Dec. 5, 2025

Hank Shreve interview

Hank Shreve interview

Hank Shreve joins me on episode 148. Hank started playing harmonica at age eight, and that has remained his true love despite learning various other instruments. He explains how his drumming background shapes the rhythmic feel of his harmonica playing, and how blues opened the door to everything from Latin influences to funk. Hank reflects on opening for Paul DeLay, working with Curtis Salgado, leading The Hank Shreve Band with his father Bill on bass, and broadening his musical output across...

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Season 1 Diatonic Harmonica Blues Harmonica Chromatic Blues Jazz Chromatic

Hank Shreve joins me on episode 148.

Hank started playing harmonica at age eight, and that has remained his true love despite learning various other instruments. He explains how his drumming background shapes the rhythmic feel of his harmonica playing, and how blues opened the door to everything from Latin influences to funk. Hank reflects on opening for Paul DeLay, working with Curtis Salgado, leading The Hank Shreve Band with his father Bill on bass, and broadening his musical output across albums like Loosen Up, Trouble, and That Way. He also discusses teaching at festivals, exploring jazz standards, winning several music awards, and the importance of always making the audience want to dance.

Links:

The Hank Shreve Band: https://www.hankshreveband.com/

Howard Levy’s Rhythms of The Breath tuition books: https://levyland.com/book-rhythms-of-the-breath

Zack Pomerleau playing rack harmonica with drums and guitar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke3XUN8agbA

Hank's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/hank.shreve

The Hank Shreve Band Band Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HankShreveBand/

Music Masters Teaching Studio: https://www.musicmastersstudio.com/teacher-roster/hank-shreve-guitar-and-drum-lessons-eugene/

Videos:

Hank’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/hankshreve

Mike Moothart: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls6ZxhIU_es&list=RDLs6ZxhIU_es


Podcast website:
https://www.harmonicahappyhour.com

Donations:
If you want to make a voluntary donation to help support the running costs of the podcast then please use this link (or visit the podcast website link above):
https://paypal.me/harmonicahappyhour?locale.x=en_GB

Spotify Playlist:
Also check out the Spotify Playlist, which contains most of the songs discussed in the podcast:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5QC6RF2VTfs4iPuasJBqwT?si=M-j3IkiISeefhR7ybm9qIQ

Podcast sponsors:
This podcast is sponsored by SEYDEL harmonicas - visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.seydel1847.com  or on Facebook or Instagram at SEYDEL HARMONICAS
--------------------------------
Blue Moon Harmonicas: https://bluemoonharmonicas.com

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01:32 - Hank is from Springfield, Oregon, where Matt Groening is from, which is why The Simpsons is set in Springfield

02:49 - Started playing harmonica age 8

02:56 - Both parents were musicians and a family friend brought some harmonicas to the house and Hank instantly knew he wanted to play the instrument

03:29 - Felt he could play the harmonica from the first time he picked one up

03:58 - Some of Hank’s harmonica heroes were William Clarke, Norton Buffalo, Paul DeLay and Little Walter

04:16 - Hank sort of stole a harmonica from the family friend and the same person gave Hank his first bona fide harmonica in the key of G#

05:09 - Although they didn’t play harmonica, his parents knew enough about harmonica to get him started

05:38 - Hank plays several instruments, including keyboards and lap steel guitar, but drums are his second instrument

06:55 - First public performance playing harmonica was at high school

07:22 - Drums and piano are the two most common instruments that harmonica players often mention as playing on the podcast

07:41 - How playing drums has informed Hank’s harmonica playing

08:53 - Plays drum rhythm patterns in his harmonica licks, part of which he picked up from listening to the rhymical playing of Norton Buffalo (and Sonny Terry)

10:15 - Howard Levy has released two tuition books on playing drums rhythms on harmonica, called Rhythms of Breathe

10:41 - Drum lessons where Hank’s first formal music lessons, as well as a few piano lessons

12:16 - Learnt a valuable lesson from his drum teacher to always make people dance, and that is something Hank strives for in all the music he plays

12:57 - Has attempted playing harmonica on a rack while playing drums, but it didn’t work out too well

13:54 - Zack Pomerleau combines playing drums and harmonica very well

14:35 - Plays slide guitar and sees it having a lot of similarities to harmonica

16:04 - Blues music is what got Hank started and opened the door to other genres

18:04 - Opened for Paul DeLay on five occasions and Hank’s Paul DeLay story about the harmonica being ‘a waste’

20:11 - Also saw Curtis Salgado perform several times and they became friends and worked together

21:14 - Is the band leader in The Hank Shreve band and the journey to form that

22:57 - Hank’s father, Bill, plays bass in the band, and they also do some duo gigs together

23:47 - There is also a big band version of The Hank Shreve band

23:56 - 2015 Loosen Up album from The Hank Shreve band is more straight ahead blues

25:22 - Picked up the chromatic from around age eleven, listening to Norton Buffalo and Paul DeLay for inspiration

26:27 - Received first chromatic (ten hole) from parent’s drummer, who taught Hank a lot about music

27:22 - 2018 album: Trouble, has a wider set of genres, including some funk

29:00 - That Way is most recent album from 2023

29:03 - The Thing is the only song Hank has recorded an overblow on (5 blow)

29:36 - Probably doesn’t play overblows because plays chromatic harmonica

30:10 - Sometimes uses alternate tunings, including Paddy Richter on The Thing

30:53 - Includes two jazz songs on the That Way album, and is delving into full-on jazz on the chromatic

31:37 - Started learning drums because didn’t want to have to learn to read music, but has slowly read more and more music

32:16 - Has been working on jazz standards, with Satin Doll and Fly Me To The Moon both good ones to start with

33:08 - Uses the piano to help with the chord structures of jazz songs

34:21 - Won the 2021 Rooster Blues Award for Best Male Vocalist although wasn’t a confident singer until more recently

36:37 - Has taught at harmonica festivals recently, which he’s really enjoyed

37:03 - How the harmonica compliments your singing

37:34 - Hank does a lot of teaching, both at harmonica camps, online and in-person, and teaches other instruments too but not singing

39:29 - The Hank Shreve band mainly play in the north west of the US, but looking to expand that

40:17 - Has won three awards for best harmonica player

41:48 - People often respond well to the harmonica when they haven’t heard much of it before

42:13 - Attended The World Harmonica Championship in Trossingen in 2025 as a judge, workshop leader and played in the concert

43:18 - Ten minute question

44:40 - The decision process on which songs to use harmonica on is sometimes based on how Hank performs it live

46:55 - When playing live will sometimes switch between another instrument to harmonica

47:32 - Uses effects pedals quite extensively and is a Lone Wolf endorser

48:18 - Uses pedals is a good way to switch-up your sound

49:52 - Effects used include, delay, chorus, phaser and would like to use an envelope filter but hasn’t found the right one yet

50:41 - Is a Hohner endorser, playing a pink CX12 chromatic (for breast cancer awareness), and sometimes a 14 hole

51:26 - Times when uses a 14 hole and is able to switch between the 12 and 14 hole

52:02 - Diatonic of choice is Hohner Marine Band Deluxe, also likes the Crossover and the Rocket which he recommends for beginners

52:58 - Embouchre: plays pucker and tongue block and plays upside down

53:46 - Other upside down players include Sonny Terry, Paul Butterfield and William Clarke

53:58 - Doesn’t see any advantage or disadvantage of playing upside down and how Annie Raines has small hands but a big tone

55:07 - Uses a solid state Roland Cube, because it reacts similarly to a tube amp, is loud and has good built-in effects

55:54 - Sometimes chains the Roland Cube with a tube amp

56:15 - Uses a Bulletini mic and also has several other mics, including a new one called the SPK, a dynamic mic

57:06 - Future plans

WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.279
Hank Shreve joins me on episode one hundred and forty eight.

00:00:03.600 --> 00:00:11.119
Hank started playing harmonica at age eight, and that has remained his true love despite learning various other instruments.

00:00:11.679 --> 00:00:20.399
He explains how his drumming background shapes the rhythmic feel of his harmonica playing, and how blues open the door to everything from Latin influences to funk.

00:00:21.199 --> 00:00:35.039
Hank reflects on opening Capole Delay, working with Curtis Salgado, leading the Hank Shree band with his father Bill on bass, and broadening his musical output across albums like Loosen Up Trouble and That Way.

00:00:35.439 --> 00:00:45.359
He also discusses teaching at festivals, exploring jazz standards, winning several music awards, and the importance of always making the audience want to dance.

00:00:45.679 --> 00:00:48.320
This podcast is sponsored by Zidalharmonicas.

00:00:48.640 --> 00:00:58.399
Visit the oldest harmonica factory in the world at www.xidal1847.com or on Facebook or Instagram at Zidalharmonicas.

00:01:26.239 --> 00:01:27.680
Hey Anil, thanks for having me.

00:01:27.760 --> 00:01:28.959
I'm a big fan of the podcast.

00:01:29.120 --> 00:01:29.920
Good to be here.

00:01:30.159 --> 00:01:31.120
Oh, thanks very much.

00:01:31.280 --> 00:01:31.840
Great to hear.

00:01:32.159 --> 00:01:33.519
A fascinating thing I want to start with.

00:01:33.680 --> 00:01:36.560
You live in Springfield in uh in Oregon, yeah?

00:01:36.640 --> 00:01:39.120
The uh the birthplace of the Simpsons.

00:01:39.359 --> 00:01:40.159
That is correct.

00:01:40.400 --> 00:01:43.200
So I think it's actually the creator, Matt Groning.

00:01:43.280 --> 00:01:44.959
He he he was from there, wasn't he?

00:01:45.200 --> 00:01:46.239
It's from the same town.

00:01:46.560 --> 00:01:46.879
Correct.

00:01:47.120 --> 00:01:52.640
He didn't actually set it in that Springfield, but uh he because he was from there, he he named it after that, didn't he?

00:01:52.879 --> 00:01:54.959
Yeah, in fact, there's a lot of debate on that.

00:01:55.040 --> 00:01:59.760
You know, a lot of people say that it's from Springfield that it was based in Springfield, Oregon.

00:01:59.920 --> 00:02:16.879
But then some you know, it's there's a Springfield in every state in the United States, so a lot of people want to claim it's from here or from there, but um yeah, it's become pretty clear over the last few years or so that he was they were really going for Springfield, Oregon in that.

00:02:17.120 --> 00:02:21.759
But so is it like it's a lot Simpson stuff everywhere where you live?

00:02:22.080 --> 00:02:23.199
Oh, absolutely, yeah.

00:02:23.360 --> 00:02:29.759
In fact, where I live here in Springfield, there's some really beautiful murals uh scattered all across town.

00:02:29.919 --> 00:02:33.439
Really big murals of Simpson art and stuff, and it's really cool.

00:02:33.680 --> 00:02:37.759
And do you ever bump into Homer, home Homer and Bart walking around the streets there?

00:02:39.599 --> 00:02:41.280
You know, unfortunately I haven't.

00:02:41.360 --> 00:02:42.159
I hope to, though.

00:02:42.240 --> 00:02:43.120
That would be cool.

00:02:43.680 --> 00:02:44.000
Cool.

00:02:44.240 --> 00:02:44.879
Anyway, great.

00:02:45.039 --> 00:02:47.919
So uh but we'll get away from the Simpsons as as wonderful as it is.

00:02:48.080 --> 00:02:49.439
To start talking about your harmonica playing.

00:02:49.520 --> 00:02:54.240
So I believe you started playing um age eight, so uh tell us how you got started playing the harmonica.

00:02:54.560 --> 00:02:55.439
Yeah, that's correct.

00:02:55.520 --> 00:02:58.319
Yeah, and uh so both my parents are musicians.

00:02:58.479 --> 00:03:00.960
Ever since I could remember, they were always in bands.

00:03:01.120 --> 00:03:09.439
And so one time they had a rehearsal, they brought over a family uh family friend to the house, and he had a whole set of harmonicas.

00:03:09.599 --> 00:03:13.759
That was the only instrument I really like took some interest in up until that point.

00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:19.280
I'd heard it in movies and TV shows and stuff, and I always thought that the harmonica sounded really cool.

00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:24.560
So when I saw one and heard one in person, uh it was just I immediately knew.

00:03:24.639 --> 00:03:26.000
I was like, I want to do that.

00:03:26.159 --> 00:03:29.120
I don't know how I do it exactly, but I want that.

00:03:29.360 --> 00:03:37.919
And I'll tell you, what was very strange too is that when I actually picked up a harmonica for the first time, I kind of knew what to do with it already.

00:03:38.000 --> 00:04:10.479
You know, I wasn't I didn't play that great or anything, but I already knew how to bend a note, and uh I understood that you had to breathe in versus breathing out, and um that all happened just by watching, you know, watching this person perform up close, and I could kind of see like, oh, okay, they're breathing in there, okay, they're blowing out there, you know, and so and then over the years, you know, I started uh really listening to other players, you know, and that's where I discovered my heroes, you know, like uh William Clark and Norton Buffalo and Paul Delay, and then of course little Walter and everybody else too.

00:04:10.639 --> 00:04:16.399
But um yeah, so it was uh it was a family friend, basically, that got me started on this.

00:04:16.800 --> 00:04:22.160
Yeah, so checking you out, I believe you you maybe stole one of his harmonicas, is that right?

00:04:22.560 --> 00:04:23.839
Um maybe.

00:04:25.920 --> 00:04:27.199
Don't worry, you're not the only one.

00:04:27.279 --> 00:04:31.519
It's quite a good start, I think, a life of crime of your uh your believed harmonica journey.

00:04:31.839 --> 00:04:34.879
The thing was is that he actually left them at the house that night.

00:04:35.120 --> 00:04:39.600
So he left them there, and then so like after everybody had gone, you know, everybody went back home.

00:04:39.759 --> 00:04:44.480
I went up to the the harmonicas, I was like, hmm, what can I do with these, you know?

00:04:44.560 --> 00:04:46.399
And so I'd he'd he'd let me play.

00:04:46.800 --> 00:04:50.800
But then uh the next day when he came to get them back, he had actually given me a harmonica.

00:04:50.879 --> 00:04:55.279
He gave me a wang star performer in the key of G sharp.

00:04:55.360 --> 00:04:57.439
That was my very first harmonica.

00:04:57.839 --> 00:04:58.480
G sharp.

00:04:58.720 --> 00:05:01.199
Well, you must have struggled playing along with records with that one.

00:05:01.439 --> 00:05:02.079
Yeah.

00:05:03.759 --> 00:05:06.240
How long did it take you to uh to work that one out then?

00:05:06.639 --> 00:05:08.480
Oh yeah, it was it was a while.

00:05:08.560 --> 00:05:22.240
And then luckily though, my parents, like neither of my parents play harmonica, but they had been around her a bunch of harmonica players throughout their lifetime, and so they were they even they kind of knew the basics of you know what key to select.

00:05:22.399 --> 00:05:26.000
Like m my dad taught me it was the rule of four, we always called it.

00:05:26.079 --> 00:05:31.199
So like somebody calls out G, then you use the alphabet, A, B, C, D, D, F, G, A, B, C.

00:05:31.519 --> 00:05:34.000
And that's how it was taught to me by my dad, yeah.

00:05:34.079 --> 00:05:37.519
So, but uh yeah, the G sharp harp, that was a bit confusing.

00:05:38.399 --> 00:05:42.319
But then you went on to learn, and you are a multi-instrumentalist now, of course.

00:05:42.399 --> 00:05:47.360
I think the harmonica's top of the list, of course, but you do play numerous instruments, including drums.

00:05:47.519 --> 00:05:51.439
I think drums was something you you started playing when you were young as well, wasn't it?

00:05:51.600 --> 00:05:53.439
Is that the what came after the harmonica?

00:05:53.680 --> 00:05:54.480
Yeah, that's correct.

00:05:54.560 --> 00:06:05.279
Yeah, and in fact, I always called the drums, I refer to that as my second instrument, you know, and even though like when I play on stage, you know, I play a fair amount of keyboards and and lap steel too.

00:06:05.519 --> 00:06:09.839
But uh, you know, the drums, that's always been my second instrument, because that's what I played in school.

00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:17.920
You know, I played in in uh elementary, middle school, all the way up into high school, and even into community college, I played drums in the the jazz ensemble.

00:06:18.240 --> 00:06:24.879
Looking back on it, I'm really glad that I did that because playing drums just really helps your overall musicianship.

00:06:24.959 --> 00:06:32.480
You know, I mean, it helps you understand grooves and different rhythms, and just it kind of g it gives you that freedom of rhythm.

00:06:32.639 --> 00:06:40.319
I was fortunate enough, though, uh, in the jazz band in high school, uh, there'd be a couple of like more bluesy type of jazz songs.

00:06:40.480 --> 00:06:48.639
And so I remember, because there was other drummers in the class, so I would go up to the band director and saying, Hey, uh, is it alright if I play harmonica on this song?

00:06:48.879 --> 00:06:55.040
And their reaction was kind of like, mmm, yeah, okay, let's give it a try.

00:06:55.199 --> 00:06:56.639
It's been a journey ever since.

00:06:56.800 --> 00:07:07.759
That was uh one of my first onstage moments playing harmonica in front of a crowd, and uh just that that rush is unexplainable, and I'll never never forget that feeling, you know.

00:07:22.160 --> 00:07:25.279
Well, it's interesting talking to the different harmonica players on here.

00:07:25.360 --> 00:07:27.439
There's uh people who play different instruments.

00:07:27.519 --> 00:07:31.120
It seems to fall quite strongly into playing piano and playing drums.

00:07:31.199 --> 00:07:34.560
I think they're the two favourite other instruments of harmonica players.

00:07:34.639 --> 00:07:36.399
So uh it's it's interesting that it's those two.

00:07:36.639 --> 00:07:41.519
Obviously, a lot of people play guitar, but but yeah, it seems to be the drums and piano for some reason.

00:07:41.759 --> 00:07:43.680
So you saw there obviously about the rhythm.

00:07:43.759 --> 00:07:48.639
I think we're all very envious about having that sort of deep knowledge of the rhythms and how that help you.

00:07:48.720 --> 00:07:51.439
So how do you think that's informed your harmonica playing?

00:07:51.680 --> 00:07:53.600
Oh, in so many different ways.

00:07:53.759 --> 00:08:05.439
Um the biggest one that I can think of is because we with guitar players and even bass players and keyboard players, they're able to dictate a song, you know, within seconds or minutes.

00:08:05.519 --> 00:08:14.560
You know, a guitar player can just kind of go, hey, look here, look at my hand, and they can use those cues, you know, okay, we're gonna go to this chord here, oh, we're gonna break right here.

00:08:14.800 --> 00:08:20.720
Harmonica players don't really have that same luxury, you know, because our instrument is not visual.

00:08:20.959 --> 00:08:28.639
So we have to resort to really good explanations, sometimes analogies and different things.

