The music of Naptown blues pianist Honey Hill

July 20, 2025

For the next three weeks on Echoes of Indiana Avenue, learn about the music of Gilbert “Honey” Hill, an Indianapolis blues pianist, who contributed to important recordings by Little Bill Gaither and Bumble Bee Slim. 

Gilbert “Honey” Hill was born in Indianapolis on January 8, 1912. His parents, Frank and Emma Hill migrated to Indiana from Kentucky. Hill spent much of his childhood living on the city’s Eastside, including an address at 1508 Yandes Street. 

Hill entered into adulthood at a time when the Indianapolis blues duo of Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell were dominating the blues scene. Hill partnered with the Indianapolis blues singer and guitarist Bill Gaither to start his own duo, modeled on the music of Carr and Blackwell. They made their first recordings together during the winter of 1935, just a few months after the untimely death of Leroy Carr. From 1936 to 1940, Hill recorded over 70 songs with Gaither.

On this week’s episode, listen to Hill’s early recordings with Little Bill Gaither.