After two years, countless studio hours, endless fundraising and plenty of perseverance, Tucson singer-songwriter Hans Hutchison has released his second album, Heart Gone Astray. The result was pure success. Don’t let the iTunes genre fool you — this 10-track album is far from today’s concept of country music.
“Country could mean Garth Brooks, it could mean new 99.5 (FM) country, which I’m not so into,” Hutchison said.
“I like older Hank Williams and Johnny Cash and that genre they’re calling Western.”
He also draws on his southwestern roots with killer acoustics, giving this album an ‘old-school cowboy meets John Mayer’ feel.
Growing up so close to the border, Hutchison also embraced the Spanish language and the culture behind it. Songs like “Siete” and “Atardecer” are both instrumental-only, but give the listener a sense of life in the desert by combining the strum of the acoustic guitar with the cry of the violin. The Sonoran feel is unmistakable.
Hutchison describes his first album, 114, as being an escape from Tucson with an island, beach-vibe. For Heart Gone Astray, Hutchison wanted to take listeners back to Tucson for an album representative of his hometown and life in the southwest.
His music career began at the age of 8 when he picked up his first guitar. Hutchison recalls his father having a collection of them hanging on the wall.
“I picked one up when I was little and I just loved it, I’d play for hours,” Hutchison said.
The new album hit iTunes on July 3 but a release party was held Saturday at Cafe Passé on 4th Avenue. Hutchison played through the entire album on an outdoor stage he built just for the event.
Cafe Passé also unveiled its outdoor bar Saturday and the house was packed. Fans lined up to greet Hutchison and to have their freshly purchased copy of the album signed by the man himself.
For Hutchison, the love and support is his biggest reward.
“You continue to do things that get you praise from your friends and family and make you feel like in that genre, that you’re doing alright and that’s how I feel,” Hutchison said.
The support Hutchison has received from the community is undeniable. After asking for $4000 in “kick-starter pledges,” Hutchison received almost $7000. A private kick-starter party was held the Saturday before the release party, where donators received a sneak peak concert of the album.
Despite his status as a local celebrity, Hutchison isn’t looking to go on the road for weeks at a time.
“I want to play festivals. I don’t want to tour — I’m too old to tour. None of us guys want to get in a stinky van with a bunch of people and go make no money,” Hutchison said.
“With festivals, you actually get paid, you get to chill out V.I.P, you get to meet a bunch of people and just have fun.”
Hutchison has already begun writing new songs and is ready for another album. Fans can expect fresh tunes by the 2013 holiday season. Keep up on the local’s latest at HansHutchison.com.
