Since his dementia diagnosis, Greg Hill started improvising and publicly performing in a series of performances with his son, Joshua, a professional musician and award winning multimedia artist. In 2021, Joshua and Greg performed at REDCAT, a theater in the Walt Disney Hall Complex in - the show was sold out and they received a standing ovation.
Seeing firsthand the benefits of music for people with dementia, the mission of The Greg Hill Fund for Music in Dementia is to bring therapeutic music services to inndividuals with dementia and their families, and spread awareness of these benefits through media and art.
The Greg Hill Fund for Music in Dementia supports three projects: 1) Flagstaff community music-making for those with memory loss 2) Creating performances accessible to people with memory loss 3) Documentary/performance Tribute to Greg Hill
The fund is created in memory of Greg Hill, artist, storyteller, music lover, and a memorable character, who died on June 11th, 2024 after a long struggle with dementia. Greg loved his family, including his wife, Maureen “Mo” Russell, and sons, Jesse and Joshua Hill. He also loved his friends and community, and will always be remembered for his kindness, unique sense of humor, and openness to new experiences.
Greg loved music and even with dementia, had an amazing memory for lyrics. He made up clever and often corny jingles to help guide his sons and remind them of expectations- classics include “Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho” and “The Dog Roll is Coming it’s Coming.” Greg participated in drumming circles for many years, and Greg and Mo were proud members of the Flag Uke Jam, a community ukulele group, for many years. Although Greg’s last years with dementia were often frustrating for him, he found moments of joy in painting and making music with his family, friends, and Meghan Callaghan, his music therapist.
