Unplugged Wednesdays: Dillion James

STRIPPED-BACK MID-WEEK VIBES
LIVE & FREE IN THE HOEY’S BEER GARDEN:

Dillion James specialises in starting the party with his New Orleans piano grooves, funky Hammond Organ, and raw, honest vocals. Influenced heavily by the pioneers of blues piano & Hammond organ, Dillion’s powerful stage presence makes an instant impact.

Dillion released his full-length album ‘HEAVY KEYS’ in 2024. It reached #1 on the Australian Blues and Roots Airplay Charts. In January 2025, the album was still in the top 20, 12 months after its release. Heavy Keys was co-produced with his string-shredding older brother, 8 Ball Aitken, who also co-wrote four of the new songs.

‘HEAVY KEYS’ features Melbourne drumming legend John Watson behind the kit and Mississippi-based saxophone legend ‘Buddy Leach’ (long-time member of George Thorogood & The Destroyers), who played most of the sax on the recording. A hand-picked cast of Brisbane’s finest blues musicians also played on the album.

Over the last twenty years of gigging on the festival and blues circuit, Dillion has re-birthed an energetic sound that encapsulates the tone of an earlier era.

His self-taught keyboard technique binds melody and rhythm together, and like a real bluesman, has paid his dues performing and perfecting his craft on the road and at the late-night gigs.

Dillion James won the 2010 BASEQ blues performer of the year award. Either with his own band or as a session musician, Dillion has tickled the ivories on many of the biggest stages in Australian blues music. He has played at Byron Bluesfest, Blues on Broadbeach, Woodford Festival, Mitchell Creek Rock & Blues Festival and many more.