00:08:28.879 --> 00:08:35.759
But playing the drums has been a big help for that because it helps me know the names of the beats for one.

00:08:35.919 --> 00:08:52.720
And also even if like, let's say I have like a blank moment and I can't think of the name of the beat that I'm trying to play, I'll either I'll sing it to the drummer or sing it to the band, or I'll try to think of another song title that mimics that groove very quickly, or very, you know, similarly.

00:08:52.879 --> 00:08:59.440
So And do you find that you try to play, you know, rhythms that you play on the drum or on the harmonica in the sort of harmonica riffs?

00:08:59.759 --> 00:09:01.600
Oh, absolutely, yeah, constantly.

00:09:01.919 --> 00:09:04.080
So that's a great way to mix up your playing, right?

00:09:04.159 --> 00:09:06.960
That you're you're playing these kind of, you know, these drum rhythms.

00:09:07.440 --> 00:09:08.399
Yes, definitely.

00:09:08.559 --> 00:09:12.240
And part of that I actually picked up from listening to Norton Buffalo.

00:09:12.399 --> 00:09:19.120
Um, and of course, you know, Sonny Terry, and there's a bunch of other really heavily rhythmic kind of harmonica players like that.

00:09:19.279 --> 00:09:29.519
But Norton was the first one that really opened my eyes to like, okay, the harmonica is a lead instrument, but it's also a rhythm instrument and could be considered a percussion instrument.

00:09:30.000 --> 00:09:30.879
Uh what's the song?

00:09:30.960 --> 00:09:32.080
Oh, Big Jake.

00:09:32.159 --> 00:09:35.279
Uh, it's on one of the albums that he did with Roy Rogers.

00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:40.799
Uh that intro is one of the most percussive harmonica train imitations.

00:09:52.960 --> 00:09:55.120
That was kind of what opened my eyes to it.

00:09:55.200 --> 00:10:03.679
It's like when you hear Norton and other players, of course, too, playing like this kind of style, they do like, you know, these kind of, you know, like tongue rolls almost, you know.

00:10:03.759 --> 00:10:08.720
Uh you know, and it's cool because it kind of it emulates like a drum roll kind of sound.

00:10:08.879 --> 00:10:14.799
So that was a big eye-opener for me, was like that whole concept of rhythmic kind of playing.

00:10:14.879 --> 00:10:15.440
Does that make sense?

00:10:15.759 --> 00:10:16.559
Yeah, no, done.

00:10:16.639 --> 00:10:23.039
And are you aware of Howard Levy's released a couple of books called Rhythms of Breath, I think they're called, which are based on drum beats.

00:10:23.200 --> 00:10:24.159
Have you seen those books?

00:10:24.480 --> 00:10:32.240
I saw a part of what, yeah, I haven't read the whole thing yet, but that yeah, I'm very interested in that because yeah, that's always kind of the way I thought, too.

00:10:32.399 --> 00:10:40.000
So it's it's really cool to see somebody else, especially someone of Howard's level and expertise, you know, talking about that.

00:10:40.159 --> 00:10:41.200
That's just really cool.

00:10:41.759 --> 00:10:44.639
And so you had drum lessons, I think, when you were young.

00:10:45.200 --> 00:10:48.639
Were they your first um, you know, instrumental lessons?

00:10:49.200 --> 00:10:50.799
Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

00:10:50.960 --> 00:10:58.399
Um along the way, I'd had like a couple piano lessons from, you know, some various people, and that didn't really stick with me.

00:10:58.480 --> 00:11:01.759
I was always kind of more of an ear player when it came to piano.

00:11:02.000 --> 00:11:07.519
So, but the the the drums, though, that was yeah, where I had all of my formal education on.

00:11:07.679 --> 00:11:16.320
But uh luckily in the midst of all that though, my drum teacher Jim Douglas, uh, Jim, if you're out there, love you, man, he uh he taught me a bit of piano.

00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:22.480
Also, like, you know, because I was really into boogie-woogie at the time, so he kind of helped with a couple of different boogie-woogie patterns.

00:11:22.639 --> 00:11:32.240
And then he also he just taught me about what we call independence, where you know, you can play one pattern with your right arm, a completely different pattern with your left arm.

00:11:32.399 --> 00:11:36.960
And then on top of that, you have to keep your feet going, you know, keeping the time.

00:11:37.440 --> 00:11:48.320
And uh one of the greatest uh moments in our lessons, uh, I remember he had me working on all these independence drills almost for like the whole, you know, the whole session.

00:11:48.399 --> 00:12:00.080
It was like a 45-minute session or so, and uh really struggling with them, struggling, and I finally got one of them, and it took a long time to play, and I remember asking him, I was like, So when do you use this on stage?

00:12:00.240 --> 00:12:01.600
When do you use these on stage?

00:12:01.759 --> 00:12:06.080
And he just kind of laughed and he said, I don't use any of these on stage.

00:12:06.240 --> 00:12:09.679
And he said, he goes, When I get on stage, I throw everything away.

00:12:09.840 --> 00:12:12.320
And I would encourage you to do the same thing too.

00:12:12.480 --> 00:12:15.120
And that was like, oh, okay, yeah.

00:12:15.279 --> 00:12:17.200
So yeah, no, he taught me a lot.

00:12:17.360 --> 00:12:22.159
The other most valuable lesson that he taught me was always make people dance.

00:12:22.639 --> 00:12:25.440
And if you're making people dance, then you've done your job.

00:12:25.679 --> 00:12:37.120
And he even said too, because he knew I was into other instruments, he said, you know, yes, as a drummer, you should do that too, but even when you're playing your other instruments, you know, it's not just the drummer's job to keep time or make people dance.

00:12:37.279 --> 00:12:38.559
Every musician has to do it.

00:12:38.879 --> 00:12:42.240
Yeah, and that certainly comes out in in the uh music release for your band.

00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:04.799
Uh yes, and very poorly.

00:13:05.919 --> 00:13:08.159
You sometimes see singers playing drums, don't you?

00:13:08.240 --> 00:13:10.000
Like Phil Collins famously, he does that.

00:13:10.080 --> 00:13:11.759
So but you don't see that often, do you?

00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:23.840
But um No, yeah, that's a trickier thing, I think, you know, because with guitar and with piano, it's like you can kind of stick to, you know, more repetitive kind of patterns, I guess, you know, and you're using less muscles too.

00:13:23.919 --> 00:13:31.759
It's like, like I just said, with the drums, it's like you're not only using both your hands doing completely different things, but also you're using your feet too.

00:13:31.919 --> 00:13:34.799
So I mean, some people are able to process that.

00:13:34.879 --> 00:13:37.919
And me, I've always been a one instrument at a time person.

00:13:38.080 --> 00:13:41.440
I can barely sing and play piano at the same time.

00:13:41.679 --> 00:13:50.879
So uh you're not gonna be um, you know, forging a path of being the first drummer harmonica player um combined then now.

00:13:51.279 --> 00:13:57.840
No, I think I think that ship has sailed, but you know, there's yeah, there's a like you said, there's a lot of great players doing that nowadays.

00:13:57.919 --> 00:14:06.240
Um Zach Parmolo, he does some really incredible, you know, foot drumming and also playing guitar and rack harp at the same time.

00:14:06.480 --> 00:14:10.559
And uh very independently and also swings really well at the same time.

00:14:10.799 --> 00:14:32.559
So that's more of the one-man band where they've got like maybe one or two drums rather than a full drum kit, right?

00:14:32.799 --> 00:14:33.919
Right, yeah.

00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:43.039
So you so yeah, as you you mentioned there, you play multiple other instruments as well, so keyboards, guitar, dobro, lap steel, and you also sing as well.

00:14:43.120 --> 00:14:47.600
So, what about the rest of those instruments and how do they uh come in and fit with the harmonica?

00:14:47.919 --> 00:14:53.360
Well, I've always been drawn to slide guitar, you know, and I think that's where the dobro and lap steel come in for sure.

00:14:53.440 --> 00:14:56.399
It's just I always absolutely love the sound slide.

00:14:56.639 --> 00:14:57.600
Yeah, beautiful, yeah.

00:14:58.000 --> 00:15:01.840
Yeah, and it's also very similar to the sound of harmonica.

00:15:13.440 --> 00:15:24.639
I'm sure I'm like you and other listeners too, but like, you know, there's a couple of older blues recordings where there's amplified slide guitar playing, and you know, on the first listen, it's like, wait, is that harmonica?

00:15:24.799 --> 00:15:26.080
No, no, no, a slide guitar.

00:15:26.159 --> 00:15:27.039
So it's very similar.

00:15:27.120 --> 00:15:36.240
So yeah, that was when I first picked up a lap steel or a slide of that kind, and you know, figured out what an open tuning was, I was able to connect with it pretty quickly.

00:15:36.399 --> 00:15:46.000
It's a lot of fun to play, and it it's it's like I say, it's a lot like playing harmonica because her harmonica is an open-tuned instrument, just like a lap steel or a dobro.

00:15:46.879 --> 00:15:52.159
And uh yeah, and also like the sliding inflections, you know, the vocal kind of tones.

00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:54.960
I've just always been been drawn to that, you know.

00:15:55.120 --> 00:15:58.639
And uh yeah, I just I still absolutely love that sound.

00:15:58.960 --> 00:16:04.399
Um amongst your other instruments, um though on what you're playing various things, talks about slides.

00:16:04.480 --> 00:16:08.799
So I think blues has always been the sort of main thing behind it all for you, has it?

