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Local Music

American Blues: Dallas-Born Rocky Hill, Dusty's Older Brother, Died on Friday

By Robert Wilonsky, Monday, Apr. 13 2009 @ 2:08PM
Comments (13)
Categories: Local Music
rockyhill.jpg
Rocky Hill
A longtime music publicist pal sends the sad news: Dallas-born Rocky Hill -- Dusty's big brother and one hellacious blues guitarist forever proud of his self-proclaimed rep as "The Anti-Clapton" -- died on Friday, with few details other than that available at present. All I've found online is his obituary on the Sulphur Springs-based Murray Orwosky Funeral Home Web site, where Hill's funeral will take place tomorrow at 1 p.m. before a graveside service at the Como Cemetery in Hopkins County. Hill was 62 and, says the obit, living in Kemah, just north of Galveston.

Longtime locals -- which is to say, those hanging out at the Cellar in the late 1960s -- no doubt recall the two seminal bands in which Rocky, like Dusty a Woodrow Wilson Wildcat, played guitar while his little bro played bass: The Warlocks and then American Blues, the latter of which released two albums in '67 and '68 and which featured future ZZ Topper Frank Beard on drums. (The band's debut, American Blues is Here, was re-released on CD in 2002.) But American Blues eventually left Dallas for Houston: "Dallas was too trendy," Rocky told our sister paper, the Houston Press, in 2002. "All they wanted from a band was to be a jukebox. We wanted to play original music." But shortly after the relocation, he ditched American Blues because he wanted to play straight blues, while Dusty wanted to go rock -- which is how they wound up replacing Rocky with the Moving Sidewalks' Billy Gibbons while Rocky went on to back legends and young comers, among 'em Stevie Ray Vaughan.

texasshuffle.jpg
Rocky released a few albums, including 1982's Texas Shuffle (reissued in 2005 and featuring the likes of Johnny Winter and Dr. John) and 1988's self-titled record on Virgin, but instead became the very definition of hard-drinkin' journeyman bluesman. As he told the Press in '02, though, he was newly sober and ready to play: "I'm just gonna try to play the goddamn thing. When I pick up a guitar, it's me against it. I still sound like Rocky Hill -- the anti-Clapton."
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More About:

  • Woodrow Wilson
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  • Frank Beard
  • Blues Music

Comments (13)

Cracker Daddy says:

I saw him way back in the day. He was one bad-ass motherfucker with a guitar. Eric Clapton didn't have shit on Rocky Hill.

Posted On: Monday, Apr. 13 2009 @ 2:58PM
Toots says:

Rocky Hill would have been bigger than Clapton too if it had not been for Bill Ham keeping him out of the spotlight while promoting ZZ Top (he did it to Eric Johnson too).

If you want to hear Rocky at his best check out the cd comp Rockin' Memphis on the Lucky Seven label (Terry Manning). The song "Hoodoo Eyes" was recorded in the mid 70's and includes Dotle Bramhall Sr. on drums and back ground vocals. The whole cd was supposed to be released but I don't think it ever was. It just plan kicks ass.

Robert, if you want I'll slide you an mp3 of the song.

May you never feel anymore pain, Rocky.

Posted On: Monday, Apr. 13 2009 @ 3:55PM
Robert Wilonsky says:

Toots, that's an awfully generous offer, and I'd be a fool to refuse. Slide away. Thanks.

Posted On: Monday, Apr. 13 2009 @ 3:57PM
Toots says:

Robert, when I click your name it will not give your email address.....

Posted On: Tuesday, Apr. 14 2009 @ 1:25AM
Tom Hendricks says:

I am sorry to hear the bad news about Rocky.

Side note: Those where exciting musical times for a boy from Tyler. American Blues recorded and released my song "Your Love Is True" on the Amy Bell Label (Dale Hawkins was the producer,) in 1967. It was a good song in the style of the Five Americans.

Posted On: Tuesday, Apr. 14 2009 @ 10:20AM
Peter Giardina says:

This is a great surprize , I often wondered what happen to that awesome guitar player that I used to know back in the day.I'll never forget the time I heard Lady Wild and the Warlocks at the celler club downtown dallas, I was on first trip with rocky playing his acid rock that carried me on a music note across the universe, at least at the time I thought I was spread across the space somewhere, I'll never in my life forget the way he would bend his strings and absolutely romance the fret board like no one else on earth.I have never heard that music again and probably never will, a very enchanting experience. Rocky has been a topic of musical conversation all my life.WE ARE ALL STANDING N LINE AWAITING THE BIG SHOW...ROCKY LIVES!MORE NOW THAN EVER!

