BILLY HECTOR
Winner of the Asbury Park Music Awards “Best Guitarist”, “Best Blues Band”, “Living Legend” and “Top Classic Artist” 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 for Hubert Sumlin.
Winner of the Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Foundation’s “Lifetime Achievement” award.
Touring guitarist with Joe Louis Walker.
Featured artist at The Kennedy Center and Grammy Museum’s collaborative concert: “Lead Belly at 125” alongside Robert Plant, Alison Krauss, Buddy Miller, and others.
2016 Performer at WXPN's XPoNential Music Festival.
Whether Billy Hector is teasing you with his sultry slidework, picking through delta blues or flat-out cranking it up and crunching out the electric blues/rock on his beloved vintage Fender Stratocaster, his music reflects the true soul and origins ofthe blues; always passionate, engaging and dedicated to making the audience move and sweat. Having honed his chops and style through three decades of performances, Hector is critically recognized as one of the hottest and most interesting guitarist/songwriters on the original circuit and has even been called “A New Jersey state treasure” by music writers.
Early in his career, Billy Hector identified himself as a deeply-grounded and versatile player drawing his influences from important predecessors including T-Bone Walker, Freddie King, Jimi Hendrix, Roy Buchanan and a host of others across musical style and genre. But, as with all truly great musicians, recognizable influences are interesting only insofar as they provide a departure point for the musician's spirit. It falls on the musician to shape his predecessor's ideas into music that does not simply replicate but engagingly adds to the whole. Most can only aspire to this level of creation; Billy Hector generates it in spades and it happens every night.
In the late 70s, Hector’s first stop was as the guitarist for The Shots, a horn-driven R&B group that took over the house band role from Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes at the renowned Stone Pony. He moved on as lead guitarist for Hot Romance, a band based at the infamous Mrs. Jay’s biker bar in Asbury Park that also began receiving New York City radio airplay for its original songs.
In the mid-80’s, drawn back to earlier musical roots, Billy Hector formed the five-piece blues/rock band The Fairlanes and, co-wrote and released three independent albums on the Blue Jersey label.
By early 1993, Hector regrouped as a power trio and renamed his band The Billy Hector Band. The band’s present lineup is guitars/lead vocals Billy Hector, drummer Sim Cain and bassist Tim Tindall. The Billy Hector Band also performs acoustic blues in multiple personnel configurations.
A prolific songwriter/composer, Billy Hector has fourteen albums to his credit, most on the independent Ghetto Surf label. And with over thirty-five years of performing under his belt, Billy Hector is recognized as one of the hottest guitarists and songwriters playing the original circuit and serves up what more than one reviewer has called "one of the best shows you'll ever see".
“Billy HectorSOMEDAY BABYGhetto Surf Music An Exciting and Pretty Damn Unique Soulful Blues Hybrid. My love of The Blues has been unstinting ever since I first ‘borrowed’ my elder brothers Rory Gallagher and Johnny Winter albums back in the early 1970’s; and my love remains pretty much undiminished now in 2018 as I somehow still manage to discover new artistes with their own unique way of making this historic genre fresh and indeed exciting!Ladies and gentlemen; I present for your delectation…….Mr. Billy Hector from New Jersey.Was it was the sparkling slide guitar on opening track Wizard of Babylon that hooked me in, or the way Hector’s distinctive voice and almost sexy guitar playing oozes seamlessly between BB King, Robert Cray and Gary Moore territory with grace and skill; but instantly hook me in he did; and when the title track Someday Baby came wailing from the speakers immediately afterwards I knew I was listening to something very, very special indeed.Somehow Billy manages to combine Blues Rock with Super-Soul, Funk and even a touch of Jazz Rock in his superb playing on Jolene and the astonishing Road to Happiness as well as many others here too.But, these days great guitarists are ‘two a penny’ so…….. what makes this album by Billy Hector stand out in a very crowded market is, first and foremost the quality of his songwriting.In my eyes he can also write a love song that transcends genres like very few others can manage, with Moonlight in Her Eyes sounding like it would have blown our minds if Jimi Hendrix had recorded it; and Creeper delves into territory that very few apart from Sly Stone or perhaps Prince would dare enter; but Hector does with great composure and class!It’s all too easy to hear why Hector has been winning Awards for decades now and was even both Hubert Sumlin’s and Joe Louis Walker’s ‘touring guitarist,’ when he gets into a groove on Hit The Road and the sweet and sassy instrumental Bareback; which I don’t think is about horse riding! But I return to Hector’s singing and his actual songs; which are all never less than excellent.Two songs in particular stand out like bright red poppies in a field of beautiful golden wheat; and that’s the timeless Jolene (no….not that one) which has a little bit of everything in it; but sounds like no other Blues n Soul hybrid I can think of and the song that actually takes the accolade of Favourite Track by a whisker……. Butt Naked and Funk; which is exactly as cool and sexy as you’d hope for from a title like that.There’s a lot going on here with Billy Hector merely fronting an amazing Big Band that I’ve hardly even alluded to but boy, oh boy are they red hot; evoking memories of the night I saw BB King at Newcastle City Hall when the great man allowed just about everyone to have a moment in the spotlight; but never enough to over shadow his own unique talents…..which is exactly what Billy Hector does on SOMEDAY BABY. Released August 25th 2018https://www.billyhector.com/ ”