00:16:09.200 --> 00:16:19.840
Yeah, that was that was what started my love for music was uh was blues, you know, and that was always the music that I connected with the most, uh still to this day, you know.

00:16:20.000 --> 00:16:28.639
And um when I got into blues though, that kind of helped me understand jazz a little bit more and also just uh kind of you know understand it a little bit.

00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:34.960
And then also like that's from there I got into soul music and also funk and Latin and stuff like that.

00:16:35.120 --> 00:16:40.159
But still at the end of the day, blues blues is really that's my favorite kind of stuff.

00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:48.399
But I also that's the reason why I like Latin music so much too, because blues is very heart and passion oriented.

00:16:48.639 --> 00:16:49.840
Just like Latin music.

00:16:50.000 --> 00:16:54.720
Latin music is is really passionate and very intense, just like blues is.

00:16:54.879 --> 00:17:05.839
And yeah, they may be very differently musically, but when it comes to the attitude or the you know the feeling behind it, I view them very similarly, and that's why I I've always been drawn to that.

00:17:05.920 --> 00:17:10.880
And that's always one of been my favorite questions is people are like, what is your favorite kind of music?

00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:14.799
And a lot of people just assume that I listen to only blues.

00:17:15.920 --> 00:17:18.160
But I the truth is I listen to everything.

00:17:18.240 --> 00:17:19.039
I really do.

00:17:19.279 --> 00:17:26.160
You know, after a whole night of playing, you know, hour three or four hours of blues, the last thing I want to listen to is blues.

00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:33.519
And so I'll throw on like classical music or jazz or you know, something different, just as a palate cleanser.

00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:40.880
At the end of the day, though, I really love all music, especially if it's very passionate and and heart-driven.

00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:43.680
You know, that's that's the kind of stuff I like.

00:18:02.480 --> 00:18:06.000
William Clark, Norton Buffalo, Paul Delay's another influence of yours, in there.

00:18:06.079 --> 00:18:10.400
So the West Coast players there, did you get to see those guys uh when you were young?

00:18:11.039 --> 00:18:11.680
Yes, I did.

00:18:11.759 --> 00:18:12.000
Yeah.

00:18:12.160 --> 00:18:17.680
In fact, I I got to open for Paul Delay probably about five times or so.

00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:26.240
There was this one blues festival, it's no longer around anymore, but it was called the Wine and Blues Festival in Venita, Oregon, which is where they do the country fair.

00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:29.440
Paul used to play there like every year or so.

00:18:29.680 --> 00:18:33.759
So when I was still with the family band, we would open up the show for that.

00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:37.680
One time we actually got to meet Paul, and he was super friendly, super nice.

00:18:37.839 --> 00:18:39.359
He was kind of having a rough day too.

00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:42.880
He had uh gotten a flat tire on his way to the gig.

00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:47.039
So he was about 45 minutes late or so.

00:18:47.519 --> 00:18:51.920
His band carried on without him, and then he got up there and he still did his full set.

00:18:52.000 --> 00:18:55.200
You know, it caused the festival to run behind a little bit, but it was worth it.

00:18:55.359 --> 00:18:56.400
Everybody was happy.

00:18:56.640 --> 00:19:00.640
And um, I'll never forget, this is my Paul Delay story.

00:19:01.119 --> 00:19:15.200
When we first met, when we finally got to meet him, you know, he was he had just come off stage, so he was a little winded and kind of, you know, kinda out of breath, you know, and we were like, oh, my dad said, Paul, we're such big fans of yours, and uh this is my son Hank.

00:19:15.279 --> 00:19:20.000
And uh I remember looking up at him, and he was a good, like foot taller than me.

00:19:20.240 --> 00:19:22.400
Um, and uh he was terrifying.

00:19:23.359 --> 00:19:25.279
I heard that he had a big presence, didn't it?

00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:26.480
That's what everyone says about him.

00:19:26.799 --> 00:19:35.200
So I'm glad you said yeah, because that's what a lot of people don't really realize about Paul is like, yeah, he was a big guy, but he was tall too, and he was very intimidating.

00:19:35.920 --> 00:19:42.079
Uh so he oh, he looked down at me and he shook it, he reached out, shook my head, he said, How you doing, baby?

00:19:42.240 --> 00:19:43.599
So I thought that was pretty cool.

00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:48.960
And then um then my dad said, Well, you know, he's he's an aspiring young harmonica player.

00:19:49.119 --> 00:19:50.480
Do you have any advice for him?

00:19:50.640 --> 00:19:55.039
And he just he just kind of looks up and he shook his head and he goes, Oh, it's a waste.

00:19:57.519 --> 00:19:59.519
And that was my Paul Delay star.

00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:00.480
Right.

00:20:01.200 --> 00:20:11.200
But if you know who Paul is, you'll you'll understand that like he had quite a sense of humor, so he was being facetious, but nonetheless, it was still it was still awesome.

00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:22.799
Yeah, and then of course I got to see Curtis Selgado a bunch, and uh he was always been a hero of mine, and then over the years we kind of became friends and we've gotten to work together a few times, and it's pretty cool.

00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:36.559
Another guy I need to mention also is a guy named Mike Muthhart, um, who's sadly not with us anymore, but Paul Delay called Mike the greatest unknown harmonica player in the world, um, which I think is very true.

00:20:36.720 --> 00:20:50.640
He he didn't have the national recognition that he deserved, but he was a really incredible player, the best first position blues you ever heard in your life, and some of the fattest tone also, and some of the greatest stage presence also.

00:20:50.799 --> 00:20:56.960
But uh yeah, uh Mike Muthart is always somebody that needs to be mentioned when you're talking about Northwest blues.

00:20:57.200 --> 00:20:57.759
Well, that's good.

00:20:57.839 --> 00:21:00.720
I always like to have these uh, you know, lesson-on players.

00:21:15.200 --> 00:21:19.359
So you've got the Hank Shree band, which you've obviously uh the figurehead for.

00:21:19.519 --> 00:21:21.279
So uh when did you form that?

00:21:21.359 --> 00:21:23.920
And uh you know, what was the journey before you formed your own band?

00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:30.079
Were you playing with others and then Yeah, so uh see, 2012, I believe it was.

00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:38.000
I was in another band called the Ty Curtis Band, and uh they're based out of Salem, and I was sort of on my way out of that band.

00:21:38.240 --> 00:21:43.519
I had just started up a weekly gig, a Thursday night gig down here in Springfield.

00:21:43.759 --> 00:21:55.200
I mean, that band b that band became the Hank Shreve band, you know, because like I said, I was kind of working my way out of this first band, and I was just looking to just do other stuff, you know.

00:21:55.359 --> 00:21:57.680
I mean, I'm sure we all know how it's how it is.

00:21:57.759 --> 00:22:06.720
You know, you're in one band for a while and it's great, and it and it might still even be great while you're you know looking for other stuff, but you know, it just it happens.

00:22:06.960 --> 00:22:18.799
We started this weekly gig, and uh we just uh within probably a few months or so, we all kind of looked at each other and said, Hey, why don't we just why don't we make this the Hank Shreve band?

00:22:19.119 --> 00:22:21.039
I didn't say that, the other guys did.

00:22:21.519 --> 00:22:24.000
But so, and that's how that happened.

00:22:24.079 --> 00:22:44.640
You know, we just kind of we kept playing, we kept booking gigs, and then we started recording, and uh that's how that happened, you know, and that's why I always tell students and you know colleagues, try to get a weekly gig if you can, because it not only helps with rehearsals, but you never know, you might wind up starting a really cool project out of it.

00:22:44.880 --> 00:22:46.720
And that's what happened in my case.

00:22:46.799 --> 00:22:52.960
You know, it was just kind of like, all right, let's do this weekly gig, have some fun, and then it became a serious thing.

00:22:53.200 --> 00:22:55.200
So um, yeah, there you have it.

00:22:55.440 --> 00:22:55.680
Yeah.

00:22:55.920 --> 00:23:00.240
And you have um is it your father, Bill Shreve, who plays in the band with you?

00:23:00.559 --> 00:23:01.279
That is correct.

00:23:01.359 --> 00:23:01.599
Yes.

00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:02.799
So he plays bass.

00:23:02.880 --> 00:23:05.119
What's it like having your father in your band?

00:23:05.359 --> 00:23:06.960
Is he always telling you what to do?

00:23:07.599 --> 00:23:14.880
No, we we get along, we always have gotten along very well, and um we're very similar uh personalities-wise.

00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:18.720
So um that works in our favor and sometimes it doesn't.

00:23:19.920 --> 00:23:23.359
You know, he's more into jazz than I am, and so it's really cool.

00:23:23.440 --> 00:23:29.279
Like whenever I have a question about a jazz song or whatever, um, he's like an encyclopedia on that kind of stuff.

00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:30.720
Same with music theory, too.

00:23:30.880 --> 00:23:35.680
If I ever have a question regarding music theory, you know, my dad usually can answer it.

00:23:35.759 --> 00:23:36.799
But no, we have a great time.

00:23:36.960 --> 00:23:40.160
We also do a lot of duo stuff together, too, where he plays guitar.

00:23:40.319 --> 00:23:47.839
You know, I'll play, you know, some keyboards and stuff, but that's you know, we do a lot of like lower volume gigs and smaller venue stuff in that regard.

00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:51.680
We also have a big band version of our band, too, with a a horn section.

00:23:51.839 --> 00:23:54.640
We haven't done that for a while, but that's a lot of fun too.

00:23:54.799 --> 00:23:55.599
That's pretty powerful.

