Western Wednesday #68: The Haywoods & Hank & Ella with The Fine Country Band

Western Wednesday #68 is a special double bill with The Haywoods celebrating their record release and Hank & Ella with The Fine Country Band! Wednesday, July 24thDoors: 7pm / Two-Step Lesson: 7:30pm / Show: 8pm$15 in advance / $20 day of the show21+THE HAYWOODSThe Haywoods, are a Sun Records influenced band from Santa Cruz which originally formed in the 1990s. The Haywoods write and perform original songs while giving a nod to the original artists from that Famous Studio in Memphis. The Haywoods have multiple recording credits including their own albums, Sun Studios Tribute and Film soundtrack credits. The Haywoods have shared the stage with : Big Sandy and the Fly Rite Boys ; Kim Lenz ; The Paladins ; Wayne Hancock ; Deke Dickerson to name a few. HANK & ELLA WITH THE FINE COUNTRY BANDA husband and wife duo who are well versed in vintage country, traditional Americana and all sorts of variations of roots music, Hank and Ella bring The Fine Country Band along with them for a retro and modern effort of 13 originals on this exceptional album.Down By The Waterline starts the listen with Hanks cautious acoustic guitar and rugged vocals that complement Ellas pretty pipes as Uncle Dave Magrams glowing pedal steel adds much to the California country sounds, and Lucky When It Rains follows with Ellas fiddle acrobatics making an impression as fluid, melodic country rock unfolds.Elsewhere, The Good Old Days Are Now injects some honky tonk fun into the playful setting, while Riding On Easy benefits from Marty Carpenters deft drumming in the lush duet. Good At Being Lonely, one of the albums best, then displays much beauty amid a gentle, reflective climate that tips its hat to classic country sensibilities that we could never tire of.Near the end, Double Vision will get headed to the dance floor with its sing-along quality and barnyard flavor, and Its Only Money exits the listen frisky, highly memorable and includes some bluegrass nods in their irresistible formula.An excellent outing in the area of rural anthems and timeless country dynamics, Hank & Ella and company remind us that Bakersfield was just as important as Nashville in paving the way for countless bands and records, past and present, and few are interpreting that sound as well as these artists.