Daniel Hutchens Honorary Shebang DeLang Jubilee & Magic Show (Redux)
Schedule
Thu Jun 20 2024 at 06:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Location
Live Wire Athens | Athens, GA
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Daniel Hutchens Honorary Shebang Delang
Jubilee & Magic Show (Redux)
June 20, 2024
6 to 11 PM
Live Wire - Athens, GA
BACKGROUND
On June 20, 2024, dozens of musicians will gather at LIVE WIRE ATHENS to pay tribute to the life and extensive catalog of songs written by Daniel Hutchens, long known as one of preeminent songwriters of not only Athens, GA, but of his entire generation. Hutchens, best known for his work in Bloodkin, a band he and childhood friend Eric Carter formed upon moving to Athens in 1986, spent his entire life dedicated to the craft of writing songs, a journey he began at the age of five, when his sisters gave him The Beatles SGT PEPPER’S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND album for Christmas. From that day forward, Hutchens dedicated his life to writing songs, with a dream of one day compiling everything he’d written into a single song book. The project consumed his life, and nearly every minute of his time, especially during the last few years before he passed away on May 9, 2021.
Hutchens and archivist Fred Adams spent thousands of hours during those last two years digging through bins of old cassette tapes and lyric notebooks, looking for any songs that may have been lost or forgotten along the way. Those efforts lead to the reclamation of over 100 old songs, many of which were performed live during Hutchens’ weekly SONG CYCLE stream, which he used as a means to continue performing live as the COVID-19 shut down live musical events across the globe. At the same time, Hutchens continued writing more new songs, many inspired by the pandemic, at a fast and furious pace, while also composing music to use on dozens of old lyrics that he’d never gotten around to finishing. During the time spent going through his archives, Hutchens often said “I’m not going to stop writing new songs, or finishing old ones…. How can my song book possibly be completed while I’m still alive?”
At the time of his passing, Hutchens had an extensive list of artists contacting him asking to co-write new songs, projects that, for the most part, will likely remain unfinished. There is, however, at least one new album, schedule for release on October 20, 2024 (which would have been Hutchens’ 60th birthday), featuring songs Hucthens had co-written with Bentley Rhodes, who traveled extensively as Bloodkin’s drummer for nearly a decade starting in the mid-90’s, continued writing with Hutchens even after departing the band. Rhodes has continued working on the project the past two years, putting the finishing touches on many of those songs for an album, tentatively titled “Bentley Rhodes’ Obscene Jubilee.”
Rhodes has also worked with Hutchens’ archivist to coordinate the second Daniel Hutchens Honorary Shebang Delang Jubilee & Magic Show (Redux), an event scheduled to take place on June 20 at Live Wire Athens. The intent of the Jubilee to help ensure full catalog of Hutchens’ songs, which he referred to as his “life’s work,” continue to be performed, not only to honor Hutchens’ wishes, but also as an annual tribute to a man who was not only a close friend and musical mentor, but also someone who looked upon Rhodes as his “little brother.”
Upon Hutchens' passing, his archivist visited Rhodes, as Hutchens instructed. The two swapped stories for days, including one about Hutchens' referring to Rhodes as his “little brother.” When first told how Hutchens felt, his archivist asked, “Did you ever tell that to Bentley?,” to which Hutchens replied, “No, I didn’t want Bentley to think I thought any lesser of him as a musician by referring to him as my ‘little brother.’”
Upon first hearing those words, Rhodes was both teary-eyed startled; he then proceeded to share stories from their time on the road together, when Hutchens would often say, “If I die first, I’m going to need your help one day,” which led Rhodes to ask, “How will I know?” Hutchens reply was simply, “I’ll send you a sign;” a sign that appeared when the archivist arrived in Rhodes hometown of Augusta a month after Hutchens passed. The more stories the two shared, the more clear it became what the requests Hutchens made of them had been. Since that day, the pair have worked together tirelessly ever since.
