12 June 2, 2012 - ObserverXtra

THE OBSERVER | SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 2012
THE ARTS
ON STAGE / OL’ TIME HONKY-TONK
THE ARTS | 19
The man who set the stage for musical icons to come
Hank Williams’ legendary life gets a sympathetic telling in Joe Matheson’s show
STEVE KANNON
Dead for almost 60
years, Hank Williams is
still synonymous with
country music. The
legacy he created before
passing at the age of 29
remains compelling today.
Hank – like many artists
who came after, one
name is enough for people
to know who you’re
talking about – changed
the face of country music,
putting it on the
map, says performer Joe
Matheson, who’s Hank
Williams Live – 1952
comes to the Commercial
Tavern June 10.
“Hank was a real
character. He was Elvis
and Michael Jackson
wrapped up in one,” he
said.
Matheson first became
intrigued by Williams’
story in 2000 when he
was called in as a lastminute
replacement in a
production of The Show
He Never Gave, performing
as the legendary
singer-songwriter. Cramming
for a few days to
get ready for the part,
he was surprised by just
how many of the songs
he already knew, perhaps
something he picked up
as a kid growing up in
Saskatchewan.
That role piqued his
interest and he began
looking into Williams’
life, which was often portrayed
in a negative light
– “they seem to paint him
SUNDAY NIGHT
CONCERT SERIES
2012
Joe Matheson is the titular legendary performer in Hank Williams Live - 1952, the self-penned show he brings to Maryhill’s
Commercial Tavern June 10. [SUBMITTED]
as the devil.”
Finding few sympathetic
portrayals, he
wrote a show of his own,
which he first staged in
2006, seeing it evolve
CD RELEASE PARTY
LYNN RUSSWURM
SUNDAY, JUNE 3RD
PRESENTED BY THE
GORE PARK, ELMIRA 7PM - 9PM
FREE MUSIC IN THE PARK
BRING YOUR LAWNCHAIR
into the much-lauded
production that will appear
next weekend on
stage in Maryhill.
Happenstance brought
him to Hank Williams,
but he’s since grown attached
to the character.
“I have a huge affection
for this guy, and a lot of
compassion.”
Born in 1923 in rural
Alabama, Williams
had a rough life, which
contributed to his welldocumented
issues with
alcohol, drugs and failed
marriages. Behind all the
troubles and moodiness
– he was a lonely man
because nobody seemed
able to understand him –
there’s an interesting and
complex character to be
discovered, said Matheson,
insisting there’s
more to Williams than
his live-fast, die young
reputation.
“He’s kinda the poster
boy for that,” he admitted.
While recording a CD
of Hank Williams tunes
– Long Gone Lonesome –
in 2006 in Nashville, he
met with Don Helms, the
steel guitar player in Williams’
band, the Drifting
Cowboys. From Helms,
the last surviving member
of that lineup, Matheson
got some firsthand
accounts of Williams,
stories that formed the
basis of Hank Williams
Live – 1952.
“A lot of shows have
everybody talking about
Hank. With my show,
it’s Hank talking about
everybody else,” he
laughed.
Matheson knew he was
on to something when
even hardcore Hank Williams’
fans approached
him after his shows to tell
him they’d learned something
new about the man.
The production is not
a tribute show, but rather
his own take on Hank’s
life.
“It’s like you’ve gone to
the bar and it just so happens
Hank Williams is
playing tonight.”
While the 1952 performance
he recreates never
happened, events unfold
as they might have in
that fateful time leading
up to Williams’ Jan. 1,
1953 death.
“It’s not a true story,
but all of the stories in it
are true,” he explained.
There are stories told
from the stage, but the
real attraction is the authentic
treatment of Williams’
songs.
“This is old-time Hank
Williams’ honky-tonk – a
honky-tonk couple of
hours,” said Matheson
of the music that helped
make the legend.
Today, that legend lives
on, which is why he sees
people of all ages at his
shows – they all know
who Hank is.
“It’s quite a phenomenal
thing.”
Joe Matheson’s Hank
Williams Live – 1952 is
set for June 10 at 3 p.m.
Tickets are $20, available
at the Commercial Tavern,
1303 Maryhill Rd., or
by calling 519-648-3644.