From the snowy streets of Rochester to the heart of Atlanta's music hustle, Roger Hill Music swapped hard hats for high notes, proving it's never too late to chase your dreams. In an episode that peels back the curtain on the highs and lows of the industry, Roger opens up about his transformative journey, the creative catharsis of songwriting, and the art of staying relevant in the age of streaming. As he recounts his shift from construction to the stage, we get a backstage pass to the persistence and passion required to carve out a niche in the competitive world of music.
The conversation ignites as Stephen Russell drops in to share the backstory of our fiery new tracks born from a chance meeting and a trip to Dallas that fans can't get enough of. We traverse the landscape of my EP's surprising success, hint at an upcoming album, and explore the raw emotion behind "Nobody Knows," a song rooted in personal history. Meanwhile, Roger offers a slice of his life through his latest EP, connecting with fans from every walk of life and every age – including an 84-year-old with an ear for a good beat. Strap in for an episode that harmonizes the grit behind the glamour with the melodies that make it all worthwhile.
If your in the music industry- singer, songwriter, composer, indie, neo singer, rapper, country artist, promoter, manager, music lawyer or blues please email me to be a guest on my show at myguest@spit2dabeat.com I would love to hear your Spit about the Music Industry.
From the snowy streets of Rochester to the heart of Atlanta's music hustle, Roger Hill Music swapped hard hats for high notes, proving it's never too late to chase your dreams. In an episode that peels back the curtain on the highs and lows of the industry, Roger opens up about his transformative journey, the creative catharsis of songwriting, and the art of staying relevant in the age of streaming. As he recounts his shift from construction to the stage, we get a backstage pass to the persistence and passion required to carve out a niche in the competitive world of music.
The conversation ignites as Stephen Russell drops in to share the backstory of our fiery new tracks born from a chance meeting and a trip to Dallas that fans can't get enough of. We traverse the landscape of my EP's surprising success, hint at an upcoming album, and explore the raw emotion behind "Nobody Knows," a song rooted in personal history. Meanwhile, Roger offers a slice of his life through his latest EP, connecting with fans from every walk of life and every age – including an 84-year-old with an ear for a good beat. Strap in for an episode that harmonizes the grit behind the glamour with the melodies that make it all worthwhile.
If your in the music industry- singer, songwriter, composer, indie, neo singer, rapper, country artist, promoter, manager, music lawyer or blues please email me to be a guest on my show at myguest@spit2dabeat.com I would love to hear your Spit about the Music Industry.
And welcome to spit to the beat podcast. I'm your host, stacy AKB Unstoppable per year. You're joining me live today on Facebook as Stacy spit to the beat per year. Also, you can find me on Stacy beat unstoppable per year. But definitely go to our YouTube channel. Right now. We are live at spit, the number two D, a, b, e a T. Welcome again back into the studio. Spit to the beat podcast. Thank you for joining and coming in. Look, we got another great show lined up to you right now. I've been getting this gentleman been talking for a minute and finally we got him on on the studio. My guest all the way from Atlanta, georgia, who's residing in Atlanta right now Our Roger Hill music as I bring him on. Hey man, welcome to the show.
Speaker 1:How you doing today.
Speaker 3:Good, good, good. I'm glad I finally able to tie you down.
Speaker 1:Yeah, kind of busy running and stuff, so I had a few to kind of stop and do a little something.
Speaker 3:So yeah, I really do appreciate your time. Look, tell my audience a little bit about yourself.
Speaker 1:Well, my name is Roger Hill. I go by the artist's name of Roger Hill music. I've been I've been singing for a long time Since I was probably like five years old, but professionally I just kind of started about two, three years ago, in the last year, about two years. So in the last two years I've done quite a bit. I've touched places with a lot of the top artists in the industry, work with Grammy Award winning producers. I write all my music, my songs and stuff. So I'm kind of deep into this now. It all started as a I wouldn't say a joke, but you know, someone did something and then I basically took an Iran with it. So I'm here now and trying to, you know, give everyone some really good music.