ABOUT THIS EVENT
During the tribute show, taking place June 20 at Live Wire - Athens, Rhodes has planned two sets, one featuring material from “Obscene Jubilee,” as well as a few of his favorite Bloodkin classics; the other will include a full performance of his favorite Bloodkin record, “Raving Beauties.” Rhodes will showcase different bands during each set, and says he is particularly excited about the players he’s arranged for his RAVING BEAUTIES set. That band will will feature Keith Jenkins (former lead guitarist and band leader for James Brown), Adam Grace (keyboardistm Truth & Salvage Co.), Brian Brittingham (drums), Joshua Lee Thomas, aka Twigg (guitar), and Grady Nichols (bass).
In addition to serving as an annual homage to Hutchens’ songwriting genius, this year’s Honorary Shebang Delang Jubilee & Magic Show (Redux) is also being performed in dedication to Bill “Gomer” Jordan, best known as Widespread Panic’s original soundman, a long time champion of all things Bloodkin, the man who provided financing the recording of the “Raving Beauties” record. Gomer was also the person who came up with the title for Bloodkin instrumental masterpiece titled “Mercy Train to Bogart,” the song heard as the final track on the band’s 1996 classic “Creeperweed” record. As Hutchens’ often recalled, “We were recording ‘Creeperweed’ at the old Panic office next to the Nowhere Bar, and our old friend Guido needed a ride back home to Bogart. Gomer laughed and said, "Who's going to give Guido the old Mercy Train back to Bogart?”
During 2023’s inaugural Jubilee, “Mercy Train to Bogart'' was regarded by those in attendance as one of the highlights of the event, featuring a three headed guitar attack of Dylan Adams, Joshua “Twigg” Thomas and Zion Stovall. This year, in what will be one of very few songs repeated at this year’s event, the same band that performed in 2023 will be joined by two additional guitarists, Jesse Bennett, an 18 year old blues prodigy from Monroe, GA, and multi-instrumentalist Adam Cain (drummer for Athens’ band, Monohystero, who will also be featured on bass during the evening’s two song encore). Adams’ says “This five headed guitar army will perform “Mercy Train,” dedicated directly to Gomer. When Danny and I would talk about his life’s work for hours every time we got together, he would often tell me how important it was to him for his songs to be performed ‘hundreds of years after I’m gone.’ Even though Danny can take no credit for any words used in this instrumental, not even the title, I promise everyone who attends the show, as well as those that listen after the fact, the Mercy Train Players’ performance of this song on June 20 will be filled with extra passion and fury that will ensure our old friends Danny and Gomer will indeed be very proud.”
Many other performers that either played or co-wrote with Hutchens, or long admired his ability at crafting lyrics that painted imagery of the stories being told in a way few others have ever imagined, will join Rhodes for this year’s Daniel Hutchens Honorary Shebang Delang Jubilee & Magic Show, a five hour event featuring dozens of songs from Hutchens’ catalog, some that have previously been performed just once, along with several of Hutchens’ most popular hits.. In addition to artists already named, other performers currently scheduled to join the Jubilee include Kris “Jelly” Gloer and members of his Last Waltz Ensemble, the Redstone Ramblers, Woody Garrison & the Galactic Cowboys, and Monohystero, along with multiple “all-star” lineups, and a few very special surprise guests.
Ticket go on sale Monday June 10 at 10 AM. General Admission tickets are $20 ($25 day of show); Reserved tables (4 person - $75); on sale at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/daniel-hutchens-honorary-shebang-delang-jubilee-magic-show-tickets-920965722267 .
Proceeds from this event will be donated to Nucci’s Space, an Athens-based non-profit 2016 whose mission is to prevent suicide with an emphasis on musicans mental health, that assisted with Hutchens’ medical bills following his first stroke in 2016.
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Where is it happening?
Live Wire Athens, 227 W Dougherty St, Athens, GA 30601-2614, United States,Athens, GeorgiaEvent Location & Nearby Stays: