Are you aware that you may be the victim of abuse? Hopefully, you’re sitting down. This is a delicate issue.
Sociologists believe that up to 40% of music fans in NYC have been forced to listen to irritating covers of Hank Williams and Johnny Cash against their will. Unsuspecting targets are frequently lured to dark, sparsely-populated locations, only to find themselves trapped in a nightmare where thrift store urban cowboys force themselves upon them, usually in the key of G. Victims are inevitably ashamed – not only for having paid nearly $6 for a can of PBR – but often for having taken Brooklyn Vegan at its word. What was billed as a “Toe-tappin’, yee-haw, chicken-fried good time” was, in reality, a crime.
DID YOU KNOW?
• You may have been abused by someone you know and/or have been dating?
• Victims may feel they “deserved it” for wearing a western shirt with pearl snaps?
• That Johnny Cash partially plagiarized “Folsom Prison Blues”?
• That subjecting people to sing alongs of “I Saw the Light” is illegal?
Fortunately, there is a songwriter night entitled “No Hank, No Cash, No Merle”, where healing can take place and PBR is a mere $3. This month’s installment features three dedicated pickers with a unique perspective on where country music should be going.
Hilary Hawke
What a difference a banjo makes. Troubadours are so commonly associated with the guitar that the mere sight of a songwriter plucking five strings is enough to raise eyebrows. Rest assured that Hilary Hawke's instrument of choice has nothing to do with novelty. A native of upstate New York, she's equally adept at driving her compositions with rollicking Earl Scruggs picking, tasteful Appalachian frailing, or a Pete Seeger-style strum. Instead of indulging in needlessly flashy displays of virtuosity, Hawke leads with her voice, allowing the high quality of her songwriting to shine through.
None of this is news to anyone who has listened to her latest release, "Goodwill". Lovers of Gillian Welch, The Be Good Tanyas, or Lucinda Williams would do well to give the CD a spin from beginning to end, the way music fans savored albums in the Good Ol' Days before mp3's. Those expecting bluegrass themes will instead find more progressive material infused with lush harmonies, crisp arrangements, and sharp lyrics that invite repeated listens.
For tour dates and info visit: www.sonicbids.com/hilaryhawkeband
"Going By Highways"
