Pittsburgh Shriners & Band Together PGH present Bill Toms & Hard Rain w/ the Soulville Horns & guest Aris Paul Band

While it’s hard to put a finger on any one sound that defines “American music,” the compositions of Bill Toms are as close a template as any. The Pittsburgh native, along with his band Hard Rain, delivers a sound that takes the greatest of America’s most beloved genres and melds them into a poetic representation of the best the country has to offer.

With his ninth full-length studio release, Good For My Soul, and his 2019 Live! CD, Toms channels a foot-stomping, wall-shaking blend of soul, blues, gospel, and rock vibes, all brought together with his lyrical specialty -- stories of everyday men and women doing their best to stay ahead while still managing to keep a dream or two in their heads.

Soaring horns, gritty licks, toe-tapping rhythms, and Toms’ own rough-hewn vocals will draw listeners in, as well as well-deserved comparisons to the greats such as Dr. John, Little Feat, Springsteen, Joe Tex, The Blasters, Otis Redding, and Rufus Thomas.

Toms launched his musical career in 1987 as lead guitarist of Pittsburgh’s legendary band Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers, During that period, he opened for and played with such legendary names as The Band, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Little Feat, and Stevie Ray Vaughn. While playing guitar, co-writing, and adding backup vocals for the Houserockers, Toms and the band recorded six studio albums and one live concert album. In 1995, The Houserockers released American Babylon, which was recorded and produced by Springsteen himself.

As a solo artist, Toms has opened for the likes of Buddy Guy, Levon Helm, Marshall Crenshaw, The Kennedys, Steve Forbert, and Ellis Paul. 

Influenced by blues, funk, soul, folk, alt. country, country-rock, and southern rock, Aris Paul's music is somewhat hard to pin down. It’s a unique blend that Aris is quite proud of. Music is a textural quality to him. And it makes sense as to why - in contemporary music, we all listen to the same chord progressions and hear the same song a thousand, god-damn times. But then a version comes along that makes it all seem new again. That’s what drives Aris: the sound. His music echoes his surroundings and serves as a reminder of everything he’s seen and internalized along the way. He looks forward but is remarkably mindful of where he comes from and who has come before him.

Until the age of 15, Aris focused most of his efforts on creating and arranging original, instrumental compositions. By 16, he started adding lyrics to his music. Working with legendary Pittsburgh rocker, Norman Nardini, Aris recalls the invaluable advice he was given; “Find out what you want to say and say it as best you can.” With sharper, focused songs, it wasn’t long before people outside of Pittsburgh began to take notice. At 18, Aris landed a contract with Plateau Records in Nashville, Tennessee. From 2009 through 2011, Aris Paul recorded at several studios around Nashville including the world-renowned Hilltop Studio.​After graduating from Allegheny College in 2013, Aris returned to Pittsburgh and joined a local, country-rock band out of Beaver County, "Ben Benson & the BPs." Touring across the tri-state region, Aris honed his craft as a lead guitarist. Driven to always be cleaner, faster, and...louder, Aris considers his playing to be his greatest asset. His personal guitar hero, Warren “Kingfish” King was a Pittsburgh legend in his time and is still regarded by both Aris and his father, Paul as one of Pittsburgh’s best.