Speaker 3:How was the journey from moving from Rochester, new York, to Atlanta?
Speaker 1:Um, it was cool. I mean, when I moved here I didn't. I didn't come here to sing. I've been here 12 years. I'm originally in the construction. So you know, I came really to, you know, set things up, kind of start over down this way and, like I said, I was here for 10 years before I even thought about, you know, doing any type of singing. No more than I would go to a cast cafe here in Atlanta which is one of the owners of one of the singers of climax, and we go, I go down there on Thursdays and do open mic night, you know, playing with the band and everything. So that's really how I kind of got things going. You know it was out of enjoyment. And then one thing just led to the next, and here I am.
Speaker 3:Atlanta's keeping you busy, though, isn't it?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm busy, you know, like I said, I'm in the construction, so that's that's. That's my first thing, and the next thing is I'm in the studio and study, you know, writing new music. Yeah, I'm just kind of getting everything loaded and cocked.
Speaker 3:What does it take on the music industry as, as we see it today, with the new, you know everybody with the digital platforms, more so than back in the day when you know you was almost like selling out to Trump?
Speaker 1:Well, of course I wasn't around during those times for in the industry, but talking with other artists you know, like Charelle and Stephen Young and Stephen Russell and different people, it was a lot different now. To me I feel it's harder, but to other people they say it's much easier. But you know, I'm out here, I have CDs. Well, you know, a lot of people don't have CD players. So I have to ask people hey, do you have a CD player? You're kind of home or whatever. You know, right, if they do, you know I'll give them a CD, because you know it's about promotion.
Speaker 1:And to me it's harder because even like with the digital platform, I mean, artists is not getting a really a whole lot of money. And you figure it, hey, if you, if you spend ten dollars a month for, for a subscription and you get to hear everybody music, it's different from when you had a, a CD or something that you were pushing selling for a dollar or five dollars or ten dollars, you know. So artists is not really getting a whole lot of money from streams. So the only way they can really do something if they go get on shows. And then you know you got so many artists out here. Everybody can't be on stages, so it's you have to do different things to get there.
Speaker 1:So it's definitely different and, based upon what I've seen in these last two years, you know it's, it's, it's a trip, it's a trip.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so what is, what is your avenue as far as moving, you know, moving along those lines of getting, getting your money, basically?
Speaker 1:Well, I mean, I really really got into the money, as they say. Basically it's all about marketing, getting people to know who you are, see who you are, hear your music. You got to have a good product. You got to have a good product and product is good, you know that kind of help, but you still got to keep marketing. You know, through social media, radio, different places, you got to keep hitting it. So it's, it's one of those things where you know a lot of inspiring artists who don't understand how this business is gone are the days when you know people go stand on the block in front of Motown or Atlantic Records and singing and stuff and then might as well come out and say oh, I'm going to sign you.
Speaker 1:Oh them days, don't like nothing, like that, no more.
Speaker 3:Yeah. You know, they was almost like you know artists. Now you know if they're getting a good social media following. I think that's the way the record labels are looking at them. Now you know you got more of a bargain chip, more so now that you had before with the, with social media.
Speaker 1:Well, I mean, yeah, and then you got to understand some of these artists that are out here. You have some talented ones who are not really recognized and he has some ones who's not talented who are doing all kind of stuff, you know, you know, I guess you know, based upon who has the, who has the most followers, or whatever, but I guess they say a slow grind is the best grind, you know. Yeah some cases, but no, no, that's.
Speaker 3:It is a change time that we're living in. Look, I'm going to take a quick break. I want to come back and talk about your music and your singer. Nobody knows. And how was it working with Russell Steven Russell in the studio? Ok, go, come right back.
Speaker 2:You're listening to Spit, to the Beat podcast with your host, the one, the only, stacy B, unstoppable.