00:23:55.920 --> 00:24:00.160
Yeah, so you had your first album with the Hank Shreve band, 2015, Loosen Up.

00:24:00.319 --> 00:24:04.160
This is probably more straight ahead blues, is it, in that first album, would you say?

00:24:04.400 --> 00:24:37.839
Yeah, yeah, I would say the and we were kind of trying to do that, actually, because you know, we had submitted our first record to a couple blues labels, and they liked them, but they were kind of like basically I think they said it wasn't blues enough or something, which is that was, you know, kind of what I always go for, is like like we were saying earlier, it's like I love blues and I love just straight up 12-bar blues, but I also like blues that's been arranged or kind of like you know changed a little bit, like you know, like a 12-bar blues with like a different turnaround or or something.

00:24:38.000 --> 00:24:43.279
That's part of the reason why I'm always been drawn to Paul Delay is be because of the arrangements and stuff.

00:24:43.519 --> 00:24:46.880
Um so yeah, that's always something that we tried to do.

00:24:47.039 --> 00:24:55.359
But yeah, and also so like when we went to go do that other album, we thought, well, maybe we should try just making it more straight up bluesy.

00:24:55.599 --> 00:24:58.880
Tried to do that on our last two albums, too, the ones after that one.

00:24:59.119 --> 00:25:01.119
Well, it's a great album, though, some great playing on there.

00:25:01.200 --> 00:25:02.000
I really really loved it.

00:25:02.079 --> 00:25:04.000
So the the title track Loosen Up.

00:25:04.079 --> 00:25:09.200
Um, you've got a uh a great solo on Diatonic, and then you switch to chromatic later on.

00:25:09.279 --> 00:25:25.599
So what stage are you play playing chromatic?

00:25:25.680 --> 00:25:29.039
Obviously, we talked about William Clark and Paul Delay, both great chromatic players.

00:25:29.119 --> 00:25:30.880
So were you playing it from early on?

00:25:31.119 --> 00:25:32.319
A couple years later.

00:25:32.480 --> 00:25:35.359
Um, so yeah, I started yeah, I started Diatonic when I was eight.

00:25:35.440 --> 00:25:38.720
Uh, chromatic came around probably when I was more like 10 or 11.

00:25:39.119 --> 00:25:40.480
So pretty early then.

00:25:41.359 --> 00:25:42.319
Fairly early, yeah.

00:25:42.480 --> 00:25:45.200
And I I didn't I really didn't understand it at first either.

00:25:45.359 --> 00:25:48.000
I just kind of guessed, you know, on a lot of stuff.

00:25:48.160 --> 00:25:57.920
And uh listened to a bunch of Paul Dulley and Norman Buffalo, which those are probably two very difficult chromatic styles to listen to when you're first picking up the instrument.

00:25:58.079 --> 00:25:59.920
But I didn't know any better, you know.

00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:10.640
So yeah, that was that was my introduction, and that was an interesting thing when I first picked up chromatic and just noticing the difference in styles of chromatic playing.

00:26:10.799 --> 00:26:20.640
I mean, you can say that about diatonic playing, of course, too, but y you know, just the difference between Norton Buffalo and Paul Delay's uh versus William Clark or Rod Piazza or one of those.

00:26:20.720 --> 00:26:23.839
It's like it's a very different style of chromatic compared to that.

00:26:24.000 --> 00:26:27.119
So yeah, yeah, it was like it was just a cool eye-opener.

00:26:27.359 --> 00:26:32.880
But I actually got my first chromatic from my parents' drummer, uh, who was named Willie Weber.

00:26:33.119 --> 00:26:40.640
Willie was actually a huge uh influence on me musically, because he was the one uh who turned me on to all my heroes.

00:26:40.720 --> 00:26:47.599
You know, he would go to the library during the week and pick up a bunch of blues albums and then he'd bring them back down for me to listen to.

00:26:47.839 --> 00:26:51.920
And uh so he was like my musical library in a sense.

00:26:52.000 --> 00:26:56.880
But he uh he had a 10-hole honer chromatic and he gave it to me.

00:26:57.039 --> 00:27:02.640
Uh, that was also before I knew about the difference between 12-hole and sixteen-hole and fourteen-hole.

00:27:02.799 --> 00:27:06.240
So I was like, you know, playing along, I'm like, how are they getting all these low notes?

00:27:06.319 --> 00:27:07.440
What's happening here?

00:27:09.039 --> 00:27:14.799
But then also then through then, then I started fig finding out about chromatics and other keys and things like that.

00:27:14.960 --> 00:27:18.799
I still find it a very frustrating instrument at times.

00:27:19.519 --> 00:27:21.599
Well, you're playing it very nicely in lots of ways.

00:27:21.680 --> 00:27:25.519
So on your 2018 album, which is trouble, that's your second album with a band, yeah.

00:27:25.599 --> 00:27:30.319
This has got, you know, a wider set of genres on there, and you're playing some funk on there as well.

00:27:30.400 --> 00:27:33.200
That's funk is something that you play um quite a bit, yeah.

00:27:33.279 --> 00:27:36.079
It's something you bring in with certain sounding great and harmonica, too.

00:27:36.319 --> 00:27:42.640
Yeah, no, I've like I was saying earlier, yeah, I've always been a huge fan of funk music, because you know, I'm a drummer.

00:27:42.880 --> 00:27:47.440
But also funk stuff is really cool, and that's that's it's really danceable too.

00:27:47.519 --> 00:27:58.559
You know, I hate to overstate the obvious, but I mean that's one thing that I was always drawn to, you know, and that's a question I get asked a lot from my students too, is like, how do I become a funkier harp player?

00:27:58.720 --> 00:28:04.000
And that's a one I really have a hard time answering because it's like, well, you just gotta listen to it a bunch.

00:28:04.160 --> 00:28:05.759
You just like blues and everything else.

00:28:05.920 --> 00:28:12.079
It's like, yeah, you gotta listen to it and also pay close attention to the rhythms that they're using.

00:28:12.240 --> 00:28:18.480
A lot of people just kinda start playing funk stuff, and it might sound a little bluesy still, you know.

00:28:18.559 --> 00:28:24.160
It's like because you gotta think more percussive and just more rhythmic when you're thinking about funk, you know.

00:28:24.319 --> 00:28:30.079
But I've always been huge on funk playing, and I I just I I like it a lot, you know.

00:28:30.480 --> 00:28:32.160
Yeah, no, and it sounds sounds great.

00:28:32.240 --> 00:28:34.640
You get some effective stuff on the harmonica.

00:28:34.720 --> 00:28:37.680
There's a song you do, um it's a thing, isn't it?

00:28:37.839 --> 00:28:39.680
That's a thunk, a funk one you do, yeah.

00:28:54.960 --> 00:28:56.160
Which album is that one on?

00:28:56.319 --> 00:28:58.880
Oh, that way was so it's the most recent one.

00:28:58.960 --> 00:28:59.200
Yeah.

00:28:59.839 --> 00:29:02.880
Uh so yeah, the that way album, that's from uh 2023, yeah.

00:29:03.119 --> 00:29:06.240
Yes, and that is the only song up until now.

00:29:06.480 --> 00:29:10.799
It's like uh up it's the only song that I actually have recorded an overblow on.

00:29:11.359 --> 00:29:12.000
Which one?

00:29:12.240 --> 00:29:14.240
Yeah, no, I can't even remember.

00:29:15.359 --> 00:29:19.119
Uh I think it was I think it was a five overblow.

00:29:19.359 --> 00:29:19.519
Okay.

00:29:19.920 --> 00:29:28.000
That's like that's the only time I really use overblown, is if if it's absolutely necessary to the melody or the riff I'm trying to play.

00:29:28.079 --> 00:29:33.039
You know, it's like overblown, yeah, it's not something I use a lot of, you know.

00:29:33.119 --> 00:29:35.680
It's just not in my uh my muscle memory.

00:29:36.000 --> 00:29:37.920
And do you think that's partly because you play the chromatic?

00:29:38.000 --> 00:29:40.000
I think uh a lot of people play chromatic sort of thing.

00:29:40.079 --> 00:29:41.920
Well, play the chromatic is played with playing overblows.

00:29:42.400 --> 00:29:44.000
Yeah, I think that's a big part of it.

00:29:44.079 --> 00:29:51.920
And uh in fact, I was talking to Mitch Cajemore a while ago about this very same subject because uh Mitch doesn't do any overblowing.

00:29:52.079 --> 00:29:54.960
I remember asking him, but I was like, why don't you why don't you do overblows?

00:29:55.039 --> 00:30:09.680
And he's like, well, you know, I've invested so many so much time into the chromatic that I had just rather use that and than rather than try to relearn, you know, how to play the diatonic with overblows and stuff, which I'm I'm kind of on that same page too.

00:30:09.759 --> 00:30:11.920
Or sometimes I'll use alternate tunings.

00:30:12.160 --> 00:30:20.160
Um like on the thing, not I used an overblow, but I also used uh a Patty Richter tuned harp also.

00:30:28.720 --> 00:30:36.480
Hey everybody, you're listening to Neil Warren's Harmonica Happy Hour podcast, proudly sponsored by Tom Halchak and Blue Moon Harmonicas.

00:30:36.880 --> 00:30:41.119
This is Jason Richie here telling you I love Blue Moon harmonicas.

00:30:41.200 --> 00:30:48.720
I love the combs, the covers, the custom harps, the refurbished pre-war marine bands, and nobody's easier to work with than Tom Halchak.

