Local musician gearing up for Folsom performance

A local musician who recently released a new album is gearing up for a performance at a popular Folsom night spot. It's the latest stop in his lifelong journey in the world of music and performance. Orangevale resident Hence Phillips will appear at the Gaslight Co. at 718 Sutter Street on Friday, April 17, along with his duo partner Steven Gregory. Phillips describes his music style as "Americana, alt-Country." Philips recently released "Heaven or Nashville" on streaming platforms last month. The album was produced by Grand Ole Opry music director Kerry Marx and recorded at the Parlor Studio on Music Row. Hence said his passion for the music industry began at the age of 13, when his older brother and sister took him to see a show featuring Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt and the Eagles. It was then he was hooked for good. "I saw how much fun those guys were having on stage and knew that was what I wanted to do," said Phillips. After that epiphany, Phillips spent years working on his craft, from songwriting and honing his performance chops in a variety of venues, from bars, churches and festivals to concert halls. Phillips also gained experience being a member of various music groups and bands over the years when he lived in Santa Barbara County. An important turning point came after Phillips moved to the Sacramento area and was asked to join the Jackie Greene Band. Greene is a well-known singer/songwriter who was a member of The Black Crowes for a period of time and is known for his style in Americana and blues music. Phillips had several important collaborative experiences with Greene, including playing electric guitar, dobro, bass and providing background vocals for Greene's album "Gone Wanderin'," which was released in November 2002. Hence also played bass on Greene's DVD "Broken Hearts, Dusty Roads" and performed on a Bob Dylan tribute record with Greene and Sal Valentino, which was recorded live at Marilyn's in Sacramento. Most recently, in November 2025, Hence traveled to Nashville to record 10 of his songs with Marx producing. "Heaven or Nashville" was recorded with some of the top session players in Music City and was released to streaming platforms on March 5. Now, Hence is taking the show on the road, playing venues in Northern California along with Gregory, who is a member of their group West Coast Turnaround. Phillips is excited about the show at Folsom's Gaslight Co. but said it's far from the last stop in his musical journey. "I am very much looking forward to returning to the Gaslight, as it has a great atmosphere and the staff are excellent," Phillips told The Folsom Telegraph. "I intend to continue to write, perform and record to the best of my ability. I am hoping to reach as wide an audience as possible with 'Heaven or Nashville,' as I believe it is an uplifting album for troubled times." To learn more about Phillips' group West Coast Turnaround, visit https://www.wctband.com/. To learn more about the Folsom venue, visit https://www.gaslightcofolsom.com/