Today is a very special day as we don’t just announce another Locals Covering Locals artist for volume 2, but it also just so happens to be this big man’s birthday.

I first came across Jake Hill when I was booking a Sunday Night series at Church about 6 or 7 years back. We fought to get Jake involved and he kept having to back out…I’ll be honest, I was like “what the hell is up with this guy? I just love his tunes and want him to play”. I then lost touch with Hill’s music until he released “Hotel By The Side Of the Road” in 2011 and then his children’s record “All the Voices of the Forest” in 2012. I immediately fell back in love with his songs, hit wit, and his character. Not only is he is a fantastic songwriter, but he is a kind hearted guy and funny as hell. He is just a dude that loves to write songs, and they are really good songs to boot.

Jake is a rare case in the musician world in that he just makes music because he f*cking loves making music. There’s no ego involved, he doesn’t need to be a part of anything bigger than just making music with folks that he loves, and that’s part of the reason he is so goddamn good. On stage he commands an audience and engages the crowd in a way that is so natural to the guy, it pisses me off to no end because I can’t do that, yet I still love it. He is a instinctive performer and everything about his songs and the performance of them is wonderful.

Jake has his hands in a lot, which is also important to me and folks involved in this project. He is diverse (playing in a rock band, The Hustle Standard, and his new beautiful duo with Hayley Sabella) in the projects he plays in. A musician who can adapt and transform and is strong in it. Always keeping himself on his toes and making great tunes.

As far as why I make the choices I do for folks to be involved in this project the absolute number 1 on my list is songwriting. Folks who just write great songs that I love, and Jake does that and more as one of the best. Other parts of the list are of course artists who are excited about the project, can come into the studio and knock it out of the park, and just good folks. Check, Check, and Check.

So Happy Birthday you bad ass mo fo and welcome to the Locals Covering Locals family!

http://jakehillmusic.com/