OK first, let’s get the business of this week’s story out of the way. There is a very special musical and cultural event happening at Thomas Family Winery on Friday, June 13th, from 6 to 9PM. It’s titled “A Payne Hollow Homecoming: Celebrated in Music, Art, Storytelling & Fellowship!” There will be a one-time only performance by The Payne Hollow Ramblers, featuring Paul Hassfurder & Jon Sebree, with special guests including Jimmy Davis & Creedence Cooper.
So having read the above, you may or may not have a number of questions, depending on your knowledge of local lore and how long you’ve lived in Madison. What is Payne Hollow? Who is Paul Hassfurder and Jon Sebree? And why the special homecoming? Let’s take them one at a time.
Payne Hollow is a location downriver from Madison, on the Kentucky side, roughly across from the ill-fated Marble Hill plant, where Harlan Hubbard and his wife Anna lived for over 30 years. Their lives and Harlan’s writing and painting had a profound influence on so many people, it’s really too much to tackle in this little article. I strongly suggest you Google “Harlan Hubbard” for yourself if you don’t already know his story.
Anyway, Harlan and Anna had a lot of friends and supporters in this area, including the grandparents of Jon Sebree and a young artist named Paul Hassfurder. These two men met and formed a friendship through this association, and in fact, when Harlan died, he left the Payne Hollow property to Paul, who lived there and cared for it for many years.
Why a special homecoming, and why now? Well, as it happens Paul has had some health issues, and Jon has been living out in the Portland, WA area for the last 25 years, and they’d lost touch, as often happens. But when Jon was back in Madison recently, he reconnected with Paul and resolved to “get the band back together”, in a manner of speaking.
“Paul and I are about a generation apart in age,” explains Jon, “but we have a lot in common. We’re both artists, we’re both musicians, and we both have the strong Harlan Hubbard connection, which can kind of set the tone for your life’s philosophy. So when I saw Paul again back in May, our friend Patti Cooper Wells suggested maybe we should get together and celebrate.
“The main focus of the event at Thomas Family is a kind of tribute to Paul and his artistic influence in the community over his lifetime. He was in a number of bands over the years, most notably the Hair Farmers with Tim Ping and Charles Cupp. And his commitment to public art and sculpture resonates in Madison to this day.
“We’re hoping to create a kind of immersive, full sensory experience at the Friday event, with sounds, sights, touch, taste and smell. The musical group will include 3 guitars, mandolin, harmonica, and an ensemble of hand percussion. In fact, we intend to hand out some instruments to the audience so they can play along. Paul will lead the band playing his steel drum.
“If it all sounds a little loose and unstructured, then you’re picking up the exact vibe we are hoping for. We are gonna go with the flow and see where the spirit takes us! Plus there will be some paintings by me and Paul, as well as some of Patti’s artwork on display. If spontaneity and creativity on the fly sounds interesting to you, then Friday at Thomas Family Winery is the place to be. We hope you’ll join us as we celebrate the life’s work of Paul Hassfurder and his enduring contribution to this town.”
HOT TIP OF THE WEEK:
The absolute breadth and depth of the weekly music calendar continues to astound me this year. I’ve been doing this for 8 years now (and been part of the music scene long before this) and it’s never been so full of great live music opportunities. A few shows jump out at me … there’s something about Hippie Fingers on the patio at Riverboat Inn that just feels amazing every time I see them there. Also on Friday you should check out Robert Reynolds playing the lunch concert at the Broadway Fountain. On Saturday I highly recommend Electric Blue Yonder at Red Bicycle Hall. I saw them last year at Acree Alley and they are simply spellbinding. Also Saturday I’m intrigued by a couple of new names on the calendar, Chris Canas Band at Timeless Live on Main Street, and Hank’s Last Ride at Tailgators on the hilltop. And then Sunday, you can literally never go wrong with Joe & Deano at Rivertown Grill. I saw them last week at the Drake and they were just as crisp and entertaining as ever. Get out there and enjoy!
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