Album Notes

Hank has been writing and playing music as long as he can remember. Starting on drums at an early age, he soon learned the guitar was more portable and, frankly, "chicks dig guitar players. It's hard to serenade a woman with a 7-piece drum kit." A multitude of musical influences have shaped his sound since then. Everything from Rush to Johnny Cash, Pink Floyd to the Dixie Chicks and Iron Maiden to Abba. "If I like a song, I like it. Period," says Hank. "rock or country or pop or metal or Aztec Indian folk music. Good is good." Hank often tries to turn a song on its head. Whether playing a power ballad with a gentle fingerpick style or pounding out a Brad Paisley love song with the distortion turned up to eleven, Hank is all about change. "If people want to hear Bryan Adams, they're going to turn on Bryan Adams. When people come to my show, they like the familiar songs but they want to hear something a little different too." With all of these influences, it's no wonder his original songs have been compared to everything from Hootie and the Blowfish to John Michael Montgomery. His guitar work, usually played on his custom-made arch-top named "Linus", is simple, rich, and uncluttered leaving more room for his deep and insightful lyrics. "I want to MAKE people listen to the story I'm telling. And when they do, and I see that look on their face that says, 'wow' and I know they get it...well, that's the best feeling in the world." After living for years in Holland and making fans throughout The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and the UK, he released his first solo album, "I'm The One," in 2003. Then, collaborating with lyricist Tim Phillips and bluegrass guru Hans Wolters, he released "Southern Anthem" in 2006. "On A Mission" was recorded and mixed in Freetown, Sierra Leone, in 2010.