- [Voice] Funding for this series has been provided in part by the following.

(cheery music) - Hi, I'm here for my interview.

- I'm Dorian and I use the pronouns he/him.

Are you comfortable sharing how you'd like to be addressed?

- Thank you for asking.

I use they/them pronouns.

(upbeat funky rock) (slow rock music) (instruments tuning) (crowd noise) (blues acoustic guitar) - This is Thunderhead Hawkins, and all them great guys.

(crowd cheering) Delta blues.

I'm a Gemini, you know.

The country boy steps on the stage as two different people.

He ain't fishing tonight, ladies and gentlemen.

He's going to spank the guitar a little bit for you.

♪ Oh, baby where you stay last night ♪ ♪ Oh, baby where'd you stay last night ♪ ♪ You got your hair all matted and you ain't talking right ♪ ♪ I've done nothing but love you but all you've done hurt me ♪ ♪ I've done nothing but love you and all you've done hurt me ♪ ♪ Oh your man friend and liquor have caused me misery ♪ ♪ And if you keep on whoring I'm gonna get my Gatling gun ♪ ♪ If you keep on whoring I'm gonna get my Gatling gun ♪ ♪ I been hurting and crying, but baby now I'm done ♪ ♪ Oh, baby where you stay last night ♪ ♪ Oh, baby where'd you stay last night ♪ ♪ You didn't come home till the sun was shining bright ♪ ♪ Well I tell you right now, boys, I don't take no risks ♪ ♪ Well I tell y'all right now, I don't take no risks ♪ ♪ Not with this .44 Special laying up and down my breast ♪ (crowd cheering) - .44 Special Blues is Robert Johnson.

He called it 32/20 Blues.

And I changed some of the words, because it had some pretty rough stuff in the original one, and I changed all that up.

So it was a collaboration.

But you know, it's all Robert Johnson's song.

But I had to change some lyrics on that one.

(blues rock music) ♪ R.L.

Burnside ♪ Thunderhead Hawkins ♪ I don't know but I have been around ♪ ♪ Tell me them women shake 'em all down ♪ ♪ Yes I'm goin' down that Georgia line ♪ ♪ See if them women sweet like mine ♪ ♪ Sweet like mine ♪ Make her howl ♪ I don't know but I've been told ♪ ♪ Alabama women sweet jelly roll ♪ ♪ Yeah, I don't know ♪ But I have been around ♪ Alabama women, shake 'em on down ♪ ♪ Shake 'em on down ♪ All the way to Mobile ♪ All the way to Birmingham ♪ Shake 'em on down ♪ Yes I'm goin' Alabama line ♪ Montgomery women sweet like mine ♪ ♪ Sweet like mine ♪ Shake 'em on down ♪ Sweet like mine ♪ Sweet like mine ♪ Uh huh - Alright Kenny.

(crowd cheering) Delta blues, which is exactly where Hank Sr. learned his music from, a street singer by the name of Rufus Payne, his street name was Tee Tot.

And Daddy got his lessons when he was about 11 from him.

That changed the world, when Rufus Payne taught Hiram Williams.

Oh boy, here comes the "Lovesick Blues".

Here comes "Move It On Over", here comes all of it.

- Growing up, I listened to Hank Sr.

I knew all his songs, my dad played all those records.

And then especially when I moved to Nashville, I started to get hip to some of the seventies Hank records and the eighties Hank records.

And you know, you can feel his genuine love for the music and for the culture.

And he just loves talking about the records that inspired him.

It's pretty cool.

It's a great energy to be around.

- I've got everybody.

They come in town to record, whether it's Fats Domino, or it's Elvis Presley, or it's Johnny Cash, or it's Ray Charles.

And guess where they end up?

At Mom and Daddy's house down here.

And I'm picking up a few pointers.

Yeah, pretty good teachers, ladies and gentlemen.

Pretty good, pretty good.

Mr. Domino was special.

Yeah, he said, you know, I had a number one on "Jambalaya" and a crawfish pie, and I had another one on "Cheating Heart", so.

♪ Do, do, do do.

I got my lessons.

I got some real special lessons.

(blues rock music) ♪ You know my starter won't start this mornin' ♪ ♪ You know my motor won't even turn ♪ ♪ You know my starter won't start this mornin' ♪ ♪ My motor won't even turn ♪ I've been runnin' with a fast class of women ♪ ♪ Caused my little car to ruin ♪ My starter won't start this mornin' ♪ ♪ Somethin' must be wrong with my machine ♪ ♪ My starter won't start this mornin' ♪ ♪ Somethin' must be wrong with my machine ♪ ♪ Mechanic said, "Son the car's alright ♪ ♪ You've been burnin' cheap gasoline" ♪ ♪ Yes, I have ♪ Well my starter won't start this mornin' ♪ ♪ My carburetor must be stuck ♪ My starter won't start this mornin' ♪ ♪ My carburetor must be stuck ♪ Thunderhead, your Cadillac ain't goin' nowhere ♪ ♪ You gon' have to ride the bus ♪ ♪ Well, I can do that too ♪ Starter won't start this mornin' ♪ ♪ My motor won't even turn ♪ My starter won't start this mornin' ♪ ♪ No, my motor won't even turn ♪ I've been runnin' with a fast class of women ♪ ♪ Caused my Cadillac to ruin ♪ You know that does happen (crowd cheering) ♪ Got to slow down sometime - Ken Levitan called.

