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Hank festival moved to new date in June
Published Tuesday, February 17, 2009
It's not too early to mark your calendars, folks. The Hank Williams Sr. Festival, held in the county from which the country music legend hailed, is returning to the Hank Williams Park in downtown Georgiana in June.
There are some changes at this year's event, which is celebrating 30 years in south Butler County.
"Due to the Bama Jam also being scheduled the first weekend in June, when we have traditionally held the Hank festival, we are moving the festivities to June 12 and 13, with free karaoke on Thursday, along with our usual fan club activities," said Mary Wallace, president of the Hank Williams Sr. International Fan Club.
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"We hope to give a good turnout of not only out-of-town fans but also our own folks supporting the event as we celebrate our 30th anniversary this year."
Another change to this year's event: instead of a single headliner taking stage Saturday night, a "Honky Tonk Tailgate Party" is planned with a host of performers, many familiar to festival goers.
Scheduled to appear on Saturday night are Mark Wells, Jeff Bates and Trent Willmon, Jett Williams, Ronnie McDowell, Brad Magness and The Flying Buffaloes, David Church, Mary McDonald, Colin Leatherwood and Butler County's own, Starla Jones.
Former members of Hank's band, "The Drifting Cowboys," will also be on hand to meet fans and sign autographs.
Friday's lineup includes The Springs, Joe Wright Band, Colin Leatherwood, Mary McDonald, Brad Magness and his band and Ronnie McDowell.
Gates will open at 3 p.m. Friday and at 8 a.m. on Saturday.
Arts and crafts, festival foods, beverages and opportunities to visit sites, such as the Hank Williams Sr. Boyhood Home and Museum, the Hank Williams Fan Club House, and the Ga-Ana Theatre, where a young Hank performed with his band, are all part of the weekend.
Something that hasn't changed is the ticket prices. Advance weekend tickets are available through June 11 for $30. Friday tickets are $15 and Saturday tickets are $25 when purchased separately.
The Three Arts Club of Georgiana and Chapman will once again be selling ads in the official program to raise funds for student scholarships and charitable endeavors in the county.
For more information, or to order tickets, call 334-376-2396, fax 334-376-9850 or email to cityofgeorgiana@centurytel.net.
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Comments
Posted by BF2C1 (anonymous) on February 17, 2009 at 7:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Hopefully I will be at the Summer Concert from the Berlin Waldbuhne listening to the the sound of a full symphony orchestra-the Berliner Philharmoniker. Just cannot stand hillbilly music! But mind you, there are people out there that just lap up the twang of hillbilly. Blood pressure up? Go take a pill.
Posted by riverrin (anonymous) on February 17, 2009 at 9:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Come on BF2, Hank's in our heritage as well as the
Philharmonic , I thought you where against music? Everyone starts somewhere. My family enjoys an array of music, from philharmonic to hillbilly. Guess that's some of that good 'ol Butler co. education.
Posted by riverrin (anonymous) on February 17, 2009 at 9:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh Yeah, by the way the Hank Williams Festival brings in much revenue to our county, and guess what... it filters to our schools! Come on BF2 let's be friends. We really have the same interest at heart. And keeping on topic...it's great that they moved the festival...more money for ALL of us.
Posted by BF2C1 (anonymous) on February 17, 2009 at 11:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am well aware that I am Hank Country. But I do not go with the flow. Just cannot understand how people and sit and listen to the lyrics about 'breaking up', 'cheating on ones wife', 'drinking beer', and on and on and on. Do folks really like that kind of stuff? Well, I'll answer my own question, 'they love it' and apparently in real life they live out the lyrics. And my guess is that these same people find the television show 'Earl' to be very nearly like life at home. That is why I have to rely on the internet to find the music that appeals to me. I remember Hank when he lived on South Conecuh between the old amory and the Butler Co. Tractor Co. near the cotton gin. Before you time I guess. His life almost mirrows that of Janice Joplin of booze and dope. Hardy a person to idolize. Still folks like his music and cannot separate the man from his songs.
Posted by INI (Rob Mello) on February 18, 2009 at 12:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I like all music. The only country guy I dig is David Allen Coe (if you can believe it). But ye I've heard a few stories of Hank's drinking. funny stuff
Posted by Henry (anonymous) on February 18, 2009 at 9:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
As the gal who kissed the cow said, "Everybody to his own tastes." Or put another way, "Different strokes for different folks." Just one more thing that makes America great!
Good call on the part of the HWF planners.
Posted by BF2C1 (anonymous) on February 18, 2009 at 9:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sorry that I hurt everyone's feelings about the county music. By the way, county music used to be classified as hillbilly (what you hear on the FM stations today) and western. Gene Autrey, Roy Rogers, Sons of the Pioneers, and many others sang western. Western was more popular than the hillbilly sound. Things have changed and western is rarely heard.
Got to go now to listen to my collection of wax cylinders. Have a happy Hank Day!
Posted by BF2C1 (anonymous) on February 18, 2009 at 11:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I have finally been convinced to cancel my trip to England and Germany to attend the Hank Williams Festival. Now pick me out of the crowd! Just look for the guy that looks like George Straight.
Posted by eightbits (anonymous) on February 18, 2009 at 1:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Just wondering if the other scheduled event actually brought in people who other wise would not be in the area.
Butler county is not high on recommended travel destinations.
Posted by R_C (anonymous) on March 5, 2009 at 9:46 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm Happy to see that BF2 has decided to stay and enjoy the festivities, and also that the discussion about singer/songwriters bad habits was also nipped. I was going to suggest that most of the major composers of the great symphonies had a lot of bad habits (drug use etc.)
I Also wanted to ask, when was Bama Jam organized ? It seems to me that the Hank Festival was here first, almost makes me think that our neighboring city was trying to cash in on the hank crowd. And all that aside, it usually rains the first weekend in June, so let Bama Jam have that date, if they change the Bama Jam date to coincide with the New Hank festival date then we will know what's up. Here in the Garland and Georgiana area, We are a resilient bunch and have adapted to a lot of change since Hank was born.
Posted by Skysnene (anonymous) on April 6, 2009 at 10:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Well, I, for one, am glad it was changed because if I had to chose whether to go to Bama Jam or HWF I would have to chose Bama Jam because so many stars will be there. However, I love Jeff Bates and am planning on coming to the HWF since it's been changed. He was here in Opp this past week-end and gave a fantastic concert and rocked the place. We had people from Pennsylvania, Texas, Okalahoma and Washington come to the Rattlesnake Rodeo just to see Jeff Bates so he's a crowd pleaser for sure but when you go up against the likes of Alan Jackson, Brooks&Dunn, Kid Rock (who I care nothing about)Taylor Swift and others you probably would lose a lot of people so I think you made a wise decision for whatever my opinion is worth. I've been to the HWF for years now but this time would have to chose Bama Jam since Jeff was just in Opp this Saturday. Good decision!
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