Hector to play tonight at park

In what has become a longstanding tradition, Billy Hector and his band are returning to the Sparta Summer Concert Series on Friday, July 19.

The free concert starts at 7 p.m. at Dykstra Park, 22 Woodport Road. Bring lawn chairs and a picnic.

If it rains, the show will move to the auditorium at Mohawk Avenue School, 18 Mohawk Ave.

Whether Hector is teasing with his sultry slidework, picking through delta blues, or crunching out electric blues/rock on his beloved vintage Fender Stratocaster, his music reflects the soul and origins of the blues.

Having honed his chops and style through three decades of performances, he is critically recognized as one of the hottest and most interesting guitarist/songwriters on the original circuit.

He has been called “a New Jersey state treasure” by music writers.

Early in his career, Hector identified himself as a deeply grounded and versatile player drawing his influences from predecessors including T-Bone Walker, Freddie King, Jimi Hendrix and Roy Buchanan.

In the late 1970s, Hector was as the guitarist for the Shots, a horn-driven R&B group that took over the house band role from Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes at the renowned Stone Pony.

He moved on to lead guitarist for Hot Romance, a band based at the infamous Mrs. Jay’s biker bar in Asbury Park that began receiving New York City radio airplay for its original songs.

In the mid-’80s, Hector formed the five-piece blues/rock band the Fairlanes and co-wrote and released three independent albums on the Blue Jersey label.

By early 1993, he led a power trio renamed the Billy Hector Band. The band’s current lineup includes drummer Sim Cain and bassist Tim Tindall.

The Billy Hector Band also performs acoustic blues in multiple personnel configurations.

A prolific songwriter/composer, Hector has 14 albums to his credit, most on the independent Ghetto Surf label.

The concert Friday night will begin with another Jersey guitar great and W.C. Handy/Blues Foundation Award winner Johnny Charles.

He has taken his blues guitar on the road and has shared a bill with B.B. King, Roy Buchanan, Jimmy Vaughan, John Mayall and Dr. John.