He said, hey, you know, Dan wants to get with you, and you know he loves the same stuff that you love, and he wants to do this?

And I said, huh?

I said, man, I don't know about that.

You know, who's gonna care about a bunch of old blue songs?

- I thought, why not, you know?

I mean he's just the absolute legend.

- Well, I didn't really know, until I saw some of these guitars in here, you know?

And then I learned about his history, you know.

And then I thought, oh wait a minute, he sounds just like me.

He eats up this Delta blues stuff, that's what he loves to do.

And that's how it came together, two peas in a pod.

- I didn't meet him until the first day of recording, and I didn't talk to him.

And we were all sitting in the control room, and the back door's right there.

And he walked in the back door, and it was me and Kenny Kimbro and Kenny Brown, and Eric Deaton and Alan, my engineer.

We were all sitting in there.

He walks in the back door and he looks right at me, and he just says, I don't really feel like right now.

And then he walks into here, and lights up a cigar, and that was it.

That was the first time we met him.

- We have a saying here, ABC, always be f-ing recording.

And that was sort of rule number one, because we never knew how much of Hank we were gonna get.

And it had to be capturing all the time, because if I missed something, that might be the only performance we got out of Hank.

So I feel like that's kind of, you know, my first job.

In this room, especially on a session like that, 'cause there might not be a second take.

And then from there, just capturing the moment, you know, making sure that it sounds inspiring, the same way it feels inspiring if you walk out here and hear the guitars, and hear the drums and hear Hank hollering from the other room.

So I think just being able to quickly and easily capture the magic that's happening.

You know, right here.

- First day he was smiling, then I'd bring in another song, and all right, where'd that come from?

Then his smile get a little bigger and then, yeah, worked out good.

And the other guys, of course, we gelled quickly.

Say, well let's go up a half a step here.

Let's put a capo on.

Let's do this here, let's go up here and do this.

Drop it down and go up.

I get over there in piano and guitar, whatever.

Let's do it like this.

This feels right.

Boom, we did it.

That's how it went down.

Kinda like turning on a water hose.

We flowed.

(blues music) ♪ One, a two, a one two three ♪ You don't know me, baby ♪ Likes I knows myself ♪ If you don't want me, baby ♪ Get you someone else ♪ But you better get some insurance on me, baby ♪ ♪ Take out some insurance on me, baby ♪ ♪ 'Cause if you ever say goodbye ♪ ♪ I'm gon' haul right off and die ♪ ♪ Darlin', how I loves you ♪ Long as I got breath ♪ If we part, I know, sweetheart ♪ ♪ It would worry me to death ♪ You better get some insurance on me, baby ♪ ♪ Take out some insurance on me, baby ♪ ♪ 'Cause if you ever say goodbye ♪ ♪ I'ma haul right off and die - Yeah brother, Thunderhead Hawkins.

♪ Don't get sick, an accident ♪ I'm healthy as I can be ♪ If you got a lick of sense ♪ Get payin' life on me ♪ You better get some insurance on me, baby ♪ ♪ Take out some insurance on me, baby ♪ ♪ 'Cause if you ever say goodbye ♪ ♪ I'm gon' haul right off and die ♪ ♪ I get me another woman ♪ Go on, take off ♪ You ain't gon' spend my life insurance on some (censored) ♪ ♪ I got me a fine vixen ♪ You ain't gon' get a hot-damn penny ♪ ♪ Mess with ole Thunderhead's heart ♪ ♪ I ain't gon' be around here cryin' over you ♪ ♪ I go down to Huntsville ♪ And get me some of that rocket (censored) ♪ (crowd cheering) - I'm maybe 12, 13.

So I'm down here at the Hippodrome, and there's a man named Fats Domino up there on the stage, and I'm at that show.

Mm hm, never forget it.

Picking up pointers, picking up pointers.

"Rich White Honky", which is about all those guys teaching me.

And the inspiration came from a gentleman that I met named Fred Sanford, Red Fox.

And he, you know, he'd be arguing with Lamont, what you hanging out with all them rich white honkys for?

That's where the idea came from.

I love that man.

You going up, you're down going in or round and round.

(fast paced blues music) This is the little song I wrote about yours truly.

