Hank-o-Rama takes place at Hill Country BBQ in New York, New Year’s Day.
Country music icon Hank Williams died on New Year’s Day, 1953, at the age of 29. And for the last 16 years, the Montclair-based band Lonesome Prairie Dogs has been presenting a Williams tribute show in New York on that day (except for one year when it was at Joe’s Pub and it had to be on Jan. 2, since the club wasn’t opening on New Year’s Day).
This year’s “Hank-o-Rama” takes place Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Hill Country BBQ, at 30 W. 26th St. For information, visit the show’s Facebook page.
Guests will include Patti Smith’s longtime guitarist Lenny Kaye (making a rare appearance on pedal steel guitar), Tammy Faye Starlite, Sean Kershaw, Cliff Westfall, Greg Hold, Jordan McLean, The Lonesome Horns, Monica Passin (from Li’l Mo & The Monicats), John S. Hall, Binky Griptite, Shannon Brown (of Trailer Radio), Travis Whitelaw, Monica Falcone (Lonesome Prairie Dog member Heidi Lieb’s former bandmate in Sit n’ Spin), Lindy Loo and Jack Grace.
“The Hank-O’s been around so unbelievably long because it’s such a great vibe for everybody involved, including the regulars who’ve been coming for years, some from down south,” said Lonesome Prairie Dogs member Steve Strunsky.
Here is a clip of the Lonesome Prairie Dogs performing Williams’ “Mind Your Own Business” at the 2015 Hank-o-Rama:
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