ZZ HILL

Texan Arzell Hill was almost unknown to white audiences when he died in 1982, but his ‘Down Home’ album stayed on the R&B charts for two years. In 1964 his gospel tinged voice first appeared on his brother Matt’s MH label in L.A. and made a surprise entry into the pop charts with ‘You Were Wrong’. His music walked the Soul/Blues borderline in the same way Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland‘s did, and he enjoyed a successful spell with UA Records  from 1972-74, producing three albums and six chart singles. His career wavered for a while, he even dabbled in disco, but when he joined Malaco Records in Jackson Mississippi, a more Blues oriented repertoire gave him real success. Four albums in five years helped to fuel the growing interest in the Blues that helped the careers of SRV, Robert Cray and Albert Collins in the 80s, but sadly ZZ was not around to enjoy it.

ZZ’s gonna bring you some o’ them ‘Down-Home Blues’;