Speaker 3:Hey, this is Stacy aka beat unstoppable per year with spit to the beat podcast. Would you like to be my guest? If you're a singer, songwriter, musician, producer or promoter, give me a call at 901-341-6777 or email me at myguess at spit to the beatcom. And we're back to spit to the beat podcast with my very special guest all the way from Atlanta, georgia, residing in Atlanta Georgia Roger Hill music. How did you come about changing from Roger Hill to Roger Hill music? What is that?
Speaker 1:Well, what happened when I first started out? It was Roger Hill. Right Then there was another Roger Hill. He was a white guy.
Speaker 1:Okay, and what was happening is like when people were going trying to download my music on Spotify, they'll type in Roger Hill with my song, and then it was going to him. It was a, it was a big pain, oh wow. So what I had to do was go back and redo all the music and then, just like, I wasn't about to come up with another name. So I was like, listen, I'll just add music on to it. So I just had music on to it. But you know, everybody know Roger Hill, you know just Roger Hill music. So I just started pushing that building that brand and go from there, you know.
Speaker 1:So you know like Roger Hill music.
Speaker 3:So, yeah, I had another artist on my show podcast and she had to. Soon as she released some music, she found out someone actually had her music, her stage name, and she had to go back. She just went back to her original name, so it went too far from what she was calling herself. So she had the same situation. So it's it's funny that you will say that that happened to you as well, is it?
Speaker 1:something that you just don't know. I mean, when you just started out.
Speaker 3:you don't know, you know you do. You do much as much research as you can. Then you find out something else is out there similar, so you can, yeah, affect you. Let's talk a little bit about your music, man, I enjoyed the song that you sent me. Nobody knows how was it working with Stephen Russell in the studio. Grave Award winner, steve's cool.
Speaker 1:I can't remember how do we we, we met through a guy named Joe Mason and he had her, Steve had her music and he liked how, he liked my vocals, and so we wind up getting together and, you know, started hey, let's do something. And then he sent me something to listen at.
Speaker 1:And that's not bad, you know, and then I started writing off of it and then you know we wind up. I went up going up to Dallas and we went into the studio and then we just started creating. So we've done so far. We've done. We're actually working on a new album. We've done so far once about four songs right now.
Speaker 3:Okay.
Speaker 1:And nobody knows. It's basically like a teaser to let people know exactly. You know what we're getting ready to come out with and do you know? So we really have some nice, some hot music that people is going to love. But you know, right now I have an EP out and people are loving it. You know they're loving it. I write to the ladies and of course ladies love it. But the craziest thing about it is a lot of guys love my music also, a lot of guys. So I had one of my fraternity brothers, you know, called me one day. He was like yo, this CD is hot. I had a few other ones that because I'd be giving CDs off promotion and stuff. And you know, when these guys out of the blue like texture, yo, it's hot man. You know, that makes me know I got some because I know women love it, you know.
Speaker 3:Cool, cool, let's go ahead and play it, and then we're going to come back and you talk a little bit more about it. Okay, yes, yeah, yes, rock, I know what the place.
Speaker 2:I'd rather be Lay you down, hold me and squeeze me. Baby, Nobody knows the way I feel about you. I feel like I gotta keep it to myself, Girl. I promise I won't tell nobody else. Nobody knows the way I feel about you, babe.
Speaker 3:Nobody knows, oh, oh oh, nobody knows the way I feel. Oh, oh, oh, nobody knows. Girl, I love your vibes in the games you play. I love to hear the sound every time you say my name. Say my name, nice, nice, nice man, I know you're talking about. You produce your music. I guess you're feeling for your music, like heartfelt, soulful music In a, I guess, your process and going into this song. Nobody knows what was the process with that.