00:30:48.880 --> 00:31:25.680
Check 'em out www.blue moonharmonicas.com so on that way you're definitely pushing uh further evolution of genre so there's definitely jazz on here for example you do uh wearing shorter's footprints right which is obvious yes you know full on jazz song and uh you also play a song called Don't Know which has got a very jazzy chromatic solo on so are you delving into full-on jazz on the chromatic these days?

00:31:26.079 --> 00:31:36.319
Trying to, you know, because yeah it's something I've always been interested in but um you know I never really had the courage or the knowledge to to try out some of those things.

00:31:36.480 --> 00:31:43.920
Like um part of the reason why I played drums in school was because I hate to even admit this, but I have to.

00:31:44.079 --> 00:31:46.880
Because I didn't want to learn how to read music.

00:31:48.240 --> 00:31:49.519
But guess what?

00:31:49.839 --> 00:31:54.400
Even if you learn drums in school you still got to learn how to read music.

00:31:54.720 --> 00:31:56.400
So jokes on me.

00:31:56.559 --> 00:32:04.240
That was always a thing though is like why I didn't why I didn't start earlier on playing jazz on chromatics because I didn't understand how to read music very well.

00:32:04.400 --> 00:32:13.920
But over the years you know I've I've kind of I've you know helped other people learn how to read music and through teaching that it's kind of it's helped my reading skills get better.

00:32:14.079 --> 00:32:44.559
So through that though that so in the last uh probably four or five years I've been kind of dabbling with learning some jazz standards on chromatic see Satin doll and Fly Me to the moon those two tunes for you listeners out there that are on a similar journey those two tunes are really great for not only learning how to read music but also learning how to play jazz because they're both very familiar melodies and even if you're like you claim that you're not very familiar with the song, you've heard them.

00:32:45.279 --> 00:33:03.599
So yeah that's my my always my suggestion it's like if you want to go down that route, you know, pick some tunes that you've heard a bunch and that you can go with like satin doll for example it's like everybody's heard that tune and everybody roughly knows how it goes, you know so but uh yeah no I'm working on that.

00:33:03.759 --> 00:33:07.759
I'm still pretty slow at it but I'm I'm I'm working on it.

00:33:08.240 --> 00:33:58.880
Are you using maybe the piano to help with that obviously there's complex chord structures is it so are you sort of playing jazz on the piano to sort of help you understand the you know the movement of the chords or yeah trying to yeah you've seen a real book before some of these chords are very uh very intimidating you know it's like you have D minor seven flat nine sharp eleven all this stuff you know and it's like you know it's like gosh uh what what does that even all that mean you know but so I've learned most of all that but yeah you're right like playing the piano definitely helps because then you can hear yeah you can hear the harmonies and you can also like it also shows you what notes are okay to use for example like if you have a chord that's like D minor you know sharp 11 or blah blah blah blah blah you know a very long chord just think of like the first part of it like D minor so D F and A.

00:33:59.200 --> 00:33:59.839
Okay, right?

00:33:59.920 --> 00:34:09.440
But then if you see something like you know a flat five on there, D minor seven flat five, okay, well that means the A needs to be changed to A flat.

00:34:09.599 --> 00:34:10.559
And you see what I'm saying?

00:34:10.639 --> 00:34:31.360
It's just like you know so if you know the basics of chords it kind of helps in that regard yeah so yeah definitely if you're technical judge you've got you've got to have some of that knowledge right you you can't do without it so well let's talk about your singing then so uh you sing and you've got a great voice and you've quite fight you won the 2021 Rooster Blues award for award for best male vocalist.

00:34:31.519 --> 00:34:57.840
Quite often you go to a falsetto angel yet for do I gotta sweep Little Angel Yaprado Gotta sweep down angel you know the way she spread to it sounds about you singing and how uh you know you use that with a harmonica.

00:34:58.079 --> 00:35:10.000
Oh well thanks yeah I appreciate that and it's funny cause up until the last few years I always viewed myself as a harmonica player first and then a singer second, you know, or drummer second.

00:35:10.159 --> 00:35:39.599
But you know uh in recent years I've just been kind of getting I've just been getting more comfortable with singing, you know, knowing my voice and how it works and how it doesn't work, and just kind of treating it more like an instrument, you know, um because like I always I sang I sang for a very long time, but like I said I didn't really take it seriously in the beginning, which is too bad because I wound up developing some really bad habits along the way, you know, like singing with too much throat, you know, kind of like too much constriction on the vocal cords.

00:35:39.760 --> 00:35:43.119
Because that's how I thought you were supposed to sing blues and things like that.

00:35:43.199 --> 00:35:52.480
You know I thought you were supposed to sing it with you know gruff and you know extra grit and stuff but come to find out you have to use your normal voice.

00:35:52.639 --> 00:35:58.880
Just whatever your natural voice is uh even if it's not the sound that you're going for, people are gonna like it.

00:35:59.039 --> 00:36:07.840
You know that's been yeah that's been a big journey of mine to finding my voice and you know knowing my strengths and stuff like that.

00:36:08.000 --> 00:36:14.559
But uh like I like I said that for the first time in forever I I actually feel comfortable as a singer.

00:36:14.880 --> 00:36:33.679
Yeah so what about when you won this Rooster Blues award for best male vocalist a big shock to you it was it like I kind of like I I remember when I got the award I remember even saying something like I forget that I'm a vocalist sometimes so this is very nice you know but um it's really cool.

00:36:33.840 --> 00:36:44.719
I appreciate the compliments and uh you know I've I've gotten to do a couple of these you know harmonica festivals recently and I've been getting some really nice compliments about my singing.

00:36:44.880 --> 00:36:53.519
Sometimes more compliments on my singing than my harmonica playing which it's like I hey I'll take it you know I'm just I'm just happy to be doing it.

00:36:53.760 --> 00:36:59.760
It's nice to hear that other people appreciate it and see that, you know so that's No, I do think you've got a really good voice.

00:36:59.840 --> 00:37:08.800
Yeah I'm surprised to hear you you say that you you know you didn't think so but uh I think a lot of harmonica players have got that doubt about the voice but actually when it comes comes to it they you know they can sing well.

00:37:09.119 --> 00:37:18.719
Yeah totally and I mean I'm I'm sure you're you're you notice this too but it's really amazing how many harmonica players out there are actually very good singers.

00:37:18.880 --> 00:37:30.239
You know, Jim Wilson, Norton Buffalo, Paul DeLay, all I mean like in lots of them, yeah but uh and I always kind of felt that I felt that harmonica playing could help your singing.

00:37:30.559 --> 00:37:33.360
Got to compliment each other in some way obviously they're very close.

00:37:33.440 --> 00:37:34.000
So Yeah.

00:37:34.320 --> 00:37:45.199
So you you do lots of teaching as well so you you've just been to the the Northwest camp what's that one called you've just been up there with with Shane Sega haven't you recently oh yeah the Carolina Harp Fest, yes.

00:37:45.599 --> 00:37:49.440
You also um you've been at Ronnie Shellis Global Harmonica Summit.

00:37:49.599 --> 00:38:06.639
And you're also uh an expert contributor to um Tom Linleckey's online harmonica school so you're doing a lot lots of teaching yeah yeah yeah definitely and um apart from teaching harmonica I also teach a lot of drums and also beginner piano and on occasion I get some lap steel and dobro students also.

00:38:06.800 --> 00:38:36.880
The one instrument I I'm not comfortable teaching is singing because yeah I think that's just a different field you know it's like teaching instruments is one thing but being a vocal teacher I mean that's like its own its own world and maybe someday I'll get comfortable with that but uh yeah I always try to refer refer people to uh actual experts in that field but yeah no I I it's really fun I teach you know people of all ages so I've got a lot of uh you know young students.

00:38:37.199 --> 00:38:58.159
My oldest student was I think 93 uh several years ago yeah harmonica student so I've yeah I've had um had quite a bit of experience just you know with uh all different age groups and stuff you know and uh don't you teach uh something called music masters is that um an in-person thing up in uh near where you live or something online?

00:38:58.480 --> 00:39:25.599
Yeah uh both actually yeah so it's it's like a it's a music store um but they have a bunch of offices in there so they they host private lessons they also do recitals and stuff too um but they also they they sell instruments and so yeah I teach in-person on Tuesdays there and then I also teach online through them and I also do my own freelance online lessons and also I I do I occasional work with Tomlin and Ronnie and stuff.

00:39:25.679 --> 00:39:33.360
So yeah I do a little bit of here a little bit there you know yeah and uh uh I mean how much are you traveling around with the Hank Shreepan?

00:39:33.599 --> 00:39:43.360
You see you're playing in various festivals certainly west coast while as you played in less uh in Las Vegas you've but you've played in Toronto, you played in France so uh uh do you get around much?

00:39:43.679 --> 00:39:49.920
Um a little bit not quite as much as I would like um but I'm I'm planning on changing that for sure.

00:39:50.079 --> 00:40:09.599
You know um we mostly uh stick to kind of like the Northwest region and sometimes we venture out to like the Midwest and stuff but yeah we'd I'd really like to get us out to the East Coast uh sometime even if it's not like a whole string of shows even if it's just a few of them that would be really cool.

00:40:09.760 --> 00:40:48.800
We're trying to do more of it for sure you know you certainly got a great band some great songs so yeah definitely uh you're up there and you um fantastic harmonica players right you've won two harmonica awards as I as I found a Northwest Harmonica Championship 2008 and then the Cascade Blues Association's Muddy Award for Best Harmonica Player 2009 2013.

00:40:49.199 --> 00:40:50.719
Yeah so uh how did you win those?