♪ I'm a rich white honky ♪ But I know how to play the blues ♪ ♪ I'm a rich white honky ♪ But I know how to play the blues ♪ ♪ 'Cause all these gold digging women ♪ ♪ Have broke my heart in two ♪ I had a fine loving woman ♪ Made my heart fly so high ♪ She could do things with her (censored) ♪ ♪ Woo, have mercy, she could ride ♪ ♪ Then she shut me out and left me ♪ ♪ Now I'm so lonesome, I could cry ♪ - You know that man, Hank Williams?

He knew what he was talking about She broke Thunderhead's heart all to pieces.

♪ I was raised on Bo Diddley ♪ Jimmy Reed and Bobby Blue ♪ I hung out with Lightnin' Hopkins ♪ ♪ John Lee Hooker just to name a few ♪ ♪ I'm gon' tell you 'bout Robert Johnson ♪ ♪ Everything he said was true ♪ Hey, I'm a rich white honky ♪ But I know how to play the blues ♪ ♪ I'm a rich white honky ♪ But I know how to play the blues ♪ ♪ All these cold-hearted women ♪ Have broke my heart in two - You learn fast little white boy.

(crowd cheering) This Ain't Hank Williams Jr, ladies and gentlemen, this is Thunderhead Hawkins.

Don't get 'em confused.

This is pure Thunderhead Hawkins, mm hm.

♪ His name is Thunderhead.

♪ 'Cause he fell off that mountainside ♪ 530 feet and 17 operations.

That's where Thunderhead came from.

Like the doctor out there said, look, you've been left here to do something.

And that was a long time ago.

You're laying up there and you think you're not gonna live and you're 26 years old.

Yeah, it changes all of that.

Hey, everything gonna be okay, don't worry about it.

Oh, well, you might be be late for the show- so what?

You know, what about the- it don't matter.

Is there something wrong with the amp?

Yeah, so I can play without it.

Y'all can leave and I'll sit out here with the acoustic and I'm gonna do my little Thunderhead thing.

(blues rock music) That sound pretty good.

I think Thunderhead's gonna like this.

♪ I don't want no woman ♪ If her hair ain't no longer than mine ♪ ♪ I don't want no woman ♪ If her hair ain't no longer than mine ♪ ♪ You know she ain't nothing but nothing and misery ♪ ♪ She keep you burning, wrapped all the time ♪ ♪ Nothing but misery ♪ I took my wife to the hairdresser ♪ ♪ And this is what the hairdresser said ♪ ♪ I took my wife to the hairdresser ♪ ♪ And this is what the hairdresser said ♪ ♪ Mr. Hawkins, I can't dress this woman's hair ♪ ♪ But God knows, I can grease her head ♪ ♪ Thunderhead might like that ♪ I took my girl out one night ♪ Said baby, let's have some fun ♪ ♪ I took my girl out one night ♪ Said baby, let's have some fun ♪ ♪ That mama took her hair down ♪ Looked like a rats fell out of her head ♪ ♪ Looks like people running from a burning barn ♪ ♪ They was running everywhere ♪ Rock me, baby - South Alabama honky tonk.

Thunderhead Hawkins in person.

♪ I don't want no woman ♪ If her hair ain't no longer than mine ♪ ♪ No, I don't want no woman ♪ If her hair ain't no longer than mine ♪ ♪ Make you feel so bad, first time you find out ♪ ♪ She gotta another gal that keeps her satisfied ♪ ♪ Have mercy, Lord - You know, you run into that more and more and more.

(crowd cheering) - That's a beautiful song.

That was Lightning Hopkins.

It's just beautiful.

I don't want no woman if her hair ain't no longer than mine.

And you know, I took my wife to the hairdresser.

It's funny, it's good.

It's just one of those songs that you just really, really love doing, you know.

(driving blues rock) Now talk to me.

♪ And you never blow the whistle ♪ ♪ Fireman ring the bell ♪ And you never blow the whistle ♪ ♪ Fireman, he ring the bell ♪ Lord, I did not have time ♪ To tell my baby fare thee well ♪ ♪ I told my baby before she left that town ♪ ♪ I told my baby before she left that town ♪ ♪ Don't you let nobody tear my playpen down ♪ - I'll get you a chastity belt, whatever the (censored) that is.

♪ Yeah, if that rebel was a whiskey and I was a diamond dove ♪ ♪ Yeah, if that rebel was a whiskey and I was a diamond dove ♪ ♪ Go down to the bottom, never would I come up, woo ♪ ♪ I spent 90 days in jail man, my face turned on the wall ♪ ♪ I spent 90 days in jail man, my face turned on the wall ♪ ♪ All I could hear was my baby call ♪ - Get out of there Thunderhead, I got some love cake for you, baby.

I sure like sugar.

