Billy Hinton

Soul singer/songwriter and label operator from Chicago.

Born: January 28th, 1950 in Chicago, Illinois
Died: April 20th, 2009 in Decatur, Georgia

He served in the Vietnam War in 1968 and was honorably discharged in 1971.

After graduating from college Hinton worked odd trade jobs such as a certified journeyman plumber, carpenter, and a mechanic

He also developed an interest in martial artist and trained while still in the army

He competed regionally and nationally for 9 years and reached the level of Shichidan or certified seventh degree black belt

In the mid - 1970s, Hinton created the small indie soul label, Loretta Records (2) which released recordings from Cold T, [a1515911], and Hinton himself.

During the 1980's and 90s, Hinton would stop recording music for a while and become a referee and teacher/coach for martial arts classes at the University of Chicago and Stanford University.

He also authored several martial arts books throughout that period as well including A Dragon's Heart and The Universal Mind.

Hinton returned to the recording booth in the 2000s and released the album, [r27121440] in 2003 showcasing a more mature voice and tone but still high and lovely.

Hinton would pass away in his home after a long battle with cancer