SAM HILL

THE BIRTHPLACE OF SOUTHERN ROCK

Jacksonville, FL has often been referred to as the birthplace of Southern Rock, a unique genre of music that evolved from the creative blending of styles such as blues, rock and roll, R&B, jazz, and soul.  Spawning well-known groups such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, 38 Special, The Allman Brothers, Molly Hatchet, Mofro, and many others, the Southern Rock scene in Jacksonville was especially strong in the late seventies into the eighties.  Like many notable eras of music, however, the heyday of Southern Rock in the commercial radio market gave way to other styles and scenes over time, but maintained a fiercely loyal fan base.  As a result, many of the top bands from the era have continued to tour successfully, in many cases with only one or two original members. In addition, some newer bands have emerged to satisfy what appears to be a never-ending demand for and a renewed interest in the Southern Rock style. 

SAM HILL

n.  Another word for hell. Or can also be used as a curse word.

1. What in the Sam Hill is wrong with my computer?!
2. What in the Sam Hill do you think you're doing?!
3. Holy Sam Hill!

A NEW ERA

Sam Hill is a brand new Jacksonville-born band that is revisiting the Southern Rock genre with a modern edge.  Made up of veterans of well known groups like Molly Hatchet, Mofro, Toots and the Maytals, Shanty Town, David Allan Coe, and Al Green, this super-group came together somewhat by accident in the studio and released their debut album “Bringing It Back Home” in 2020, followed by a music video for their single “Preacher Man”.  The album is available on all digital platforms including iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, and 50 others, while the video is available on YouTube.  The band is currently in the studio working on their second album. The members of Sam Hill, who were brought together through mutual friends to record a demo of one song, discovered that they had a natural songwriting, recording, and performing synergy that resulted in the churning out of an album’s worth of incredible songs in a very short period of time.   Avoiding digital trickery, auto-tune, and expensive effects in favor of heavy guitar riffs, powerful vocals, and solid grooves, the band has paid homage to the Southern Rock tradition while creating a sound that is uniquely their own.  The technical proficiency of the individual players comes through very clearly on this album, but the beauty of the project is the cohesive manner in which the band members write, record, and perform together.  Sam Hill is the epitome of the saying “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts”.  The collective musical histories and experiences of the band members, which could easily fill volumes, come together on this album in a rich expression of Southern Rock that will impress not only the die hard fans of the genre, but also lovers of good ol’ rock and roll in general.

BAND MEMBERS

Ray Jett – Vocals

Dusty Barber – Guitar

Duane Johnson (RIP) – Guitar

Andy Orth – Keyboards

Eric Mason – Drums and Percussion

Stewart Dalrymple- Bass