 Cecil
Hill came to Los Angeles, California in July 1950 after
two years at North Texas State University's Jazz school
to study Saxophone with the great mentor, Merle Johnson.
After several months of study, the Korean conflict made
it necessary to enlist in the U.S. Navy and attend the
U.S. Navy Conservatory of Music at Washington, D.C.
After a four year stint,
he returned to his study, became a member of the Professional
Musicians Association, Local 47, and joined The Claude
Gordon Orchestra in 1955 as Lead tenor Sax, vocalist
and road manager and helped in the winning of The
American Federation of Music's "BEST NEW BAND
of 1959". Three million miles of one nighters
and years of experience later he accepted the position
of Business Agent at Local 47.
Nine years and it was back to his horn with such notables
as Dick Haymes, Jimmy Wakely's Nevada lounge show,
Horace Heidt, JR's Orchestra, Hill's own act at Bob
Stupek's Vegas World.
Duty called yet again
and he signed on as a California State Deputy Labor
Commissioner. After twenty years of somewhat faithful
state service, retirement has allowed him to concentrate
on his first love, the sax. He returned to his horn,
went back into the Studio and came up with two fantastic
CD`S: "A Saxy Affair" and "Cecil
Hill Swings His Thing", along with the soon
to be released, much anticipated "I Love My
Wife".
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