Hannah and Storie: A generation of blues and rock
YORKTOWN, INDIANA – Singer and motorcyclist Mark Hannah was talking to his lifelong friend Carl Storie the other day while having breakfast at McDonalds.
The two caught up on friends and family and Hannah wanted to tell the former Faith Band leader about the new website promoting their CD Planet Blues.
The album, with other musical friends, Dane Clark and Troye Kinnett, who play for John Mellencamp’s band now on tour, is a mix of original songs with remade hits known as easy going blues.
Clark, who has his own band says, Hannah and Storie together have that great “sandpaper and syrup” sound with Mark’s raw and raucous blues shouting complemented perfectly with Carl’s smoother, mellower sound. Guitarist Sandy Williams and bass man Dave Roe add to that instinctive sound.
Hannah has spent a lifetime in the music industry, recalling who Storie who tried out for the Chosen Few, later was lead singer for The Faith Band in the 1970s that had that classic “Dancin Shoes” Storie is now in Texas playing with the Markie Z Band.
The two grew up in Yorktown, and sang together at the old Hullabaloo on Ind. 32 before Storie took to the road, and Hannah turned to motorcycles, flying and other pursuits.
Music always has been part of Hannah’s life whether singing, traveling with Mellencamp’s band or doing his own music with Storie. Clark recalled that earlier effort that produced Living in the Red that was released a few years ago. And the group recorded enough new music for another CD that could be released soon.
While the music was recorded locally, it was mixed in Nashville, where Hannah’s voice is well known.
Among the original songs like “Another Lonely Night” and “Black Eyed Dog” tell those classic blues stories of love and life that are so popular in blues music.
Clark, who helped produce the CD, said the original songs were in that classic Sam and Dave sound but more modern.
It was great to see Hannah and Storie together two years ago when Storie played at a parking lot party at Timbers. It was that time the two brought other together to make Planet Blues.
Hannah said blues was the basis of lots of big rock acts in the 1960s when singer Jimi Hendrix and The Who came to Muncie.
And that great sound with a great band produces that same vibe Hannah recalls during the early days at the Hullabaloo.
-Rick Yencer