Greg Humphreys

Last updated

Greg Humphreys
Greghumphreyselectrictrio.jpg
The Greg Humphreys Electric Trio performing at The Pour House Music Hall, Raleigh, North Carolina in 2016.
Photo by Kfp Foto, used by permission
Background information
BornWinston-Salem, North Carolina, United States
GenresSinger-songwriter, R&B, soul, rock, funk
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
LabelsPhrex Records
Website greghumphreys.net

Greg Humphreys is an American singer, guitarist and songwriter based in New York City who performs solo and as bandleader of Dillon Fence, Hobex and The Greg Humphreys Electric Trio.

Contents

Early life

Greg was born and raised in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. His mother was an art teacher and his attorney father was a folk musician, spurring Greg's own artistic creativity from a very early age. In high school, Greg and his classmate, Chris Goode, formed a band called "Trash" that eventually evolved into Dillon Fence. [1]

Career

Dillon Fence, for which Greg was the principal songwriter, vocalist and guitarist, began while Greg was enrolled at the University of North Carolina in the late 1980s. The band released three full-length albums and several EPs on its own and via Mammoth Records and developed a cult following throughout North Carolina. Shortly after the departure of original band members Chris Goode (bass) and Kent Alphin in 1995, Dillon Fence called it quits, although the members still reunite fairly regularly for North Carolina-area shows. [2] [3]

Together with Dillon Fence's last bassist, Andy Ware, Greg began playing as Hobex in 1996, eschewing the indie rock roots of Dillon Fence in favor of the soul and funk music with which Greg had grown up. The band's following in the southeast U.S. led to the band being signed to London Records. The lack of major commercial breakthrough and the strain of constant touring caused Greg to disband Hobex in 2007. Like Dillon Fence, however, Hobex still performs reunion gigs from time to time. [4] [3]

Happy to shed the complications and extra weight of touring with a full band, Greg then began touring as a solo artist with just an acoustic guitar, writing and playing laid-back songs incorporating folk, pop, bluegrass and jazz influences. These songs were documented in a series of self-released CDs: Trunk Songs (2008); Realign Your Mind (2010); People You May Know (2011); Bohemia (2013); and Cosmic Irony (2014). [1]

In 2012, Greg relocated from North Carolina to New York City to be with a woman he had met and fallen in love with at a mutual friend’s funeral. [3] Upon arriving in New York City, Greg met back up with a fellow expatriate from the North Carolina music scene, Matt Brandau (bassist for The Old Ceremony), with whom he collaborated on new recordings. Matt suggested they team up with drummer Keith Robinson (Marcia Ball, Charlie Robison). The group solidified as Greg Humphreys Electric Trio, adding a rock ‘n’ roll element to Greg's solo songs and spawning a whole new batch of compositions tailored to the band members’ expertise in diverse musical styles such as funk, soul, blues and country. In 2014, the GHET released a live album called "Rock at Live Wood" (recorded at Rockwood Music Hall in New York City), followed up by a full-length studio album of all-new material called "Lucky Guy" in 2016, which was funded by fans via PledgeMusic. [5]

Collaborations

Greg has co-written and recorded songs with legendary Stax Records recording artist, William Bell. [3]

Discography

Solo albums

as Greg Humphreys Electric Trio

with Hobex

with Dillon Fence

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Les Claypool</span> American musician

Leslie Edward Claypool is an American musician, best known as the founder, lead singer, bassist, and primary songwriter of the band Primus since its formation in 1984. Frequently considered to be one of the greatest bassists of all time, his playing style mixes tapping, flamenco-like strumming, whammy bar bends, and slapping.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark</span> English band

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) are an English electronic band formed in Wirral, Merseyside, in 1978. The group consists of founding duo and principal songwriters Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys, along with Martin Cooper and Stuart Kershaw (drums). Regarded as pioneers of electronic music, OMD combined an experimental, minimalist ethos with pop sensibilities, becoming key figures in the emergence of synth-pop; McCluskey and Humphreys also introduced the "synth duo" format to British popular music. In the United States, the band were an early presence in the MTV-driven Second British Invasion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alkaline Trio</span> American punk rock band

Alkaline Trio is an American punk rock band from Chicago, Illinois. The band's current members are Matt Skiba, Dan Andriano, and Atom Willard (drums).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tindersticks</span> English rock band

Tindersticks are an English alternative rock band formed in Nottingham in 1991. They released six albums before singer Stuart A. Staples embarked on a solo career. The band reunited briefly in 2006 and more permanently the following year. The band recorded several film soundtracks, and have a long-standing relationship collaborating with French director Claire Denis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">G. Love & Special Sauce</span> American rock band

G. Love & Special Sauce is an American rock band from Philadelphia. They are known for their unique, "sloppy", and "laid back" sound that encompasses blues, hip hop, rock, and soul. The band features Garrett Dutton, better known as G. Love; Jeffrey Clemens on drums; and Jim Prescott on bass.

