Album Notes

EMBRACE THE MORNING, 1999
Stone Tiger Records

Hillary Kay's EMBRACE THE MORNING is a CD full of hope that
brings together the stories of life that unite us. Hillary's voice carries a deep passion and strength, backed by mandolin, keyboard, guitar and violin that inspires our souls. EMBRACE THE MORNING encourages us to fight for our true self and follow our dreams. It's a dynamic mix of reggae, folk and blues that deeply moves the compassionate heart to rock steady.

BIO

Currently based in California, award winning songwriter
& Berklee College of Music alumni, Hillary Kay's roots are buried deep in the black musical tradition. Joe "King" Oliver (and his Creole Jazz Band), one of the originators of jazz music & Louis Armstrong's mentor, is her great uncle and classical composer Ulysses Kay is her father. Hillary's mother, Freedom Rider Barbara Kay - marched side by side with Dr. King and was arrested and imprisoned in Mississippi's Parchman Penitentiary in the fight for voting rights and racial equality. The Freedom Songs kept up the spirits of the protesters on the marches and in the jails and Hillary was raised in this tradition. Hillary has performed in colleges and clubs up and down the east and west US coasts as well as in Rome Italy. Inspired by her love of the blues and the music of Howlin' Wolf, Charlie Patton, Big Momma Thornton, Robert Johnson and Son House, Hillary acquired a 1933 National Resonator guitar and embarked on a trip into the deep blues. She is still on what has become a life journey.
In 1999, Hillary joined forces with Harp great Kate Freeman to form the blues duo WILDSANG, performing blues/folk & murder ballads chock full of almost all the sweat, grit, tragedy, bare truth, desperation, deep love and sacrifice you can squeeze out of the blues.
WILDSANG has shared the stage with, Taj Mahal, Ani DiFranco, Corey Harris, Gov't Mule, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Iris Dement, Eliza Gylkison, Sophie B. Hawkins, Chris Williamson, Hot Buttered Rum String Band, Buffy Saint Marie, Arlo Guthrie, Rick Danko of The Band, Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin, Tony Furtado & The American Gypsies, Henry Butler, John McEuen of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Pete Seeger, Janis Ian, Toshi Regan, Judy Mowatt of the I-Threes (Bob Marley's back up singers).

Also on CDBABY:
WILDSANG: SKY DIRT SPEAK OUT TRUTH - 2003
WILDSANG: BLUES - 2001