Limelight Spotlight: Hal Linton

October 6, 2009 by TJ
Filed under Limelight Spotlight

Hal Linton

If the sunny island of Barbados can churn out kick-ass female talents like Livvi Franc, Shontelle, and, of course, Rihanna, then it has to have some top notch testosterone carrying crooners just lurking around, waiting to break into the spotlight, right? Damn right. His name is Hal Linton.

Growing up with two passionate and classically trained musicians as parents helped Hal form his love of music early on. Unlike many homes in the West Indies where reggae is king, Linton was exposed to a bevy of genres from classical to opera and artists like Marvin Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, and Al Green.

It’s these soul influences he took to heart when he decided to bail on a full scholarship to attend film school and move to New York to focus his energies on a career in music. The self-taught pianist, guitarist and singer soon caught the attention of Sylvia Rhone, head of Universal Motown, thanks to a little help from Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers of SRP Records.

With his record deal set, Linton is putting the finishing touches on his debut album, while amazing every ear his music crosses paths with along the way. Songs like the infectious “Lock My Heart Down” and first single “She’s Dangerous (Bang Bang)” finds Linton brewing a potent mix of neo-soul, jazz, and pop, garnering him comparisons with troubadours like Maxwell and D’Angelo.

Hal Linton is more than a singer/songwriter for the moment; he’s a talent promised to leave an indelible mark on music who’s certain to lock our hearts down for years to come.