Wayne Hancock

The undisputed king of Juke Joint Swing--that alchemist's dream of honky-tonk, western swing, blues, Texas rockabilly and big band--Wayne "The Train" Hancock has been, in his own words, "the stab wound in the fabric of country music" since his stunning debut, Thunderstorms and Neon Signs in 1995. Always an anomaly among his country music peers, Wayne's uncompromising interpretation of the music he loves is in fact what defines him: steeped in traditional but never "retro;" bare bones but bone shaking; hardcore but with a swing. Like the comfortable crackle of a Wurlitzer 45 jukebox, Wayne is the embodiment of genuine, house rocking, hillbilly boogie.

Wayne's latest effort, Tulsa--his third for Bloodshot Records and first studio record since 2001--is a testament to the version of America he loves; one decorated with lonesome desert highways, cheap hotels, dancehalls, and lost loves along the way. Wayne Hancock personifies the two great American inventions of jazz and country and creates his own style of uncompromising western swing; as much Gershwin as Hank; equal parts Art Blakley and Bob Wills.

In typical Wayne fashion, Tulsa was put to tape in 2 days, capturing the band at their livest and loosest. Recorded by longtime producer and ally, Lloyd Maines (Wilco, Joe Ely, Richard Buckner, Uncle Tupelo), Tulsa is spurred on Wayne's signature "call-outs" to his stellar cast- Eddie Biebel, Dave Biller, Paul Skelton (lead guitar), Chris Darrell (doghouse bass), Eddie Rivers (steel guitar), Bob Stafford (trombone), and John Doyle (clarinet).

Tulsa is another addition to Wayne's stellar canon of musical documentation of an America, not spliced into red and blue states, but one where in any town, on any given night, with the right soundtrack, you can still take a real top shelf girl out for a spin and knock back a couple of cold ones.