“I had once visited and I knew I had to move here,” German native Hillesheim says of his decision to become a Chicago bluesman. “It’s not just a stylistic choice—I really appreciate the culture of musicians sitting in with each other. It really is a most friendly competition.” The move to Chi-town has proved fruitful as Hillesheim is about to release his second album in just two years.
By Peter Hurley
Photo: Peter Hurley
Guitarist, vocalist and bandleader Stefan Hillesheim was recognized as a quick study and up-and-comer when attending the Musician Institute in Los Angeles in 2015. By completion of the session, he was given its “Most Improved Student” Award. In the years since, he developed his innate skills and passion for the Blues by playing in churches and eventually moving from California to get to the heart of urban Blues, Chicago, to perform with the myriad of players on its scene today.
“I had once visited and I knew I had to move here,” journeyman Hillesheim says. “It’s not just a stylistic choice—I really appreciate the culture of musicians sitting in with each other. It really is a most friendly competition.”
The ensuing years of friendly competition have certainly paid off. Stefan is a well-known vocalist, showman and guitar slinger-to-be-reckoned-with and on September 1st is releasing a needle-jumping new cd/album, his second, titled Live at Rosa’s Lounge. Its first single, Seduced by the Blues, an autobiographical account of his musical journey, will drop on August 1st. The recording quality is superb and showcases Stefan’s original material with his dynamic band made up of brilliant Blues veterans. The full album will drop Sept. 1 and the first CD release party will be held at Rosa’s Lounge on Sept. 4, 2024.
Photo: Album cover by Alan Frolichstein
We sat down with the charismatic Bluesman for an interview on a hot July afternoon to discuss his backstory and love for the Blues idiom.
Peter M. Hurley: Please tell us about your background, Stefan, your upbringing and the influences that have shaped your musical life.
Stefan Hillesheim: Well, I was born in Koblenz, Germany, one of two boys in my household; I have a brother who is 3 years older. We do have some musicians in my family; my dad plays the guitar (mostly folk/ ‘60s singer-songwriter), my uncle plays the guitar and sings in an Irish folk band, and my grandfather played the piano.
It was my dad who taught me the first few chords on the guitar when I was 5 years old—I believe the first song I ever played was Bob Dylan’s Knocking on Heaven’s Door; a simple three-chord song that I could actually play! It was a great first step.
About the same time, I took an interest in my dad’s record collection. I started listening to Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton and Rory Gallagher. Over time, I moved from ‘60s Blues-Rock to Chicago Blues and Delta Blues; these just seemed to be closer to the bone. Now I would say my biggest influences are Elmore James, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters and Albert King, masters all.
PMH: Top o’ the line. At what age did you actually first hear the Blues and what were the circumstances?
SH: I must have been around 6 years old when I first heard some Blues recordings.
“It Hurts Me Too” by Elmore James takes me to that place. “Jimi Hendrix’s Live at Monterey;” for a live performance is incomparable. And everything by Robert Johnson. I had a phase where I listened to him nonstop.
When it really comes down to it, though, hands down, Elmore James is my main influence. He was the complete package—playing, singing, delivery...everything.
Later, I had the chance to see Bernard Allison, Ana Popovic and Walter Trout live in my hometown. This had a big impact on me. Back then I really couldn’t see myself
doing what these musicians did on stage—they seemed like superheroes—but
here we are! And now I can’t believe how comfortable I’ve gotten with being on
stage.
PMH: What aspect of Blues music did you identify with? What resonated with you?
SH: Well, I guess I would consider myself a "heavy thinker" who worries a lot about all kinds of things. Growing up I was a pretty awkward kid, not always fitting in and certainly not a fan of all the rigid rules around me—the blues provided an outlet for me to express my feelings.
I felt the rawness and deep feeling of the Blues. To me Blues is so intense in a
spiritual way. It feels like it cleanses your emotions—and after listening or
playing you feel lighter. I played different styles of music before I came to
Chicago, but no other style of music gives me that “fix”.
PMH: You first came to the States to attend a music school?
SH: When I first came to the U.S. I studied at Musicians Institute in Hollywood, CA (formerly G.I.T.). It was a good experience and I rubbed shoulders with some amazingly talented musicians—but all in all I have to say that you can't really learn how to play in school. I learned a lot more about music during the Sunday services when I played at different gospel churches in South-Central LA—that was my bread and butter during my time in Los Angeles and my true "school."
Photo: Dianne Bruce Dunklau
PMH: Did you target Chicago Blues specifically as the “kind” of Blues that you wanted to play? When did you decide to move here?
SH: What I love about traditional Chicago Blues is that you can hear how the mostly acoustic delta blues moved up north and had to change in order to work for a "big city" audience—the feeling is the same but it had to be a bit louder and songs changed thematically—to me it's like the connecting link between the old country blues and rock & roll—the best of both worlds.
So, I first visited Chicago in 2019, and my wife and I moved across the country shortly after—in the spring of 2022.
PMH: That’s a leap of faith. Any difficulties in making this happen?
SH: A story that wasn't funny at the time, but I think is funny now, is how my wife and I moved. We had all our belongings in a big moving truck and the plan was to drive across country with several overnight stops. 15 miles into the journey the moving truck gave up and started rolling backwards in the mountains just outside of San Diego. We were on the phone with customer service for about 5 hours till we finally convinced them to let us rent a second truck until the roadside service arrived. We moved all of our belongings into the new truck and since we missed our first overnight stay we drove 30+ hours straight—all the way into Missouri to stay the night and finish our trip to Chicago. Oh yeah, did I mention the weather was bad too? There was a snow storm that weekend! To sum it up: it was a real marriage test—I had to do the dishes for quite a while.
