Anne Hills
Encyclopedia
Anne Hills is an American folk
singer-songwriter
.
Hills was born in October, 1953, to a family of missionaries
in India
and grew up in Michigan
. She studied at Interlochen, where she played in a band with Chris Brubeck
and Peter Erskine
. In 1976, she moved to Chicago
and was a co-founder of the record label
Hogeye Music. After releasing a few records on Hogeye, the label was bought out by Flying Fish Records
in the mid-1980s. In 1984, Anne briefly was a member of a trio (along with Tom Paxton
and Bob Gibson
) known as the Best of Friends. In 1988 she began collaborating with Cindy Mangsen, with whom she released two duo albums. Together with Priscilla Herdman
the three singers recorded as a trio in 1990 and again in 1997. In 1998, she contributed renditions to tribute albums for Pete Seeger
and Phil Ochs
. The 2000s saw her collaborating with Tom Paxton
and singing in a fourpiece called Fourtold with Steve Gillette, Mangsen, and Michael Peter Smith
.
In addition to her musical endeavors, Hills also acts on the live stage. Additionally, she collaborated with Liz Paxson on a children's book with an accompanying album, featuring Hills and her daughter, Tamlyn. She lives in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
, and is married to Mark Moss, editor of Sing Out!
.
With Cindy Mangsen
With Cindy Mangsen and Priscilla Herdman
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
.
Hills was born in October, 1953, to a family of missionaries
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and grew up in Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. She studied at Interlochen, where she played in a band with Chris Brubeck
Chris Brubeck
Christopher Brubeck , better known as Chris Brubeck, is a U.S. musician and composer, both in jazz and classical music. As a musician, he mainly plays electric bass, bass trombone, and piano. The son of noted jazz pianist and composer Dave Brubeck, he toured and recorded for ten years with The Dave...
and Peter Erskine
Peter Erskine
Peter Erskine is an American jazz drummer and composer. He has enjoyed a long and successful career as a session drummer, recording and touring with many famous jazz and rock artists, including Steely Dan and Weather Report...
. In 1976, she moved to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and was a co-founder of the record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
Hogeye Music. After releasing a few records on Hogeye, the label was bought out by Flying Fish Records
Flying Fish Records
Flying Fish Records was a Chicago-based eclectic blues and country record label. It was founded in 1974 by Bruce Kaplan, former president of the University of Chicago's Folklore Society....
in the mid-1980s. In 1984, Anne briefly was a member of a trio (along with Tom Paxton
Tom Paxton
Thomas Richard Paxton is an American folk singer and singer-songwriter who has been writing, performing and recording music for over forty years...
and Bob Gibson
Bob Gibson (musician)
Samuel Robert Gibson was a folk singer who led a folk music revival in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He was known for playing both the banjo and the 12-string guitar. He introduced a then largely unknown Joan Baez at the Newport Folk Festival of 1959. He produced a number of LPs in the decade...
) known as the Best of Friends. In 1988 she began collaborating with Cindy Mangsen, with whom she released two duo albums. Together with Priscilla Herdman
Priscilla Herdman
Priscilla Herdman is an American folk singer. Although she has written songs, sheis notable chiefly for her interpretations of other artists' work....
the three singers recorded as a trio in 1990 and again in 1997. In 1998, she contributed renditions to tribute albums for Pete Seeger
Pete Seeger
Peter "Pete" Seeger is an American folk singer and was an iconic figure in the mid-twentieth century American folk music revival. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, he also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of The Weavers, most notably their recording of Lead...
and Phil Ochs
Phil Ochs
Philip David Ochs was an American protest singer and songwriter who was known for his sharp wit, sardonic humor, earnest humanism, political activism, insightful and alliterative lyrics, and haunting voice...
. The 2000s saw her collaborating with Tom Paxton
Tom Paxton
Thomas Richard Paxton is an American folk singer and singer-songwriter who has been writing, performing and recording music for over forty years...
and singing in a fourpiece called Fourtold with Steve Gillette, Mangsen, and Michael Peter Smith
Michael Peter Smith
Michael Peter Smith is a Chicago, U.S.-based singer-songwriter. Rolling Stone Magazine once called him "The greatest songwriter in the English language"...
.
In addition to her musical endeavors, Hills also acts on the live stage. Additionally, she collaborated with Liz Paxson on a children's book with an accompanying album, featuring Hills and her daughter, Tamlyn. She lives in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Bethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 74,982, making it the seventh largest city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie,...
, and is married to Mark Moss, editor of Sing Out!
Sing Out!
Sing Out! is a quarterly journal of folk music and folk songs that has been published since May 1950.-Background:Sing Out! is the primary publication of the tax exempt, not-for-profit, educational corporation of the same name...
.
Discography
- Woman of a Calm Heart (1978)
- The Panic is On (with Jan Burda) (Hogeye, 1982)
- Don't Explain (Hogeye, 1984)
- On This Day Earth Shall Sing (Hogeye, 1984)
- Woman of a Calm Heart (Flying Fish RecordsFlying Fish RecordsFlying Fish Records was a Chicago-based eclectic blues and country record label. It was founded in 1974 by Bruce Kaplan, former president of the University of Chicago's Folklore Society....
, 1988) - October Child (Flying Fish, 1993)
- Angle of the Light (Flying Fish, 1995)
- Bittersweet Street (Redwing Music, 1998)
- Paradise Lost & Found (Redwing, 1999)
- Under American Skies (with Tom PaxtonTom PaxtonThomas Richard Paxton is an American folk singer and singer-songwriter who has been writing, performing and recording music for over forty years...
) (2001) - Fourtold (with Steve Gillette, Cindy Mangsen, and Michael Peter SmithMichael Peter SmithMichael Peter Smith is a Chicago, U.S.-based singer-songwriter. Rolling Stone Magazine once called him "The greatest songwriter in the English language"...
) (2003) - Best of Friends (with Tom PaxtonTom PaxtonThomas Richard Paxton is an American folk singer and singer-songwriter who has been writing, performing and recording music for over forty years...
and Bob GibsonBob Gibson (musician)Samuel Robert Gibson was a folk singer who led a folk music revival in the late 1950s and early 1960s. He was known for playing both the banjo and the 12-string guitar. He introduced a then largely unknown Joan Baez at the Newport Folk Festival of 1959. He produced a number of LPs in the decade...
) (2004) - Beauty Attends: The Heartsongs of Opal Whiteley (2006)
- Ef You Don't Watch Out (2007)
- Points of View (2009)
With Cindy Mangsen
- Never Grow Old (1994)
- Never Grow Up (1998)
With Cindy Mangsen and Priscilla Herdman
- Voices (1990)
- Voices of Winter (1997)
- At the Turning of the Year (2000)