Gregory Porter: Why singer wears hat and rarely takes it off | Express.co.uk

The 50-year-old talent, who has twice won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album, will appear tonight, December 31, on Jools’ Annual Hootennay. Fans of the show will notice one particular thing about Gregory’s clothing: his black flat cap.

“People recognise me by it now.

“It is what it is.”

The hat, which has a modified strap, is officially part of Gregory’s look.

In a 2020 interview with Metro’s Sixty Seconds, the musician explained: “It started off covering some scars from surgery but it’s become my style.

Gregory added that when he doesn’t wear the hat in public, he doesn’t get recognised by people in the street.

He said: “The only time I didn’t get recognised I took off my hat to swim in the ocean in Ibiza and no one recognised me.

“I went back to my hotel and put my hat on, and there was Gregory Porter.

“But it’s okay because people are trying to connect and take a picture and say thank you for some joy they had.

“I’m really okay with it and I always honour people and they honour me by coming to my concerts. I’m thankful.”

The 50-year-old has just released his latest album, Still Rising, which features give new tracks, two new arrangements, and nine of Gregory’s most popular songs, covers, and duets.