Mammoth Records was an independent record label founded in 1989 by Jay Faires in the Carrboro area of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The majority of the acts on Mammoth were executive-produced by Faires and the label's general manager, Steve Balcom. The label was the first independent to produce two platinum records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mutemath</span> American musical project

Mutemath is an American alternative rock project founded by American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and record producer Paul Meany. Originally co-founded as a band with Darren King in 2002, Meany decided to continue Mutemath as a solo project following King's departure in 2017. Mutemath draws heavily from influences in 1960s and 1970s soul, psychedelic rock, and jam band styles, utilizing vintage guitars and amplifiers as well as Rhodes keyboards, synthesizers, and other electronic instruments such as the keytar.

Dillon Fence was an American rock band from Chapel Hill, North Carolina. They were initially active from the mid-1980s until 1995. The band released three full-length albums on Mammoth Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Building 429</span> American Christian rock band

Building 429 is an American Christian rock band from Fayetteville, North Carolina. The band's name refers to Ephesians 4:29, a Biblical passage that reads: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

Collapsis was a band from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, active primarily from 1997 to 2001. The band's name derives from a Dillon Fence song of the same name that Collapsis front man Mike Garrigan asked Dillon Fence front man Greg Humphreys' blessing to use as the band's moniker.

Prick was an American industrial rock band, founded in 1992 in Los Angeles by guitarist and songwriter Kevin McMahon, after his first project Lucky Pierre disbanded. The first line-up of the band featured McMahon on vocals and guitar, Chris Schleyer on guitar and Andy Kubiszewski on drums. The band was known for its glam rock and new wave influences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeb Bishop</span> American jazz musician

Jeb Bishop is an American jazz trombone player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonas Tomalty</span> Canadian singer

Jonas Richard Tomalty is a Canadian rock, soul and pop singer. First known as Jonas in 2004 as a solo singer, he was the lead singer of the Canadian rock band Jonas & The Massive Attraction from 2010 to 2017. In 2022, he released his fourth solo album, Undivided, as Jonas Tomalty.

Hobex is an American funk group from North Carolina.

Apollo Heights is an American shoegazing band that was formed in New York City in 2002. Consisting mainly of twin brothers Daniel and Danny Chavis, they play experimental rock music. They cite AR Kane and My Bloody Valentine as a major inspiration. Their debut album White Music For Black People was produced by Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins and features guest appearances from Mos Def, Lady Kier, David Sitek of TV on the Radio, Mike Ladd and Guthrie himself on guitar. The Chavis brothers were members of the alternative soul group The Veldt who released three albums on Polygram, Mammoth and Capitol Records. Although the Veldt is left out of references on the Chapel Hill music scene, they were a key band during the heyday of North Carolina music along with other bands of the time like Metal Flake Mother, Superchunk and Dillon Fence.

<i>Agony & Irony</i> 2008 studio album by Alkaline Trio

Agony & Irony is the sixth studio album and major label debut by American punk rock band Alkaline Trio, released July 1, 2008, on Epic Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trenchtown (band)</span>

Trenchtown is an American five-piece punk rock band from Jerome, Michigan, United States. Formed in the fall of 1996, the group consists of Ryan Wagler, Eric Wagler (bass), Mike Nichols, Greg Bolenbough and Mike Burlett (drums).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason & the Scorchers</span> American cowpunk band

Jason & the Scorchers, originally Jason & the Nashville Scorchers, are a cowpunk band that formed in 1981 and are led by singer-songwriter Jason Ringenberg.

Albert Sidney "Sid" Griffin is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist-mandolinist, bandleader, and author who lives in London, England. He led the Long Ryders band in the 1980s, founded the Coal Porters group in the 1990s, has recorded several solo albums and is the author of volumes on Bob Dylan, Gram Parsons and bluegrass music.

<i>Living Room Scene</i> 1994 studio album by Dillon Fence

Living Room Scene is an album by the American alternative rock band Dillon Fence, released in 1994. It was the band's final studio album; half the band left shortly after its release, forcing singer Greg Humphreys and drummer Scott Carle to support it with two new touring musicians. The title track was Living Room Scene's first single.

References

  1. 1 2 "Greg Humphreys – Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  2. ↑ "Dillon Fence – Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Greg Humphreys Lucks Out – Part 2 – The Interview". yourolderbrother.com. September 22, 2016. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Hobex – Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
  5. ↑ "Greg Humphreys Electric Trio: "Lucky Guy" Album & Tour". PledgeMusic. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.