00:40:50.880 --> 00:41:07.599
Did you enter them or uh um well those let's see so the Cascade Blues Association that is uh that's the Blues Society up in Portland Oregon and for probably over 30 years I want to say they've been doing what they call the Muddy Awards.

00:41:07.840 --> 00:41:21.760
And uh yeah it's a great great little uh ceremony you know they have live music and they host it at a at a ballroom and stuff so and all the Portland big uh you know big name musicians show up so it's a really cool thing.

00:41:22.000 --> 00:41:37.679
Um the other one that you mentioned Northwest Harmonica Championship that is unfortunately now defunct but that was yeah that was put on by some local organization I want to say it was uh like Food for Lane County or something like that.

00:41:37.840 --> 00:41:45.440
But it was a really cool event and uh it ran for a few more years after that but now it's been kind of on hiatus for several years now.

00:41:45.519 --> 00:41:50.159
But I hope they bring it back someday because harmonica events are really cool.

00:41:50.320 --> 00:41:57.360
And it's one of those things that people don't even realize how much they actually like them, you know, until they're they're there and taking part in them.

00:41:57.440 --> 00:42:00.000
They're like, oh I I'm sure you've heard it many times yourself.

00:42:00.159 --> 00:42:11.679
They're like, oh well I didn't know I liked the harmonica Yeah I don't think people can't realize what it can do, do they when they hear it, especially in its different forms and different genres of music I think they're very surprised by what it can do.

00:42:11.760 --> 00:42:24.480
Yeah Oh absolutely yeah I mean talking about festivals you've been to uh the World Harmonica Championship at s trussing in them Yes, yes and that was one of the greatest experiences of my life so uh what what did you do there?

00:42:24.559 --> 00:42:41.199
I mean did you go solo or did you take the band or yeah I went solo I got to play with uh the Live Wires which is Steve Baker's band and they're a fantastic group uh just all great musicians and really nice people too I had a great time hanging with them as well as playing with them.

00:42:41.360 --> 00:42:48.880
So yeah I I performed a set and then I also was a a judge for two of the competitions.

00:42:49.039 --> 00:42:53.199
I did the blues diatonic and jazz diatonic.

00:42:53.440 --> 00:42:56.960
And then I also got to teach a workshop too so it was it was really cool.

00:42:57.039 --> 00:43:02.000
And then I got to take in some of the the harmonica history that Trossingen has.

00:43:02.159 --> 00:43:14.000
You know I got to see all the Honor uh memorabilia you know there's statues of Honer everywhere and just different things also we got to visit uh the gravesite of Honer and the whole Honer family.

00:43:14.079 --> 00:43:17.599
So it was really uh really powerful the whole experience.

00:43:18.000 --> 00:43:22.639
Get on to the 10 minute question now then Hank so if you had 10 minutes of practice what would you spend the 10 minutes doing?

00:43:22.880 --> 00:43:35.440
Oh wow gosh that's a tricky one well if I were to pick up chromatic I would probably work on diminished scales because those are those are always fun and they're also they're good for the brain.

00:43:35.679 --> 00:43:46.000
Also uh just different arpeggios and things like um one of my favorite exercises for chromatic also for diatonic too but is just playing walking bass lines.

00:43:46.320 --> 00:43:59.360
Yeah I think that's a very handy kind of thing because that also ties right in with arpeggios and stuff too so that's yeah that's probably what I would practice if uh if I had to yeah if I had if I had to choose something really quickly, you know.

00:44:00.000 --> 00:44:27.760
That's a tricky question because it's like, oh well I could work on my uh on my drum stuff that I need to work on or I could work on my left hand for my piano you know but you got a lot of instruments there's a lot to practice right yeah see that's the challenging thing is you know it's like I w there's so much stuff on the harp that I I really want to improve on but it's the same thing with the other instruments too but hey you know it it keeps it it keeps it fun it though it really does.

00:44:40.000 --> 00:44:55.119
So because you play multiple instruments and you know on your albums there isn't always harmonica on the song on songs but there are there's plenty of harmonica but yeah you know so what what decisions do you base on which songs to put harmonica on and obviously use different instruments that you play on other songs.

00:44:55.360 --> 00:45:15.599
Yeah no that's a good one yeah because um that's something I've noticed from all of my heroes too like uh uh what Paul Delay for example like there's you know Paul Delay has some epic harmonica solos and recordings and stuff but he also has a handful of songs that have no harmonica on it that I think are equally as good.

00:45:15.840 --> 00:45:26.239
And same you could say the same thing about Curtis and Norton Buffalo and also even William Clark you know he had he had a few songs that he didn't play harp on he would just sing on.

00:45:26.559 --> 00:45:32.800
And to be honest I'm never I'm not totally sure what what makes that decision at the end of the day.

00:45:33.119 --> 00:45:40.960
I just kind of you know sometimes it's like I I write the song first and then we record it and then it's like okay should there be harmonica on there?

00:45:41.199 --> 00:46:11.119
And then sometimes then I also try to you know think realistically too like okay if I'm gonna do this song on stage and I'm already playing with both hands on the keyboard it might be a little tricky to pull out the harmonica here you know so I always I always try to approach it that way it's like okay how much of this can we actually pull off live because that was something I learned a long time ago uh with recording and stuff because I went to school for audio engineering and we you know learned about you know recording and stuff.

00:46:11.360 --> 00:46:24.559
And that was one thing uh somebody mentioned in the class it's like you know yeah you can record you can do a bunch of overdubs and you could re-record this and you know add a bunch of stuff but you want to be able to do something that you could play live.

00:46:24.880 --> 00:46:27.440
And so that's yeah that's what I always try to do.

00:46:27.599 --> 00:46:37.840
But sometimes though man it's like that there'll be a song sometimes it'll be like I don't want any harmonica on this song but then I'll try it and it'll be like oh that actually worked out pretty good.

00:46:38.000 --> 00:46:53.760
Like there's a couple songs that I didn't record harmonica on, but when we play them live I'll play harmonica on, you know, which I know it's a bit inconsistent and kind of annoying for certain listeners, but it's all about being in the moment I guess, you know so uh yeah.

00:46:54.880 --> 00:47:00.960
And then you'll switch from say playing keyboards to you know picking up a harmonic and doing a solo, will you?

00:47:01.199 --> 00:47:02.239
Uh yes, yeah.

00:47:02.320 --> 00:47:07.679
And sometimes what I'll do too is like uh because you know we only have one guitar player in the band.

00:47:07.920 --> 00:47:27.199
So yeah I'll I'll switch to keyboards just you know so that way the guitar player can have something to play along to or sometimes I'll even pull out you know a a a super low-tuned harp and you know put like a little bit of chorus on it or something so that way it it kind of sounds like an organ or some sort of keyboard sound, you know what I mean?

00:47:27.519 --> 00:47:31.920
Yeah well while while we're on that topic let's uh let's jump straight to using pedals.

00:47:32.079 --> 00:47:58.079
So you do use effects quite a bit don't you there's some some nice effects that that I've you know heard you playing on you know you're you're a lone wolf um endorser as well aren't you?

00:47:58.239 --> 00:48:13.360
I I am yeah and um it's funny you say and so I I I do and I don't you know it's like because I I'm one of those guys where if I don't have to set up a bunch of effects and pedals and stuff I I'm totally happy doing that.

00:48:13.599 --> 00:48:27.119
But also at the same time too it's like you know I can't remember who I heard this from but basically it's like if you're playing harmonica all night long, you know three to four hour gigs, you're gonna have to do something to switch up your sound.

00:48:27.280 --> 00:48:33.039
And whether that's you know you switching positions, you know, that's a good way to switch up your sound.

00:48:33.360 --> 00:48:57.039
But you know even then though it's still gonna sound like a harmonica to some degree right so it's like you have to that's why I think uh effects and pedals are really handy because it's like uh well in our in our situation you know we'd we get to do these casino gigs every once in a while and those are like four or five nights in a row and long hours too like nine to one or something like that.

00:48:57.280 --> 00:49:03.840
And so by day three or day four you start to get a little tired of the songs you've been playing.

00:49:04.960 --> 00:49:13.760
So yeah you know whipping out some different effects on one of those songs can help kind of make those songs just keep them interesting.

00:49:14.000 --> 00:49:16.159
And also it keeps you engaged too.

00:49:16.239 --> 00:49:20.719
And also you never know by doing that you might come up with something really cool.

00:49:20.960 --> 00:49:25.599
And you you might come up with something that you know that might be your signature kind of thing.

00:49:26.079 --> 00:49:30.400
My argument with this is guitar players use lots of pedals so you know why shouldn't we use them, right?

00:49:30.480 --> 00:49:35.760
So you know it's a variety of sound isn't it so yeah and I I yeah I agree with that completely.

00:49:35.920 --> 00:49:39.599
Yeah it's just like well they're doing it why can't we do it?

00:49:40.239 --> 00:49:51.760
Yeah absolutely absolutely probably got you know because initially we didn't have lots of pedals built for specifically for harmonica so but now we've got Lone Wolf and other companies doing that then it makes it a bit easy doesn't it?

00:49:52.000 --> 00:49:55.760
So I mean I think you mentioned using an an octave pedal thing there, didn't you?

00:49:55.840 --> 00:50:05.199
So that's one thing you like to use what to sort of fatten up the sound and get that sort of organ sound out of it is uh something you and and some delay uh you use as well any other particular effects you're using?

00:50:05.440 --> 00:50:12.320
Um on occasion I like to use I'll use a phaser but like that is just like for like one song or something.

00:50:12.400 --> 00:50:16.960
It's usually like something more like in the funky or kind of rock kind of vein.

00:50:17.119 --> 00:50:27.599
You know, just because like I said I'm trying to I want it to sound like a harmonica but I also want it to sound like something slightly different somewhere between like the organ you're saying and somewhere between a guitar.

00:50:27.760 --> 00:50:41.119
I think yeah so a phaser uh I use chorus on occasion also I'd love to experiment with uh you know like an envelope filter or like an Ottawa kind of situation but I haven't found a good one that I like yet.

00:50:41.440 --> 00:50:44.960
Well we'll jump back now to talk about the harmonics that you use so you're a Honer endorser.

00:50:45.199 --> 00:50:46.719
Correct yeah so you're playing Honers.

00:50:47.280 --> 00:50:52.079
I mean starting chromatic wise I think you're playing is it a 14 hole chromatic you normally play?

00:50:52.320 --> 00:51:15.440
I've got a 14 hole um recently though I've been using been using the pink CX12 um I picked one up when I was in Germany and I've always been a big fan of the CX12 then the the the pink one came out I just had to get one of those um so but yeah no it's it's a similar I haven't seen the pink one is a is this pink one supposed to be a particular genre or is it just the color?

00:51:15.760 --> 00:51:18.159
It's just the color it's for uh breast cancer awareness.

00:51:18.480 --> 00:51:23.440
Oh okay yeah which is that that's you know I'm all all for that so that's that's cool that they did that.

00:51:23.840 --> 00:51:45.119
Great so you're playing twelve hole yes right yeah and I like I do like a fourteen hole for certain songs, you know, and uh also certain keys like you know if you're playing uh in the key of A or key of G, that fourteen hole is really handy because that the bottom hole, you know, hole number one, that's you know could either could be the root note for either though either of those keys you know.

00:51:45.440 --> 00:51:47.840
Can you switch these between the 12 and 14?

00:51:48.320 --> 00:52:04.400
Um yeah I do yeah sometimes yes I think that's always a challenge with chromatic when you change the number of holes particularly with fourteen I've never actually tried the fourteen but yeah I find it a bit confusing to switch between the two yeah anyway what about uh what about your diatonics of choice?

00:52:04.800 --> 00:52:34.159
You know nowadays uh I like the marine band deluxe probably if I had to pick a number one favorite probably be the marine band deluxe but I also really like the crossover and I really like the rocket too because I always thought the special twenty was a very solid model you know and that's the one I always suggest to uh you know new students or people that are getting started on harmonica because it's just it's very solid you know and so I like the rocket because it's like a better version of that you know it's a deluxe version.

00:52:34.320 --> 00:52:41.119
Yeah I mean like they they should call it the special twenty deluxe really but I also like the vented cover plates on there.

00:52:41.199 --> 00:52:47.039
I think it makes it a little brighter and snappier and uh just easier to play for me, you know?

00:52:47.280 --> 00:52:58.320
But I also still have a bunch of regular marine bands in my box too, you know and I also I've got a couple marine bands and crossovers with custom combs too so yeah.

00:52:58.639 --> 00:53:06.639
Cool and uh as to your emboucher uh what what do you like to I think you use a bit of tongue block amputer and you're an upside down player I understand.

00:53:06.960 --> 00:53:27.920
I am yeah I'm not proud of that but uh was that just by accident then when you started out or yeah no eight years old and I didn't know any better and uh actually Honer one of the many things I'm grateful for Honer for is that Honer actually helped me realize I was playing upside down because I was playing in front of a mirror and I see that Honer is written back.

00:53:28.079 --> 00:53:29.280
I was like huh that's weird.

00:53:29.440 --> 00:53:41.119
I turned the harmonica over oh there's numbers on this huh see I didn't even know the holes were numbered for a long time so yeah yeah so yeah I play upside down.

00:53:41.360 --> 00:53:45.119
I've tried to correct it but I I can't it just feels too weird for me.

00:53:45.199 --> 00:53:48.079
But yeah I play most Sonny Terry was an upside down player.

00:53:48.480 --> 00:54:22.960
Yes Sonny Terry uh William Clark also Paul Butterfield um there's several of them actually in good company yeah you're in good company's any particular advantage or difference or is it just the way you start and you know I personally I haven't found one I've had other people say to me something to the effect of oh well like you you can get more of a meatier kind of sound out of that or like a beefier sound because of you know the way you're holding it and I'm not sure if that's true or not because I mean you've I'm sure you've seen this before too.

00:54:23.039 --> 00:54:28.639
It's like I don't know it's just like everybody's different and it almost it some of it doesn't matter.

00:54:28.719 --> 00:54:36.719
I mean like I mean I think of like Annie Rains for example has smaller hands but has really huge huge tone.

00:54:36.880 --> 00:54:40.719
You know and there's other examples of that kind of player out there too.

00:54:40.800 --> 00:54:54.079
It's like they may be kind of you know may have smaller hands and may be a smaller person but they still can get that really big sound you know and so yeah I don't know if anybody out there has anything to offer on this please let me know.

00:54:54.239 --> 00:54:59.519
But yeah I I'm with you on this I have no idea if it it if it's an advantage or not.

00:54:59.679 --> 00:55:03.519
So and what about your um some mics what do you like to use?

00:55:03.920 --> 00:55:22.159
Yeah um whatever's available uh no uh my amp of choice for the last several years has been it's a rolling cube the 80GX it's called but it's an 80 watt solid state amp but it reacts kind of close to what a tube amp, how they react.

00:55:22.480 --> 00:55:36.960
What I like about it is that it's plenty loud and it breaks up nicely because you know you have a master volume and you have a regular volume on it so if you need to dial in some extra dirt or distortion you just run your volume a little bit hotter than the master.

00:55:37.199 --> 00:55:42.559
And uh yeah it's got plenty of bass and most microphones sound pretty good through it.

00:55:42.960 --> 00:55:47.039
So yeah I've I've always had good luck with that one because it's so loud.

00:55:47.119 --> 00:55:53.840
And also it has all the effects on board that I need you know it's got the octave it's got the chorus it's got the delay.

00:55:54.159 --> 00:56:06.239
So and sometimes what I'll do like if we're playing at a festival and they have back line amps I'll go line out from the cube into like say a basement or a twin or like a super reverb.

00:56:06.400 --> 00:56:07.679
You know it's very handy.

00:56:07.760 --> 00:56:14.960
I've I've had very uh you know knock on wood I've had very good luck with it and it's it holds its own pretty well for a small amp.

00:56:15.199 --> 00:56:30.960
And I think you use the bulletini mic are you using it with that amp then yeah yeah I use the bulletini I also have a a brown bullet uh like the smaller shell you know sure brown bullet and that has a human element in it also so it's the same element as the bulletini.

00:56:31.119 --> 00:56:48.159
I've also I just got this other mic um from a guy named Stefan Gentz in Germany gave me this mic called the SPK looks like it was made in partnership with Brendan Power I think but it's a dynamic element and it's really beefy and I like it so far.

00:56:48.239 --> 00:56:50.639
I've only played it on a couple gigs but it's really cool.

00:56:50.880 --> 00:56:54.159
Yeah and I've got a I'm you know I love microphones.

00:56:54.400 --> 00:56:57.519
So I mean I go through different phases of mics.

00:56:57.679 --> 00:57:04.159
You know I've got a couple of crystal mics that I use on occasion too but yeah it's you can never have too many microphones.

00:57:04.719 --> 00:57:17.840
Definitely not definitely not so yeah just final question then Hank just what your future plans what you got coming up yeah um well it's a little quiet now because it's the holiday season but we're hoping to keep doing some more festivals.

00:57:18.000 --> 00:57:27.199
I just got asked to do the Kerrville Folk Festival harmonica workshop um I'm not sure if I'm allowed to announce that yet but um there it is.

00:57:27.599 --> 00:57:29.440
So that's happening in June.

00:57:29.679 --> 00:57:35.519
And then um yeah I just I want to keep doing more of these harmonica workshops and festivals.

00:57:35.599 --> 00:57:44.719
You know I love love performing with the band you know that's my number one priority for sure but I really absolutely love doing harmonica events.

00:57:44.800 --> 00:57:52.960
You know it's like where I I feel like I'm with my people you know I feel like you know I'm in my natural habitat and y you know this.

00:57:53.039 --> 00:57:56.400
It's just it's really special to hang with other harmonica players.

00:57:56.480 --> 00:58:03.760
You know it's like the the friendships and the relationships that you build through those are very special and very profound.

00:58:03.840 --> 00:58:06.079
You know and I just I hope to keep doing those.

00:58:06.960 --> 00:58:09.679
So yes so thanks so much for joining us today Hank Shrewy.

00:58:09.920 --> 00:58:15.679
It's been great to speak to you thank you Neil thank you so much once again thanks to Zidle for sponsoring the podcast.

00:58:16.000 --> 00:58:25.920
Be sure to check out the great range of harmonicas and products at www.zydle1847.com or on Facebook or Instagram at Zidylharmonicas.

00:58:26.559 --> 00:58:28.079
Thanks to Hank for joining me today.

00:58:28.480 --> 00:58:39.599
It is proof that playing multiple instruments can be a real boon to your harmonica playing and remember you can find most of the full tracks from this episode on the Spotify playlist which is linked on the podcast show notes.

00:58:40.480 --> 00:59:00.480
Thanks to you all for listening again and I'll sign off now with a song from Hank's That Way album this is Who Do you know what I'm saying?