Speaker 1:Well, steve came up with the track and the track was a little bit different from the actual song and I basically I write to music. So when he sent it over I just listened to it. I listened to it and then, you know, I'll put it in the car or truck or whatever, and I'm driving and I'll be on the job site. I'm listening and then things start coming to me, nobody knows. Basically it was inspired by X. I went to visit her one day and you know how you're going back and forth. And then you know, I'm sitting there and all of a sudden, you know, I just started shaking my head like nobody knows. I started saying nobody knows, and then it hit me. So what I did was when I left, I wrote it down and I started to develop in this song. You know I'm very creative with my lyrics. I just did a song called Hide and Seek.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah.
Speaker 1:What it is is. I took in the game Hide and Seek. You know everybody you know played that game back in the days Either Hide and Seek or Hide and Go Get it or whatever. And I wanted to take that song, take that and write and develop a love song out of it. And I went into the studio about a couple weeks ago and laid it down. And it's really hot. I knew artists by the name of Save that will be doing some stuff with me. Matter of fact, we just did two songs together. She's really hot, can sing, I mean, she's really really good, and so I'm going to also add her on to some other stuff. And then I had to talk with Steve because I actually want to write and produce something for her, because her vocals is on point. You know, I put her right on up there with the fates and the Karen White and all of them. Okay, okay, yeah, she can really do something. So that's going to be someone that I'm going to push and also she's going to do some stuff with me.
Speaker 3:Cool, I would love to get her on the show.
Speaker 1:Oh, definitely, we can make all that happen yeah, cool.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean your music, man. Like I said, it's heartfelt, soulful beat and stuff. You have performed on the stage with some of the legends in your career, even up to this point, you know, definitely with opening up for a lot of major acts. Who was some of those acts that you opened up for?
Speaker 1:I opened up and you understand I've only been doing this two years, but in these two years. I've opened up for Babyface Loosens Lakeside, charelle Climax, lila James, some soul artists too. I can't remember the one guy, he was pretty big, but yeah, so I've done a few things and still trying to hit at it, you know.
Speaker 3:I mean, that's a lot within two years. Most artists I know they probably will consider you new, but most artists even at that time five, six years before they may get that opportunity to open up for a major artist. But the legends that's been out there and you have done it in two years, that's amazing within itself.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and you know it's who you know. And the other thing too, you know I've had legends like Ron Oshly. They've heard me sing. He's heard my music. He's cosigned. Hey, yeah, keith Sweat, yeah, stephen Russell, I've had some top. I'm even Jimmy Jem and Terry Lewis have heard my music, you know, through Charelle. So they're definitely, from what I was told, they definitely like my writing skills. You know I've had Alexandria O'Neill that actually wanted me to write him some stuff. You know, I wanted to try to get my stuff out of the way before I kind of really get to writing other people's stuff, you know, but I think that I have some great music that others would probably want to sing some of my stuff, you know.
Speaker 3:Right. So how has being in Atlanta helped your career? I mean, that's kind of like the now the mega-hub for Tim, I mean for Pham, video Audio Recording for All the Stars. Black Stars are migrating too, so how has that, for you, being in Atlanta, helped your career?
Speaker 1:Well, you know, be honest with you, well, I actually got my start out of Cass Cafe, okay. So, if you want to say it, yeah, it helped it on that end. But as far as all the contacts and the people that I met in order to get to these different places that I've named, they didn't live in Atlanta. You know everyone lived in other places. You know Chicago, new York, dallas, california, okay. So, even though Atlanta is basically what they call the hub, the entertainment mecca, but there are a lot of people who live here. So you meet a lot of the musicians and stuff, that that that sings or plays for a lot of the major artists. But I haven't really, like I said, most, most of the people that I've actually met were from out of the area. But people would think, because I live here, seeing that, you know, hey, you did it there not really no more than I got my start at a Cass Cafe here, and that's basically about it.
Speaker 3:Okay, cool, and hold tight one more time. Take a little short break.
