Album Notes

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They were raised in a orphanage in Presto, Pennsylvania.
"The John Brown Home for Contrite Boys". This home was for wayward boys that wished to turn over a new leaf in life. In the sad case of The Hannies they were all young boys and ruffians..picked up by the police for a mixed bag of petty crimes and living on the streets. The charges against them ranged from stealing chickens to defacing U.S.currency . Another odd aspect of the lads is that they have no last name.
They each arrived at the John Brown Home with no birth records or any idea of their last names.
Never-the-less, from the start all of the boys had a bond... and that has developed into a brotherhood.

The name "The Hannies" is a name they all took, out of respect for a fry cook in a small eatery near the John Brown Home. His name was "Slappy Hannie " .
He was the first person to see the talent in

"WORKS HANNIE" ( the oldest ).

After his shift "Slappy" would take "Works " out back and show him chords on a old guitar he had. This to was to be pivotal in the development of "Works " guitar style. Slappys guitar had only 4 strings on it, so "Works " was destined to become the "Master of the 4-string guitar". A trade mark of "The Hannies ".

SILVAIN HANNIE

"Silvain Hannie" (Drums, percussion) His story starts off with his being left at the door of the Slingerland Drum Company in Chicago IL. There he was found and taken in by a street person by the name of Crazy Jill. Jill was kind but crazy. The night watchman would let Jill and Silvain stay in one of the storage sheds on cold nights. This was Silvains' first exposure to the world of Drums. After the passing of Jill, Silvain was left on his own and soon found himself at the John Brown Home and in a life long Brotherhood.

ATTICUS HANNIE

"Atticus Hannie" His story begins with the "Leach & Dingle Circus". It was crossing the North Atlantic for its yearly European tour aboard the freighter the "S.S. Madame Shick". A fight broke out between Matt "The Egg Sucking Chinchilla Boy" and "First Mate D. McFarb", over two dozen missing duck eggs that were stage props. As the account is told, push came to shove, with dire results. With a quickness that McFarb did not expect the Chinchilla Boy flipped McFard into a steam valve. The 240 pound McFarb crimped the valve off, causing the boiler to over heat and explode. This created a 17 inch hole in the side of the S.S. Madame Shick. It was sent to the deep in 28 minutes. Of the 19 man crew and 140 Circus performers, only 60 were alive when the rescue ships arrived. Among those rescued was a 7 year old boy found floating in a box marked "Bombay". In the box along with the boy was three stringed instruments: a Banjo , Oiud and a Sitar. After arriving back in the U.S., Atticus and his instruments were placed in the John Brown Home were a love of music and performing soon had him becoming fast friends with Silvain. As a member of the Hannies, Atticus brings to the band a exotic style of string play, the perfect counter-point to Works Hannie.

WOUDEN HANNIE

"Wouden Hannie" (bass guitar) the second oldest of the Hannies learned his instrument while at sea serving as cabin-boy in the Albanian navy . Between duties he would climb up in the ships rigging and pluck the lines that controlled the sails. He loved the deep sound they made . One day as he was playing the ships lines he lost his footing and was lost at sea . Soon he found himself washed up on the Texas shore. The rest is history.

LEVITICUS HANNIE

"Leviticus Hannie " (rhythm guitar) is the quiet one of the band. In fact he has only spoken 4 words in his life all of them being "yes yes". But his deep friendship with "Works " soon had him playing guitar with the best of them.

LITTLE EMIL HANNIE

The last and youngest member of The Hannies is "Little Emil" (chip tooth) Hannie" (Jaw-Harp and Gong).
When people meet Little Emil he is the life of the party, the bands funny man. Stolen by Gypsy's and with them until the age of eleven. He was arrested after being caught stealing chickens. Upon his arrest the Gypsys disavowed any knowledge of him. He was placed in the John Brown Home where his youth and good humor soon had him playing in the band.