♪ His name is Thunderhead ♪ 'Cause he fell off that mountainside ♪ (crowd cheering) - All these guys that I'm singing about?

You know, this isn't a fantasy.

I knew all these guys.

So when I'm talking about Bo Didley and John Lee Hooker, who I made some other records with on my album, B.B.

King, Johnny Cash.

I had a cannon and he would come over and we would load it.

This is a real Civil War cannon, and we'd shoot it.

And he loved that, and I loved that.

My next door neighbors didn't like it, but we loved it.

And we dug up a lot of stuff with a metal detector together.

(rock blues music) Now this song is about a fine old girlfriend I used to have, but she wasn't exactly old.

♪ Rock me babe, rock me all night long ♪ ♪ Rock me baby, rock me all night long ♪ ♪ I want you to bend your back darling ♪ ♪ Like your back ain't got no bones ♪ ♪ See me comin' ♪ Go get your rocking chair ♪ See me comin' baby ♪ Go get your loving chair ♪ You know I ain't no stranger ♪ Thunderhead used to live over here ♪ ♪ She had some of that Cadillac (censored) ♪ ♪ Rock me baby, one time before you go ♪ ♪ Rock me baby, one time before you go ♪ ♪ You know I likes it fast ♪ And I sure do loves it slow ♪ Rock me baby, rock me all night long ♪ ♪ Rock me baby, rock me all night long ♪ ♪ I want you to bend your back darling ♪ ♪ Like your back ain't got no bones ♪ (crowd cheering) - A lot of people have preconceived notions of who he is, what he is, what he's like.

And we had a great time for three days, and never had an argument.

Never talked politics.

We're just like having fun, playing these songs that we love.

It's like, I don't know, my knowledge of being around Hank is very limited.

But you know, the little amount that I have, it's just all really great memories to be honest.

- I do my thing from the hot months, it starts getting to be fall, the guitar goes in the case.

And then that comes out.

And the way I was raised with granddaddy, and all those good times cooking out and pig in the ground and beer and all that stuff.

It's all real.

But I've written a lot of songs sitting in a fishing boat, duck blind.

So you know, you can't turn this off.

(fast paced blues rock) Who knows, who knows whats next.

♪ I was in my bed sleeping ♪ Oh boy, what a dream ♪ I was in my bed sleeping ♪ Oh boy, what a dream ♪ I was dreaming 'bout my TV mama ♪ ♪ The one with the big wide screen ♪ ♪ She got great big eyes and little bitty feet ♪ ♪ And in the waist, woo, she's so nice and neat ♪ ♪ She's my TV mama ♪ One with a big wide screen ♪ Every time that woman love me ♪ ♪ Man, she sure makes me (censored) ♪ ♪ I mean like a milkshake, now ♪ She tastes just like candy ♪ Boys, I really go for sweet ♪ I love her from head down to her little bitty feets ♪ ♪ She's my TV mama ♪ One with a big fine screen - I must be having one of them (censored) dreams.

♪ I've been rolling and tumbling ♪ ♪ Talking all out of my head ♪ I've been rolling and tumbling ♪ ♪ Talking all out of my head ♪ And when my baby shook me ♪ Man, I fell right out the bed ♪ ♪ TV mama, one with a big fine screen ♪ ♪ She's my TV mama ♪ One with a big wide screen ♪ Every time she loves me ♪ Man she makes me (censored) (crowd cheering) (drum soloing) - All right Kenny.

How 'bout that?

"TV Mama", that was a fella by the name of Big Joe Turner, about 1948.

And he was pretty good on guitar.

That's where that came from.

So old Thunderhead just kinda adapted it a little bit.

And him and Dan and the Mississippi band made it ours.

(crowd cheering) ♪ His name is Thunderhead ♪ 'Cause he fell off that mountainside ♪ It's all real, check it out sometimes.

You might like that, it might make you smile.

You might have a real, real good time.

Now, Thunderhead's gonna have to get outta here and go get his beauty rest.

'Cause I gotta do all these (censored) interviews tomorrow about this thing.

(crowd laughing) Bye.

(crowd cheering) - When I'm off?

(imitating wind) Gone, and I'll be back home in my chair, having a hot dog, watching the Three Stooges.

Great way to go to bed.

(driving blues rock) ♪ And you never blow the whistle ♪ ♪ Fireman ring the bell ♪ And you never blow the whistle ♪ ♪ Fireman, he ring the bell ♪ Lord, I did not have time ♪ To tell my baby fare thee well ♪ - [Voice] Funding for this series has been provided in part by the following.

(upbeat funky music) (cheery music) - Hi, I'm here for my interview.

- I'm Dorian, and I use the pronouns he/him.

Are you comfortable sharing how you'd like to be addressed?

- Thank you for asking.

I use they/them pronouns.

(acoustic guitar) (uplifting music)