I live in a region where more of my friends than not grew up in homes where classic country music of the 50s and 60s playing on the radio was commonplace. This has contributed to the trend of so many of the bands I know who played punk and other loud styles in their teenage and early adult lives evolving into bluegrass, folk, and old country music today. Hank Hall, who comes to us from Valdosta, Georgia, is no exception.
Jeremy Cowgill met Hank Hall at a concert Hank played with Gallows Bound in West Virginia earlier this year, and he passed along info about Aux Send as they chatted. Hank got in touch, and after hearing his wonderful take on country music we set a date to do an episode. Hank, and his drummer, Matty the Kid, spent a morning recording a set of incredible songs of love and heartbreak told through the lens of classic songwriters like Merle Haggard, Wayland Jennings, Hank Williams Jr, and many others. Whether you are already a fan of this style of music or not, Hank’s charm and the duo’s sheer talent are sure to keep you engaged.
What I love about Hank’s use of old country music as a medium for expression is his use of powerful, yet wonderfully simple lyrics, like in NYC, where he finds the solution to his heartache by rearranging US geography to swap Atlanta for New York City. In Hank’s deep and clear voice, it rings true. It was a great session, and having a chance to talk to Hank and Matty was a fun, memorable experience I won’t forget. Matty was kind enough to share some fantastic, craft-brewed root beer while we talked. Hank and Matty tour extensively, and I can’t recommend enough getting out to catch them live. Keep up with Hank Hall on his facebook page and find his recordings at his bandcamp page.
