Devin Hill
From Minnewiki
Devin Hill first came into prominence on the music scene as guitarist/vocalist for the Dangtrippers, a power-pop club band that made a big impression on the late-1980s underground music scene in Iowa. REM's manager, Jefferson Holt, took note of the Dangtrippers' work, and released the band's first record, Day Between Stations, on his Dog Gone label in 1989. The album was re-released on the Sky label in 1990. Devin, along with fellow singer/guitarist Doug Robertson, packed the album with "joyful tunes of everyday life" ([1]). Day between Stations is still described as an underrated classic of the power-pop genre ([2]).
Devin left the Dangtrippers and Iowa in 1989 to start a solo career in Minneapolis. In 1994, Stars was released by Big Deal records; the title track has subsequently been included in several music compilations. 1995's Wayout Lane, also released on the Big Deal label, serves up a more conventional country-rock style. A contemporary review of Wayout Lane calls it "a delight: a sweet, gentle collection of songs" that, despite its evocation of "the Byrds and the Beatles and other late-sixties British bands" provides a unique sound with "a refreshing innocence, a happy springtime sound in a musical world that is too-often struck with autumnal doom" ([3]).
Devin continues to write, record and perform in the Twin Cities. His solo tracks have attracted a devoted following and have received local radio play. He is currently kingpin at the Devin Hill guitar studio in Minneapolis, where he enjoys a reputation as a skillful guitar teacher whose students find him approachable and helpful.
