Rocky Hill (musician)

John Rockford "Rocky" Hill (December 1, 1946 – April 10, 2009)[1] was an American blues guitarist, singer, and bassist from Dallas, Texas, United States. Hill was the older brother of ZZ Top bassist, Dusty Hill.

Rocky Hill
Birth nameJohn Rockford Hill
Born(1946-12-01)December 1, 1946
OriginDallas, Texas, United States
DiedApril 10, 2009(2009-04-10) (aged 62)
Houston, Texas, United States
Instrument(s)Guitar

Biography

Hill was a member of the 1960s acid rock and blues group American Blues with his brother Dusty and drummer Frank Beard. Before the formation of ZZ Top, Rocky left the trio and subsequently played in blues bands for John Lee Hooker, Lightnin' Hopkins (for whom he played bass),[2] Freddie King, and Jimmy Reed.

In 1982, he released his first solo album, Texas Shuffle (reissued in 2005) which featured Johnny Winter and Dr. John.[3] In 1988, Virgin Records released Hill's eponymous album produced by ZZ Top's manager and producer Bill Ham.

Hill, a self-styled "anti-Clapton",[2] was called "a monster on guitar"[1] and "perhaps the wildest and scariest—both on stage and off—of all the white-boy Texas blues guitarists" and was noted in particular for his "metal-melting tone and whistling, artillery-shell harmonics".[2]

Hill died on April 10, 2009, aged 62.[1][4]

Discography

Albums
  • Texas Shuffle (1982)
  • Rocky Hill (1988)
  • Midnight Creepers (1994)
  • Lone Star Legend (released 2012, recorded 1977)

Guest appearances
  • "German Mustard" (1972) – track three on The Late Great Townes Van Zandt
  • Extended Play[5] (1973) – four track EP by Don Sanders
  • "The Real Good Thing" (2006) – track 5 on the album Straight Ahead[6] by Joe Miranda and the Wildcatters

References
  1. Andrew Dansby. "Houston guitarist Rocky Hill dies at 62". Houston Chronicle. April 13, 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2010.
  2. John Nova Lomax. "The Anti-Clapton: Rocky Hill Hopes to Find a Smooth Patch on his Rocky Road". Houston Press. July 11, 2002. Retrieved February 10, 2010.
  3. Robert Wilonsky. "American Blues: Dallas-Born Rocky Hill, Dusty's Older Brother, Died on Friday". Dallas Observer. April 13, 2009. Retrieved February 10, 2010.
  4. Doc Rock. "The Dead Rock Stars Club 2009 January to June". Thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  5. "Don Sanders | Heavy Word User (The Vinyl Years 1971–1975) | CD Baby Music Store". Cdbaby.com. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
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