Reverend Horton Heat and Unknown Hinson made an appearance in February at Nashville’s Cannery Ballroom, and both acts will be back in the mid-state for May’s Nashville Boogie Weekender.
The long-running leaders of psychobilly—a revved-up revision of classic American rockabilly music—Reverend Horton Heat took the stage on Friday, Feb. 5, as loyal, enthusiastic fans crowded towards the front of the venue. Jim Heath wielded his signature red Gretsch, while bassist Jimbo Wallace slapped around the upright as usual.
After a few numbers, Heath said it was time to introduce a special guest, and out comes the King of Country-Western Troubadours himself, Unknown Hinson.
Heath said that the first time he saw Mr. Hinson in concert he was scared to death—and not because Hinson claims to be a vampire, but because of the man’s mad guitar-picking skills. The two traded off guitar solos for the next portion of the show, as Hinson remained onstage with the band for the rest of the evening.
As outlandish as are Hinson’s persona and songs, his fans and followers know him as an incredibly skilled rock musician, a student of the classic country style, but an innovative instrumentalist in his own right.
The spirit of comedy and entertainment is certainly present too—Hinson, who also voices Early Cuyler in the cartoon series Squidbillies, belted out tunes including “Your Man is Gay” and “I Ain’t Afraid of Your Husband” as the crowd sang and laughed along.
Hinson declared that, at one time, hearing crowds singing along to his tunes to the point where he couldn’t even hear his own voice really pissed him off, but he then gave the audience his full blessing to sing along with him, because he has since been through anger management courses.
Reverend Horton Heat and Unknown will both be back to Tennessee for a Muddy Roots event, the Nashville Boogie Vintage Weekender and Car Show, to be held in the Opryland Hotel May 12–15. This happening will also include performances by Chris Isaak, Wanda Jackson, Pokey LaFarge, Hillbilly Casino and many others.
For more information on this event, visit nashvilleboogie.com; for more on the bands, visit unknownhinson.com or reverendhortonheat.com.
