| Birth Place: | Orange, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Instrument: | Vocals, guitar |
| Genre: | Blues, rock, folk rock |
| Occupation: | Musician, singer-songwriter |
| Label: | Ghetto Surf Music |
| Associated Acts: | Billy Hector Band, Fairlanes, The Shots |
Billy Hector (born 1956) is an American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter from Orange, New Jersey.[1]
Hector considers himself a working man's musician. He was initially lured into the music world after seeing the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show. He says this changed his world.[2] He soon found himself drawn to the blues. He started taking guitar lessons at age 9, and later studied jazz guitar and music history at William Paterson University.[2]
Hector started playing regularly in a blues band in 1985.[2] He has been producing albums for over 20 years while performing primarily in small clubs.[3]
Hector's guitar style is a combination of Jersey Shore blues and rock n roll.[4]
As of 2013, his band consisted of Hector on guitar and vocals, Timmy Tindall on bass, and Dan Hickey on drums.[2]
Hector received the Best Guitarist Award from music critic Bob Makin of The Aquarian Weeklys East Coast Rocker section twice.[5] He is also the recipient of three Asbury Park Music Awards: "Best Guitarist", "Best Blues Band" and the "Living Legend."[5] Hector and his band were billed alongside Bonnie Raitt at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's "Tribute to Muddy Waters".[5]
Hector has played with B. B. King,[1] Bo Diddley, Johnny Winter, Buddy Guy, Dr. John, and The Fabulous Thunderbirds,[4] but is most at home in small clubs.[1] He was the touring guitarist for Hubert Sumlin and Joe Louis Walker.
He appeared in the movie Hellhound on My Trail backing Sonny Landreth, and in One Way Out.