Chris Hillman's a what......???!!

here in his own words is where CHRIS hILLMAN'S at spIritually

from the Triste website dated 2003

Triste: And if you don't mind me asking, you describe yourself as a pretty 'developed Christian', I think, in one interview once. I suppose these songs are meaningful to you on a personal level - something deeper than just on a secular level. Of course, many people sing gospel songs, but obviously they have another deeper spiritual level, don't they?

Chris Hillman: Well, yeah. I'm a member of the Greek Orthodox faith, having been an Evangelical Christian back in the 80's, and then I converted to the orthodox faith. Yeah, I'm very much devoted to that, but I don't get in people's face about it, or try and convert anybody! But it is my own personal belief with my family, and I sing in the orthodox choir every Sunday - sing tenor - which is really Byzantine. Part of the liturgy that they do every week, and so it's a completely different kind of music to what I do on stage, which is bluegrass. And even when we do gospel stuff, it's out of the old Baptist style, and Herb and I do old gospel songs in our show. It's really completely different. And then on Sundays when I'm in town, when I'm home, I sing these very old Byzantine hymns that you would hear in a monastery. But actually, both types of music embrace each other, if you follow me. I mean I get a lot out of the church singing as well as the other. And actually I get wonderful ideas from singing in a completely different style.

Triste: So at church then, you basically sing in the Eastern tradition, obviously. I presume the harmonies are different - different intervals or whatever?

Chris Hillman: Yeah it is different. It uses different musical scales. But it is the Eastern Orthodox Church. As you would expect with the Russian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox, and the Orthodox faith of course, coming out of Constantinople, Istanbul, it is very different you know. But that's a whole other discussion!

and this as well

Hillman actually has little time or patience for Christian conservative narrow-mindedness