose to the grindstone and found our groove.”
Billy and his band find ways to incorporate different genres of music into their sound to give everyone something to enjoy.
“Back in the day, putting rock in your blues was forbidden,” said Billy. “Now it’s accepted, and we mix some in with our sound. Music is elastic and it all melds together at times.”
In the late 70s, Billy played guitar with The Shots, the R&B house band at Asbury Park’s Stone Pony. After playing with several bands around New Jersey, Billy started The Billy Hector Experience in 1990, a trio made up of Billy on vocals and guitar, Simeon Cain on drums, and Winston Roye on bass.
For Billy, the blues parallels his own life.
“My weather is always dark and smoky, and that’s good for the blues,” said Billy. “There’s such a high that every musician gets when they play. It’s an experience floating in the cosmos and you paint a new picture each time you go into a show. Sometimes you expect a certain outcome and something else entirely happens, and that’s a good thing.”
Billy and The Billy Hector Experience boast impressive awards and honors, including winner of the Asbury Park Music Awards “Best Guitarist”, “Best Blues Band” and “Living Legend” awards; two-time winner of the East Coast Rocker’s “Best Guitarist” award; two-time invitee to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s American Music Masters Series celebrating the music of Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters with Charlie Musselwhite, Bonnie Raitt, Jimmy Vaughn, Vernon Reid, Dave Alvin, Sonny Landreth, Double Trouble and others; touring guitarist with Hubert Sumlin; winner of the Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Foundation’s “Lifetime Achievement” award; and touring guitarist with Joe Louis Walker.
“This is my religion,” said Billy. “The blues swirl around you. It’s sort of like our national accent, like an American haiku with so many moods. The emotional impact is great, and when you get it right it can be very sexy and even lively depending on the song.”
The Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Festival will kick off on June 18 from 12-8 p.m. at Riverfront Park, located on the corner of Maxon Avenue and River Road in Point Pleasant Borough. The festival, voted “Favorite Music Festival” in the JerseyArts.com People’s Choice Awards, is expected to draw thousands for a day of live performances by talented jazz and blues musicians, food, crafters and sponsor exhibits, Lagunitas Beer and Wine Garden, and activities for the entire family. The festival is rain or shine, free to the public, dog-friendly and all ages are welcome to attend.
Other festivals in the series will be held in Asbury Park on Saturday, July 23, 2016 from 12 – 8 p.m. at Bradley Park, located at 5th and Ocean Avenue, and in Long Branch on Saturday, August 27, 2016 from 12 – 9:30 p.m. at The Great Lawn on the Boardwalk, located on Cooper Ave.
For more information on the Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Festival, visit www.jerseyshorefestival.org.
The Billy Hector Experience featuring The Midnight Horns will take the stage at 6:30 p.m. at the Point Pleasant Festival. For more information on the band, visit http://www.billyhector.com/. Their new album, Old School Thang, can be purchased on their site.
Photo courtesy of KatVitulano Photos
RAGIN #ragincajun #ragincajunnj #billyhector.com #jerseyshore #njrestaurantweek #belmar @ragincajunnj