The Breakdown

Local musician Cheeks McGee recently answered some questions about the upcoming eight band event Hillstock, which is at 3 p.m. Saturday at Culver Stockton College in Canton, Mo.

He comments on the lineup choices, how the event came about and local music in the area. Thanks Cheeks for the interview below and for practicing what you preach, because he goes out and supports local bands in the area and new music all of the time. So, be like him and support local music and go to this show!

NAME: Ryan Christian “Cheeks McGee”
PROFESSION: Instrumental and jazz director at Highland High School and a musician
COLLEGE: Music Education bachelors with an emphasis in secondary instrumental music from Culver-Stockton College in 2003.

THE BEGINNING OF HILLSTOCK
Well my good buddy Jason Richmond also attended Culver Stockton College and we ended up joining the same fraternity. We realized that at that time our fraternity house was made up of almost all musicians and we wanted to form an event to showcase all this talent. So in the spring of 2000 Jason and I sat down and put together our 1st DUStock, Delta Upsilon was the name of the fraternity. We used this as a rush tool to get upcoming freshman as well as the whole campus to our event which was held in our huge backyard. The response was great. We had three bands form from our house as well as Jason’s band Temperamental and my band at the time called Hoohash.

HillStock officially started the year after Jason and I graduated from CSC which was the 2003-2004 school year and the headlining act that year was one of my personal hero’s and mentors that played trumpet which was Maynard Ferguson and his band. I was invited to play during the festival. DUStock is in its 10th year as a music event at Culver and HillStock is in its seventh year. Jason and I are very proud that those festivals are still alive and well attended.

THIS YEARS LINEUP
Culver-Stockton has a committee that selects the bands. The Student Activities Director is now Brent Hickenbottom and he was in my fraternity and my college roommate. He was a senior at DU when we started DUstock and now calls me on input when they put HillStock together on any bands that would be good for it.

I am excited about this years lineup and I’m glad they went with more of a local approach with my good friends Predawn Hour, Double Vision, Pike Station, the Graduate and more. We have so many great bands around the area and it feels good that we can showcase them and introduce these bands to college kids.

I also get to emcee the event this year.

LOCAL MUSIC SCENE
I think a way we could start to improve it is if all the other local bands and musicians support each other. We are all in this together and it needs to start with going to other local bands shows or at least stopping by. I know how frustrating it is sometimes getting people out to see live music but lets help each other out and promote for one another tell your friends buy their merch or just spread the word about local music.

I really think your blog “The Breakdown” is a great source for upcoming shows that people might not realize is happening. Also, Y101 does a great thing by featuring local music once a day at 5:45pm and the Grizz 105.9  has the Girls on Rock at 5 p.m. which are all things that promote and help local artists and we thank you and Quincy for all you do to help local music.

Annual Hillstock
BANDS: Jason Richmond, Cheeks McGee, Predawn Hour, Double Vision, Maybe Later, Pike Station, Cohesion, and the Graduate
WHEN: 3 p.m. Saturday
WHERE: Outside of the Gladys Crown Student Center at Culver-Stockton College, Canton, Mo.
HOW MUCH: Free
INFO: Contact Brent Hickenbottom at (573) 288-6571 or at bhickenbottom@culver.edu

Jessica Martin
jmartin@whig.com