— Rocking Magpie
“Billy Hector - Some Day Baby Some Day Baby is the latest album from the blues and guitar veteran Billy Hector. The album 'Some Day Baby' is also full of strong songs.Billy Hector has been musically active for almost forty years and has more than earned his spurs over the years. The album contains thirteen songs that connect the blues with soul, rock and funk.From the first notes we hear Billy Hector as his guitar gives the tracks. On 'Some Day Baby' enthusiasm, craftsmanship and songwriting come together in a great way. As far as I am concerned, Billy Hector remains active for a long time. Lovers of varied blues rock can also purchase this album again.” - Rudolf
— Rudolph's Music
“SOMEDAY BABY Billy Hector (Ghetto Surf Music) ***** + Sings like David Wilcox, plays like Gary Moore- amazing! With this disc, due out August 25th, Hector injects his blues with plenty of enthusiasm, rock and funk. He comes from the Jersey shore, but you’d never know it listening to Some Day Baby. He has a strong singing voice that, like Hendrix, augments his guitar playing in a similar way. Blues Matters says this is “the stuff of legends”, and the strength of the playing and the songs support that view. This was definitely love at first listen! KEY TRACK: Butt Naked And Funk ” - John Kereiff
— The Rock Doctor
New York Times Kevin Coyne
The Star Ledger Mark Voger
“This is Mickey Young. I use to own the Belmar Playland and would come see you all the time at Jasons. One of your gigs I was at in Cleveland (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame) for The Robert Johnson Tribute. The show in Cleveland I feel you were at your best. You came out and knocked everyone off their feet. I was there for the week and at each show. I still feel Nobody there was as good as you, and there were some heavy weights there for sure. Thanks so much, I was proud to see a great NJ Bluesman in Cleveland. All the best, Mickey Young” - Mickey Young
“ "when someone consistently delivers for a few years, it's worth taking notice. When someone brings it night after night for decades, that's legendary. Billy Hector is a legend." Hector is hailed around these parts as a killer blues player, and there’s plenty of material on “Choice Cuts” to back up that claim: the album’s high point is a smoldering take on “Old School Thang” from the live album “Stonehenge,” recorded at the Stonehenge Festival in Linvale in 2002. Featuring Hector on guitar, Winston Roye on bass, Rich Monica on drums and a guest appearance by Ken “Stringbean“ Sorensen on harmonica, the track shows Hector and his band at the height of their powers, and should serve as a fine primer for what to expect on Saturday night at the Wonder Bar. Other selections on “Choice Cuts” show that Hector’s skills transcend the blues: “Sally Said” from the “Hard to Please” album is an Eagles-style country rocker, “Wild at Heart” boasts a vocal from Suzan Lastovica and shows Hector’s softer side and the new tune, “Callin’ on Love,” seems to exist at an intersection between Celtic roots and psychedelic rock.” - Alex Biese
— The Asbury Park Press
“Hector covers all bases flawlessly, with his own gut wrenching yet intelligent soloing.” - Richie Begin
— Santa Cruz Times
“Hector plays with guts and displays some of the best chops you'll see anywhere".” - Bob Makin
— East Coast Rocker
“At the front of this exploding blues mayhem is Billy Hector, whose fingers fly up and down his guitar with such authority that he should carry a badge. The slide work that Hector lays down is sneaky and deadly.” - Howard Glassman
— Buzz Magazine
“CD REVIEWs: BILLY HECTOR OLD SCHOOL THANG Ghetto Surf When I receive an album for review I look at the blurb that comes with it to see what I should be expecting and one of the lines that gives me the heebie jeebies is ‘Blues legend xxxxxx to release new CD’ when that Blues legend is someone I’ve never heard of. I don’t claim to know all of the Blues musicians but I would expect to have heard of a ‘legend’. On the other hand this album by Billy Hector is the stuff of legends! Hector has been around the block a fair few times and it is clear where his influences lie – artists like T-Bone Walker, Freddie King (a great version of Goin’ Down in the Freddie King style) and Johnny Winter are pretty easy to hear in his playing but I definitely find myself hearing Little Feat and James Brown in his funkier numbers such as the title track – so much so that I found it impossible to sit still and type this review. His vocals are rough and gritty, speaking loads of his New Jersey upbringing, and his guitar playing ranges from some sublime slide to rhythmic and funky riffing. He clearly understands the Blues and happily switches between Texas stomp and Delta slide and touching on grinding slow Blues on tracks like Evil, Slick & Sly. Personal favourite track is Hammer which funks along while Hector plays some gorgeous Albert Collins style guitar – the fact that this is a trio simply amazes – but a very close second is the awesome People Of The World – 8 minutes of sassy, horn laden R&B that just flows and grooves. I’d love to hear Curtis Mayfield or Sly Stone fronting this one I’m still not convinced by the ‘Legend’ title but the album is awesome and shows his history and pure talent. Do not let this one pass you by. Alan Pearce, Blues Matters ” - Alan Pearce
— Blues Matters
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