James Hand (musician) explained

James Hand
Birth Date:7 July 1952
Birth Place:Waco, Texas, U.S.
Death Place:Waco, Texas, U.S.
Occupation:Singer, songwriter
Module2:
Embed:yes

James "Slim"[1] Hand (July 7, 1952 – June 8, 2020) was an American country music singer and songwriter.

Early life

James Edward Hand was born on July 7, 1952, in Waco, Texas.[2] [3] He was raised in the community of Tokio in McLennan County, Texas,[3] and took to guitar playing and singing when approximately twelve years old. He worked in various jobs, including horse training and driving a truck. About his work with animals, Hand said, “People act like it’s some big deal, like this whole horse whispering thing. But I’ll tell you something – you can whisper to ’em, you can get down on your knees and act like ’em, but the horse knows you ain't a horse."[4]

Career

As a teenager, Hand joined a small band and began performing in honky-tonks and roadhouses across Central Texas. At some point he started to write and perform his own songs.[5] After many years of live performances, he released his first album in 1997, when he was 45 years old.[6]

In 2014, Hand played a fictional version of himself in the independent film Thank You a Lot. The Austin Film Society's website noted that Hand and co-protagonist Blake DeLong, playing his son, had a chemistry that was "hilariously realistic".[7]

About the life he sings about, Hand once remarked: "I don't know if I've been more blessed or cursed. But I've been diversified."[8]

Critical appraisal

Reviewers have generally emphasized the "authenticity" of Hand's songs.[9] His music reportedly can match the "rigor" of historical performers of country music, "with the slightest touch of outlaw bluster," while his voice can be "uncertain in moments."[10] On the release of his first album, one reviewer wrote that Hand "sings the songs as if he has lived every minute of them,"[11] while The Washington Posts reviewer called him "the real deal,"[12] a view shared also by Willie Nelson.[13]

Death and legacy

On June 8, 2020, Hand died from complications of heart failure at the Providence Healthcare Center in Waco, Texas.[3] [14]

On February 26, 2021, Charley Crockett released a tribute album to Hand titled 10 For Slim: Charley Crockett Sings James Hand.[15] It was met with critical acclaim from Rolling Stone,[16] The Boot,[17] Austin American-Statesman,[18] Forbes,[19] Saving Country Music,[20] and American Songwriter[21] among others.

Discography

Notes and References

  1. News: Powers. Calvin . December 3, 2012. James Hand . Americana Music Show . September 10, 2018.
  2. News: Deming. Mark . 2018 . James Hand . AllMusic. September 10, 2018.
  3. News: Texas country great James Hand dies at 67. Austin 360. Blackstock. Peter. June 10, 2020. June 11, 2020.
  4. News: September 14, 2006. James Hand. The Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co. September 10, 2018.
  5. News: January 15, 2016. Country Legend James Hand is One of Texas's Best Kept Secrets. Texas Hill Country magazine. September 10, 2018.
  6. News: Thanki. Juli . September 8, 2009. Review of James Hand's Honky-Tonk Shadow on the Ground. The Washington Post. September 10, 2018.
  7. Web site: Cerda. Debbie. SXSW 2014: Connecting With Local and Indie Music Through Film. March 25, 2014. September 10, 2018 . Slackerwood. Austin Film Society.
  8. News: Blackstock. Peter . June 10, 2020. Texas country great James Hand dies at 67. . January 31, 2021.
  9. News: Bell. Ben . February 19, 2012. James Hand. Saving Country Music. September 10, 2018.
  10. News: Caramanica. Ron . October 15, 2009 . Honoring Inspirations From Life and Beyond It . The New York Times. September 10, 2018.
  11. News: Munro. Stuart . April 28, 2006. James Hand : The Truth Will Set You Free. Boston Globe. September 10, 2018.
  12. News: McClain. Buzz . March 19, 2006. The Truth Will Set You Free : Review. The Washington Post. September 10, 2018.
  13. News: Bell. Ben . March 19, 2006. James Hand. Houston Press. September 10, 2018.
  14. News: Central Texas musician James "Slim" Hand passes away Monday morning. KXXV. June 8, 2020. June 8, 2020.
  15. Web site: Reuter. Annie. Charley Crockett Is Releasing Music His Own Way In A Pandemic And It's Working. 2021-05-06. Forbes.com. en.
  16. Bernstein. Jonathan. 2021-03-24. Charley Crockett's Throwback Country Sound Isn't in Fashion. That's Fine With Him.. 2021-05-06. Rolling Stone. en-US.
  17. Web site: Angela Stefano. WATCH: Charley Crockett Drives All Night in 'Midnight Run' Video. 2021-06-11. The Boot. en.
  18. Web site: Blackstock. Peter. Austin360 On The Record: Blue Water Highway, David Ramirez, Charley Crockett. 2021-06-11. austin360. en-US.
  19. Web site: Reuter. Annie. Charley Crockett Is Releasing Music His Own Way In A Pandemic And It's Working. 2021-06-11. Forbes. en.
  20. Web site: Trigger. 2021-02-26. Album Review – Charley Crockett's "10 For Slim". 2021-06-11. Saving Country Music. en-US.
  21. Web site: 2021-03-03. Charley Crockett Honors James "Slim" Hand: "I Had No Choice But To Record His Music". 2021-06-11. American Songwriter. en-US.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "James Hand (musician)".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.