Posted On: Tuesday, Apr. 14 2009 @ 3:40PM
Karen Lee Price says:

I LOVED American Blues- we used to go hear them at that "Black Light" club on Mockingbird by Campisis's Egyptian Room...I think it was called "Purple Haze", very fitting at the time. And of course, "The Cellar". What a loss- lot's of great what I can reMemories.

Posted On: Thursday, Apr. 16 2009 @ 7:15PM
jeff wells says:

2 or 3 years ago an old time female friend of mine (Carol) brought Rocky to see my band and I (Dr Jeff and the Painkillers) to the famous (infamous) Balinese Room in Galveston. One of the coolest moments in my rock and roll career world happened. When I strolled into the audience with my guitar with my long guitar cable, I went to the table Rocky was sitting at and as I was jamming out, he said "gimme your guitar", I said "what"? he said "gimme your guitar" and as it was still strapped around my neck he grabbed my guitar as I was playing, he proceeded to jam out a few bars of badass licks! he traded my guitar back to me and said "thanks, that was cool", and away we jammed, my band and I finishing out the song! Most of the audience probably had no clue of what had actually happened, but it is moment a few others and I will cherish for the rest of our lives! Rest in peace Rocky, Jeff aka Dr Jeff....................


Posted On: Friday, Apr. 17 2009 @ 12:22PM
Gerry Diaz says:

...Man...I saw Rocky with Uncle John Turner and I think Tommy Shannon around 79'80' in Houston at Whiskey River..about ten tears later I ran sound for a week of rehearsals at Private Property/Silkys with Rocky.The stories he had were awesome.His playing undenied....One time my band The Trolls were playing Instant Karma and Im lugging my amp and guitar in and all of a sudden my amp leaves my hand at the door and theres Rocky carrying it in for me smiling...Damn Rocky...Rest in Peace My Friend...
Gerry

Posted On: Tuesday, Apr. 21 2009 @ 3:07AM
Michael Hosford says:

Oh my Gawd!
I played with Rocky at the Houston Cellar. I was known as "Little Mike".

I just started networking with the old guys & girls from the Cellar clubs.
I ran across this, and was just posting in a yahoo group about Rocky, and I found this article.

I'm nearly in tears. I am in San Diego now, and had dreamed of seeing Rocky again. I was back in Houston a few years ago, and missed seeing him, and then moved back out here.

That was a sad day, and today is one for me.

Rocky, I love ya' man.
I'll see you someday and we'll play together again.

Sorry,
I can't write anymore.

Whoever said Clapton didn't have anything on Rocky is damned right. Damn!! And just last night I downloaded "Hootchie Kootchie Man" by Rocky on iTunes.
Now I gotta buy the cd hopefully from Amazon.

I gotta go.
My prayers go out to Dusty and Frank and all who miss Rocky

Heartbroken,
Michael Hosford

Posted On: Friday, Apr. 24 2009 @ 8:04AM
Mark says:

Hey ya,
Rocky was one helluva guitar player he would maul a solid white strat,hell even the neck was white.I know cuz I played it and
tested it out for him.
We went to Memphis with him for a late night show at BB Kings blues club with Rocky's band ,the schoolgirls.
He sounded great that night.
My thoughts and prayers to Dusty Frank and
Billy
We will miss you ROCKY.and dont hit anyone
up there!!

Posted On: Sunday, Apr. 26 2009 @ 3:37AM
Kathryn (Friend) says:

I am in tears as I read all of the wonderful things everyone has said about Rocky. I hope that none of you will mind that I pass this link on to his widow Joy.
It's so wonderful to know that people like you guys remember him, loved him and knew him for the person and artist he was. I hope you all know how much your kind words mean to those of us who (like you) loved him.
God Bless,
Kathryn

Posted On: Wednesday, May. 6 2009 @ 2:36AM
FJ says:

A friend informed yesterday while I was in Galveston at the Art Market that she thought Rocky had passed. I was talking about him to another friend. When I got back home I looked it up and I am still very bummed. I met Rocky outside of Raul's in Austin back in '79' after a set with the Explosives. I'll never forget it. He was by far the most phenomenal blues guitarist I had ever seen and have ever seen since then. If anyone has any video footage or music that hasn't been published please let me know. He deserves a tribute in Texas music. God bless you, Rocky! My late respects to his widow, relatives and friends. We lost a Texas legend.

Posted On: Wednesday, Aug. 26 2009 @ 12:41AM

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