Since our last newsletter back in August of last year, we've published a few things: A new "live in the studio" video, a new studio recording of a new tune, a remastered old Penny Hanna album, and a video showcasing one of the songs from that album.
"If I Believed" - A Humanist Love Ballad
New studio recording of a tune written by Slim and sung by Penny with alto sax, harmonica, and pedal steel features. Listen or download here:
"Shake On It!" - Captured Live (with looping) In Studio
This original harmonica instrumental first appeared on our "Procrastination" album. The video version was taped last October in our project studio. Watch on YouTube:
"Organic Software Vol. 2 - Cruel Lottery" - Penny's 1987 politically-themed pop album remastered
Penny's songs on this album were, with a couple of exceptions, political in nature. It was 1987, Reagan was in the White House and plenty of bad stuff was happening here in the USA. The lyrics riff on wide-ranging subjects including nuclear annihilation in "DEW Line" and "They Say, I Say", televangelist con men in "Oral Tradition" (fellow oldsters might remember Oral Roberts in the prayer tower), the never-ending racism towards African Americans in "Still Walkin'", the feminist lament "Girls Can Play", and Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative (aka Star Wars) in "Somewhere Up In Outer Space". Sadly, much of her biting commentary holds true to this day. Most of all, I hope that you'll agree that the craftsmanship in these songs, both lyrically and musically, is exceptional -- a thing of beauty. - Slim.
Listen or Download (no charge) here (this page also has links to this album on the major streaming services):
And for Black History Month: "Still Walkin'" - Video showcase (with lyrics) of Penny's song from the Cruel Lottery album
The year was 1987 and we were on the road doing a hotel gig in Hutchinson, Kansas. One night on the local news we caught a story about Martha Woodard Rawlins, a local African American civil rights leader who had recently organized Hutchinson's first MLK Day celebration. Rawlins had awakened to find racist graffiti spray painted all over the outside of her home. Penny was outraged and channeled her anger over this into a song which we recorded and subsequently performed during a return engagement in Hutchinson. The grainy footage incorporated in this video was taken by the news crew of Wichita TV station KWCH for their follow-up on this story.
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