Seth Hilary is an American singer-songwriter with an emphasis on songwriting. His style is a unique signature sound that defies genre and might be described as classic rock with a dash of country and a hint of pop. With song ranging from serious to sad to silly and covering topics from relationships to mental health to politics, he hopes to inspire listeners to embrace the struggle, savor the joy, and keep moving forward. His dream is that his music will be a positive force in the world.
Having spent decades behind the scenes writing songs for other artists plus film and TV, Seth began releasing his own music at the ripe young age of 62. His debut album was produced by Kevin Fisher in Los Angeles. After moving to the New York area, Seth learned to produce his own trucks and has turned his project into a DIY operation.
Seth’s songs have been recorded by dozens of artists around the world and placed in film and television. Several have reached the Top 10 on the European Country Music Association charts, including a #1, and another topped the MusicWorx DJ Download Chart. His song “Oh, My Badness,” recorded by the Austrian band Rhythm 4 Boots for their album Country Inside, helped the record earn recognition as Country Album of the Year in their home country. Seth has been featured in American Songwriter, in Recording Magazine, and on the front page of the Pittsburgh Tribune. He also received coverage in the Los Angeles Times Calendar section in connection with Songs for Social Change. He served as the Los Angeles Regional Coordinator for the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI).
One of Seth’s greatest honors was receiving Presidential invitation to the White House for his song “Pfc Ross A. McGinnis”, a tribute to a fallen war hero. The song was performed at the soldier’s Medal of Honor ceremony reception.
As a 10-year old in the ‘60s, Seth’s life changed the day he saw The Beatles make their storied debut on the Ed Sullivan Show. From there, he was shaped by a range of artists like the Doors, The Who, Jethro Tull, Carole King, CSNY, and James Taylor. His life changed again when he walked into a 1973 Grateful Dead concert, and he has been a “Deadhead” ever since.
A late bloomer as a musician, Seth bought his first guitar as a junior in college. It was several more years before he wrote his first song during final semester as an MBA student at the Wharton School. The very next song he wrote received airplay on WAAF-FM in the Boston area and prompted The Beat Magazine to write, “Be on the Seth Hilary alert.” After 5 years as a trapezoid peg in a corporate sea of round holes, Seth packed up and moved to California to study songwriting at the Grove School of Music.
Today, Seth continues to write, record, and perform with the same mix of curiosity, humor, and heart that has guided him from the start, proof that it is never too late to chase your muse.