PMH: A hard-earned journey. How was your entree into the Blues world once you arrived? Did you start by sitting in everywhere you could?
SH: Yes, I did—as I made the rounds. And Chicagoans Lil’ Ed, Rico McFarland, Mike Wheeler, Billy Branch, Dave Herrero, Jimmy Burns, Smiley Tillmon and Nate Manos began to have a big influence on me. And it’s been a pleasure to get to know them too. I made friends and started building a following—that really helped me pick up momentum.
PMH: Were there others who encouraged you?
SH: The name that comes to mind was the late great Kenny Zimmerman, the owner of Harlem Avenue Lounge. He had such a great sense of humor and a way of making me feel like I was on the right path. Kenny established a great culture at his venue. Even now, many regulars and former patrons of Harlem Avenue Lounge still show up to support me at my concerts.
I also met the owner of Rosa’s Lounge, Tony Mangiullo, when I first visited Chicago. We have a similar background—both leaving Europe in pursuit of the Blues. Tony has always been welcoming and supportive of my ideas. I'm really happy that we have a residency at Rosa's and had a chance to capture the great energy at our live performance in our new cd. Rosa's definitely feels like a home away from home.
PMH: Do you support yourself other than as a musician?
SH: I’ve worked as a physical therapist and I have taught music in the past but I’m a full-time musician now.
PMH: What about songwriting, Stefan? How do you go about it and what part does it play in your overall approach to musicianship?
SH: Yes, I write songs all the time—for me it’s the most important part of being a
musician. All 11 songs on my new album Live at Rosa’s Lounge are originals.
PMH: What would you like this current cd, Live at Rosa’s Lounge, to represent? Have you conceived of it in a specific way?
SH: I want the new album to reflect the growth that I have achieved as a songwriter,
and the cohesion we have accomplished as a band, especially since the addition of
pianist Sumito “Ariyo” Ariyoshi. But the most important thing that I want to come
across is the excitement and energy that we experienced during our live
performance at Rosa’s Lounge. I believe producer/engineer Pete Galanis of 3011 Studios managed to capture that for us.
Photo: Dianne Bruce Dunklau
PMH: Is it your regular band on the CD? Any guest artists?
SH: I have a regular band—I believe in bands over “hired guns.” I am very fortunate
to have met the great musicians that I have had the luxury of playing with. My band consists of Chicago Blues Hall of Famer Darryl Wright on bass, Dionte McMusick
on drums and Sumito “Ariyo” Ariyoshi on piano—the latter two are also members of Billy Branch’s Sons of Blues.
We try to play together as much as possible, but of course if Billy goes on tour (like his recent China tour), I have backup musicians who definitely hold down the fort with me.
PMH: Is your approach to singing Blues different than your approach to
playing? Who do you listen to that inspires your singing?
SH: As the main vocalist, I strive for my voice to compliment my guitar playing—and the other way around, much like in a conversation. And as I mentioned, Elmore James is my favorite blues singer; he gets to me, and I strive to sing with the spirit he has imbued in me.
PMH: Have you begun to tour outside of Chicago?
SH: Yes, we have played in different parts of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin and Tennessee.
PMH: Do you have a specific goal as a musician, as a Blues artist?
SH: Yes, I do, I want for us as a band to tour and play festivals internationally and to build a large following and collaborate with some of our favorite artists in the genre. For me, this is about being successful as a group instead of chasing individual achievements.
PMH: Do you have any thoughts about “traditional” Blues vs a modern approach? As a bluesman in his 30s who grew up exposed to many musical forms, what is your approach to playing in this era?
SH: I like both. I learned so much from listening to traditional blues in depth. But I try to keep an open mind towards a more modern approach – I don’t want the blues
to turn into a museum piece – it needs to keep moving along with the times. Writing original material keeps our repertoire fresh and current.
PMH: Speaking of current, who are your favorite musicians to play with around town or on the road?
SH: My band—Darryl, Dionte, and Ariyo!
PMH: That’s awesome. So, in general, what’s your feeling about the state of Blues music today and your place in it?
SH: Things are generally looking good. In my opinion the main challenge is allowing
for the genre to change and appeal to a younger crowd while keeping it
connected with the origins and roots of the Blues. I think the Blues will always be
relevant—as long as humans have emotions—and that’s what it’s all about. The
music might change, but I’m fine with that as long as it makes me feel the same
way.
Photo: Jim Summaria
PMH: You’ve travelled quite some distance to get where you are now. Is there a partnership on this journey?
SH: My wife Shadae has always been supportive of my musical ambitions. When we met I was a Top 40/wedding band/jobbing musician, and she could see that it wasn't my passion. She encouraged me to carve out my own path and has definitely been a muse for several of my songs. It took some work to convince her, a California native, to leave sunny San Diego and move across the county to Chicago. But now, we have both fallen in love with the city.
PMH: It’s been a pleasure to chat, Stefan. Any final comments? And can you tell us how to keep track of you in future?
SH: I do appreciate the support, shout-outs, and opportunities to sit in from fellow musicians. I am thankful for the support I have received by the Blues media, photographers, and club owners as well. It feels like a foundation of like-minded people has been established here and I’m fortunate to be one of them. It takes drive, to be sure, but if you have it, there are many fine people here who will give you a chance. That has certainly been the case for me.
Photo: Stefan and Stella Blue, who is the namesake for his record label Stella Blue Music
My wife and I started our own distribution label, Stella Blue. Please check out our new record Live at Rosa’s Lounge. I strongly believe in this album! We will have multiple album release shows in the Chicago area. I will make sure to announce the dates on social media and my website: www.shblues.com