Jordan Hill (singer) life and biography

Jordan Hill is an American singer/songwriter. A native of Knoxville, Tennessee, Jordan has spent years performing with pianists and accompanying bands at intimate venues throughout the Los Angeles area. It was in 1994, following one of her weekly performances at Le Mondrian Hotel in Hollywood, that she was invited to sing at a special party at the California home of 12-time Grammy winner David Foster. “I was shocked,” says Jordan, . “I knew who David Foster was because I’d fallen in love with The Bodyguard soundtrack. So I immediately said, ‘Of course, I’d love to.’”

“I can’t remember a day when I wasn’t singing for people,” she says. From her earliest work in community musicals to her Los Angeles shows, Jordan has always poured all of her energy into reaching audiences. “I’ve always been a performer, ever since I was tiny,” says Hill. “I never had to learn that. Somehow it’s part of me. I guess I’m just a big ham.”

Jordan’s all-encompassing love of music was always complemented by a discerning ear for great singers — in particular Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, and Whitney Houston. (She still remembers the time when – at six-years-old – she first heard Whitney on the radio.) From those influential roots, Jordan’s pursuit of music gained momentum. By the time she was preparing to enter high school, she was eager to go that much further to pursue what, around the Hill house, was simply termed “Jordan’s dream.” So she made up her mind to pack up and move to Los Angeles.

“I talked to my folks at dinner one night, just before I was supposed to start high school,” recalls Jordan. “I said, ‘Mom and Dad, I think this would be a really good thing for me to do. I want you to come with me. If not, the day I graduate from high school, I’ll have to go without you.’ That’s when they realized what a serious young person I was,” she adds laughing. Jordan’s parents agreed to the West Coast move on a one-year trial basis. Dad stayed behind to hold down the fort in Knoxville while Jordan and her mother faced up to the challenge of L.A.

Once settled, Jordan continued her high school studies at L.A.’s Hamilton Academy of Music, while singing in the school choir, a local gospel choir, and maintaining her club gig schedule. It was at the beginning of her second year in California that Jordan met David Foster.

“If I’ve learned anything since I first came to California, it’s that there’s no secret formula between you and your dreams,” says Jordan. “Sure there’s fate, but at the heart of the matter it’s all about being determined, working hard, and – most of all – loving what you do. That’s all gone into this album, which is why it means so much to me. I hope people can hear that.”

Hill was originally signed by producer David Foster to his own label 143 Records, a division of Warner Music Group. Her first song, "Remember Me This Way", which was produced by Foster, became the film Casper's theme song and released as single.

Jordan Hill's self-titled debut album was produced by David Foster, Greg Charley, Rhett Lawrence, Jeff Pescetto, SoulShock & Karlin and Mario Winans. Jordan covered many songs, such as Cheryl Lynn's "Got to Be Real", Oleta Adams' "I Just Had to Hear Your Voice", and Lisa Stansfield's "Make It Right." "For The Love Of You", produced by Foster and Winans, was released as the first single; it became a hit both in Billboard Hot 100 and R&B/Hip charts. However, the remix version by Tony Moran became her biggest hit, going Top 10 on Hot Dance Music/Club Play charts.

The second single, released only in Europe, was "How Many Times" (which was later covered by Aretha Franklin) and the third single, also a Europe exclusive, was "Too Much Heaven", a cover of a Bee Gees song and featured Barry Gibb singing backup. Due to a lack of support and promotion, she left the label.

She worked with some notable artists, such as the Bee Gees and Jim Brickman, on whose 1999 Top 10 Adult Contemporary hit "Destiny" she was a featured vocalist, along with Billy Porter.

Jordan is currently writing and recording a follow up album which is due to be released in early 2012.

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