Info and Reviews

Bill Hills, harmonica and Ray Lemelin, guitar, combine the best in Traditional and Piedmont style acoustic blues on their great new CD. Playing to great crowds and sold out shows, and receiving heavy airplay don't miss them when they come to a venue near you.

"A fine CD,. wonderful, outstanding" ...Holger Petersen CKUA EDMONTON

"I'm impressed .." Bruce Iglauer Alligator Record

"..excellent new CD..." Reverend Ron CJSW

"While it is always a pleasure to hear Juno-nominated blues/jazz/folk duo Twilight Hotel, I was more impressed with Calgary delta-blues duo Bill Hills and Ray Lemelin, opening up the Feb. 19 show at the Slice. The charismatic singer/harp player Bill Hills gave off a strong Big Dave MacLean vibe while Lemelin nailed the delta blues licks on the guitar, adding the odd vocal harmony as they “left this cold winter behind,” while snow fell outside. 

The new CD “Neither Here Nor There” is the first one they recorded together. It wasn’t officially to be released until Feb. 22. It includes six originals and eight classic blues covers. “It’s getting lots of attention,” Hills said of the CD that receives regular airplay on CKUA and CBC. Hills attributed the the duo’s really full sound enveloping the Slice to bringing top shelf and expensive recording mics on the road with them." Richard Amery Lethbridge Sun Times - Feb 25 09


Calgary’s Bill Hills & Ray Lemelin are a no-frills acoustic blues duo. There are no gimmicks or guests, just live off the floor harp & guitar in a pleasing program of originals and several covers. Asking Tim Williams to produce was inspired. As a duo, they remind me more of John Cephas & Phil Wiggins than Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, especially in their choice of topical material: “Fowileedee”, for example, deals with such things as politics and street gangs. Their worn-in voices are rather similar and you need to consult the booklet to figure out which is singing but you certainly don’t need to, they are both excellent communicators. Other highlights are “Easy Rider”, “Nobody’s Fault But Mine” with both singing and (going where there’s) “Sunshine Everyday”. This is very difficult music to perform well, especially with the greats right at hand for comparison. Hills And Lemelin does it well. Go to www.hillsandlemelin.com. / Maple Blues Magazine review, March 2009.

They have worked with some of the greats of the blues world , Otis Rush, Matt Murphy, Pinetop Perkins, Fenton Robinson, John Hammond, Lowell Fulsom, the list goes on and on, have won national awards - Real Blues Magazine Record of the Year and Blues Song of the Year - and now they combine to form a great blues duo, with amazing audience rapport, sparkling musicianship and genuine love for the music they write and perform and share with their audience.

http://www.hillsandlemelin.com/