Speaker 2:Thank you for listening to Spit to the Beat Podcast. Want to know how you can help Be a sponsor by going to our website at wwwspit to thebeatpodcastcom and click the support tab. You can also join us each and every week live at YouTube at Spit to the Beat. Don't forget to subscribe, like and follow. Thank you for your support.
Speaker 3:And we're back to Spitt2ToBe podcast. I'm your host, stacey AKA Be Unstoppable, peria, and joining me live virtually in the studio, is Roger Hill music out of Atlanta, georgia. We was talking a bit before the break, the short break. You know being in Atlanta and how it has worked for your career and stuff like that. But let's move a little bit along with that. You, being in Atlanta, you perform with some legends. You open up. You know concerts and stuff with Isla Brothers and Cherelle and so many others. What was a memorable moment, you know opening up for them or even just being on stage, you know.
Speaker 1:I really didn't think too much of it, you know, because I was more focused on trying to get people to hear who I was and what I had to offer. It was cool, you know, just like when I had the opportunity to sing for Ron Isley, I had one of my frat brothers out of Chicago he the one had hooked that up where I met Ron, and you know, ron is a true legend and I'll never forget. I'm back there in the back and my frat was like you know sing something you know.
Speaker 1:So I sung my song. Come Back to Me, and then I'll never forget Ron's mother-in-law.
Speaker 2:I was like sing one of Ron's songs, and then I wound up singing.
Speaker 1:make me say it again, girl, for you know.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Once he heard me and stuff, you know. So then he had told his wife he was like, hey, he said, turn that thing on over there, which was, you know, his little music thing. And that's when he, you know, let me listen to his album that came out last year and, you know, with the Beyonce and all that stuff on there, and it was really nice, you know. So, being able to be a part of something like that and just meet different people. You know, like you know me and Charelle we cool, matter of fact, I just talked to her today. I called a check on her. You know it was like once you, once you in the mix and you amongst you know the different people Teddy, raleigh and all these and stuff. It's like they're just like you and I. You know they're just like you and I and everybody's trying to, you know, do different things. Like with me.
Speaker 1:I'm trying to grind and get people to hear the great product that I have. You know, I feel like I got good music but based upon what other people are telling me and singing, they love the music. So my job is to try to get more people to know who Roger's real music is and to also hear the music so that they, you know, also can fall in love. The funniest thing that I experienced is there was this lady who was 84 years old. I gave her a CD and she had called me and she told me. She said listen. She said your music is so good, it makes me want to make love to somebody.
Speaker 3:Wow, and I started laughing.
Speaker 1:She's 84, right, she was 84 years old and I'm like whoa. Yeah, she said the music was really good, she said. She said I listened to it, it made me want to make love to somebody. That's just what she found.
Speaker 2:And I was deep, yeah, I was deep.
Speaker 3:Hey look, what can we expect. I know we're almost two months complete in 2024. What can the people look out for? Roger Hill music. What is your?
Speaker 1:Well, right now I'm pushing and nobody knows I have a new EP out that just dropped out and just came out in I think it was October, november and I have six songs on there. You know, everyone can go to Roger Hill music, you know, and listen to the music that I have. I think people are going to really love it. And you have to really pay attention to the lyrics, because the lyrics is very meaningful. Everyone has experienced some type of situation when it comes to love.
Speaker 1:One of the things that when I was writing my first song and I'll never forget I had told all my social media friends I was like I'm just gonna write love songs. You know, all the music and the songs that I write are feel good songs. I don't want to write depressing stuff because during the time of COVID there's a lot of things that were going on. People were going through divorces, breakups, you know, and many people was wanting love, meeting love, and I was like, well, what I'll do is just write about it, I'll make people feel that. They think that they're there, you know, and then after the end of the song they may oh, I'm back where I started, but at least when you listen to my music, you will have a good feeling. You know, just like I told you where the 84 year old one was like hey, you know, your music made me want to make love. Yeah, somebody at that age just saying something like that. Based upon what they're hearing, you know I mean I'm doing something right, I'm on the right track, you know.
Speaker 3:Right, because you tapped in. You said it in your bio when you was writing Nobody Knows that how. You dug a little deeper than the surface meaning of Nobody Knows, but you was trying to get the people to understand the deeper lyrics in the song. As far as feeling that a man is trying to explain himself more than do this woman really understand what this man is trying to do?
Speaker 1:Well, again, every song is different. You know basically the concept that Nobody Knows. Like I said, I was there talking to my ex. You know, when I got, when it was inspired to me, it was basically like, you know, a person is saying all these things or whatever, and it's like sometimes people don't really know how a person truly feel.
Speaker 1:You can, you can tell a person, but sometimes it's one of those things you hear me but you're not listening. You know, and people hear what they want to hear, okay, and and it's just like sometimes you, sometimes when, when, when, going through relationships and stuff, you know, I always believe that actions mean more than anything. A person can tell you whatever, but don't mean anything or don't show you. So when I was writing that, it was so many different mixed feelings, you know, because it's basically like nobody knows when you're trying to show love, when you're trying to give love, you know, but people are not actually paying attention. It's like nobody knows, you know. So it's like what do you do? People looking at the wrong thing is like nobody knows, yeah.
Speaker 3:Nobody knows how you truly feel. And then you know that's always hard in a relationship when you're really trying to help people understand how you really feel about them. You know and do they really understand? And, like you said your title, nobody knows, yeah.
Speaker 1:Because you know people. People you know like when, when, like with with us men we deal with love different from other people. You know women do the same thing and I just feel that you know we all should come together and work as a common goal. But it's just times that people are not on the same page. I think we just got to just got to take our time and get to know each other. I think in today's society, you know, people are not really taking the time to get to know each other.
Speaker 3:Women are right, so is that the type of music that you're you're you're expressing in 2024?
Speaker 1:Yeah, whatever Put it like this, I don't know what I'm gonna write about. You know, that's the honest to God truth. When I, when I listen to some of the music, the tracks and stuff, I don't even know what I'm gonna write about. But I do well, number one things I do. On every song that I've wrote so far I'm on my 10th song I always pray, I pray and I ask God to give me the knowledge, the wisdom, the strength, the ability to write these songs and every song that you've heard so far. That's what came out based upon me praying and asking God that, because I, to be honest with you, I didn't know what I was gonna write about.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah and that's the best way I would say say you know, allow God to speak to you, and then you move on that, on that note, that little bug that he whispered into your ear, and then, hey, the world will be amazed at what they hear.
Speaker 1:So far, that's that's. That's what's going on. You know, people are amazed. They really love what I've put together.
Speaker 3:Awesome, awesome. So Tim, artists are really rapping the show up. Where can they find you and how can they get your music?
Speaker 1:So everyone can follow me on all social media Facebook, instagram, tiktok under Roger Hill Music. Also, I have a Pandora station If anyone want to listen to Pandora. Roger Hill Music Radio. I'm on all digital platforms Spotify, apple, amazon. I'm on YouTube. Everything is under Roger Hill Music. And then also, if you want to go and learn a little more about me, go to my website, rogerhillmusiccom. And also it gives you a little sample of each one of my songs that I have out and once you go and take a little listen to it, then you know, hey, okay, I'm gonna go buy that downloaded or whatever. But you know, just go and check it all out. You know, check the website out, go download the music, but everything is under Roger Hill Music.
Speaker 3:Great, great Again. Thank you for joining us on Spits of the Beat podcast, taking time out of your schedule I know you're a very busy man had to finally tie you down and we made it happen, yeah. Yeah, most definitely, most definitely Cool I'll be right back, all right, as I wrap up the show, I'll be right back, all right, all right. Thank you for watching Spits of the Beat podcast. Join us again for another live episode next week.