Captain T (Tom Hunnicutt): Press

THE ARKANSAS YEARS
Captain “T”
White Swan Records

Tom Hunnicutt, alias Captain “T”, is a retired Marine Corps officer from Opposition, Arkansas and an absolute natural when it comes to writing and recording genuine country songs with a folksy slant. Once again I have Georgia’s Richard Streeter to thank for introducing me to Captain “T” and his unique brand of homely music.

After more than forty years as a country music writer, among other things, I still get a thrill out of discovering hitherto unknown artists and the state of Arkansas seems to have an abundance of them. Richard mailed me three Captain “T” CDs a while back and I gather that there are more to come but for the time being I shall concentrate on Volume 5, which features some of the prettiest mandolin fills and runs and masterful fiddle passages (Tim Crouch) I have heard in years. This isn’t a Bluegrass album perse, even though the 5-string banjo cuts in from time to time, but it does represent old-time acoustic American country music at its very best. What makes “The Arkansas Years’ so impressive is that eleven of the twelve songs were written by Tom and recorded at the “Lake Paradise Recording Studio’, Cherokee Village, Arkansas and and Casa de Lewis Studio, Bakersfield, California and the overall resultes are hugely impressive by any standand. The album was co-produced and engineered by Tom Hunnicutt and Ernie Lewis. Lewis also contributes on esonator guitar, fiddle, bass guitar and mandolin and, together with Tim Crouch and Doug Driesel (vocal harmony and sound-effects), these men create a wonderfully natural sound.

The final track, “The Marine’s Hymn”, also know as “The Halls of Montezume” is a widely known traditional melody beautifully interpreted as a Bluegrass instrumental, which rolls along like a fright-train.

In fact, all the uptempo songs heard surge along with a railroad rhythm and the overall effect is greatly aided by Captain “T’s” Mellow jewsharp inserts. One of the artist’s excellent songs, “Mountain View”, is dedicated to the memory and legacy of Jimmy Driftwood. Among the other titles compose by Tom Hunnicutt are “Spring River Eulogy”, “Arkansas”, “Joanie”, “Chasing the Fiddle” and “Little Pony”.

I love ‘em all. I also like Tom,’s voice, with its rustic overtones and easy yodelling breaks. If only Captain “T” could get national distribution for ‘The Arkansas Years’, I have no doubt that he would be up for some kind of Bluegrass award and very healthy sales. I seems that the only method of obtaining this superb CD outside Arkansas is by writing to White Swan Records at PO Box 20, Williford, Arkansas 72482, USA.

MUSIC MAKER REVIEW (October/November 2005) by Bryan Chalker on page 23 in the CD REVIEWS SECTION.

Magnet Publiching Ltd., 28 Gratton Terrace, London NW5, London NW5 4JJ, United

CAPTAIN T (Tom Hunnicutt)
The Hunnicutt Collection
(Volume Five)
The Arkansas Years, - Part One, The Natural State Song
White Swan Records
PO Box 20, Williford, Ark. 72482
TEL. (870)966-4858
Tom Hunnicutt - soketom@centurytel.net
Playing Time - 42:39
Tom Hunnicutt (Captain "T") hails from a small town in northern Arkansas that is only 67 miles from the home of Jimmy Driftwood. It's no wonder that this current "Arkansas Folk Music Ambassador" wrote one of his songs, "Mountain View," to honor the memory of Jimmy and his hometown. In fact, all of Hunnicutt's songs are about Arkansas and his life experiences including service in Vietnam as a Marine. Besides playing guitar and singing, Captain "T" also plays the jaw harp like Driftwood used to do on occasion. For instrumental support, Tom enlisted the inimitable Tim Crouch on guitar, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, and rhythm drum. The Arkansas state champion fiddler fills the country, folk and bluegrass soundscapes with highly accomplished musicality that complements Tom's downhome vocals. The twin fiddles on "Joanie" are perfectly alluring for this slower country number. Doug Driesel also showcases his solid abilities on bass guitar and as the harmony vocalist. A bluegrass arrangement of "The Marines' Hymn" features Ernie Lewis and Kenny Walters.
Captain "T" is interested in getting his music more widely heard, and a couple of his songs ("Spring River Eulogy" and "Chasing The Fiddle") have been featured on Volumes 80 and 81 of the Prime Cuts of Bluegrass samplers. I enjoyed hearing his stories and visualizing this Arkansawyan's images of home. Folks from that region should especially enjoy this minstrel's uplifting statements about the "land of plenty, land of awe" called Arkansas. Hunnicutt is trying to get the State of Arkansas to make "The Natural State Song" the first state song with that image. Jimmy Driftwood's music eventually became marred by over production that included continual snare drumming and slick Nashville harmonies. Hunnicutt wisely keeps his music more minimalist, and it radiates with a nostalgic glow that emphasizes his love of homestead, hearth, family and God. (Joe Ross)

CD REVIEW
COUNTRY MUSIC ROUNDUP MAGAZINE
by
Paul Davis

CAPTAIN “T”
THE ARKANSAS YEARS PART 1
WHITE SWAN RECORDS

Enterprisingly self-produced in a delightful down-home, folk-country genre, the honest Tom Hunnicutt ditties on occasions are unsophisticated, demystifying and candid. I was “all ears” from start to finish. Most of these philosophizing, balladeering-tracks would be comfortable in a country-club or a front porch or a college setting or a folk music dive! With a be-hatted and bearded personality on the front sleeve, this is a modest rootsy endeavour that merits some note for its very unusual somewhat off-beat approach in message, style and repretoire, Tom has a soft-sell and rather outlaw-talent performed in a likeable rural-country manner.

Paul Davis
New Christian Music
PO Box 6207
Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire
LU7 OWQ, England, UK
December 1, 2005

Captain “T”: The Arkansas Years / Part One
White Swan Records

Ein paar Semester oder Wenigstens Wochen Marketing Konnten Tom Hunnicutt sicher nicht schaden. Sein Kunstlername Captain “T”, einschlieBlich der hierzulande ebenso inflationar wie Deppenapostroph gebrauchten GansefuBchen lasst wohl eher auf einen Hiphop-DJ schlieBen, Das Albumcover ist auch nicht die beste Werbung fur den inhalt. Doch die Musik der CD kann wirklich begeistern. Siet mehr als tunfzig Jahren macht Hunnicutt Musik und er hat sehr fruh begonnen. Die Songs seines damaligen idols Gene Autry konnte Hunnicutt schon im Alter von sieben Jahren nachsingen. Heute klingt Hunnicutts Stimme sehrnach Don Edwards, und somit nach Marty Robbins. Und Robbins wolite bereits 1978 ein ganzes Album mit Songs von Hunnicutt aufrehmen. Folglich ist Captain T nicht nurein guter Sanger sondern auch ein sehr talentieter Songschreiber, Davon left er auf dem aktueuen Album deuuicn Zeugnis ab. Die inhalte der Lieder sind sehr bodenstandig. Da geht es um die Natur, die Helmat, die Familie. Und es wird dabel nie kitschig. Dafur sorgt Hunnicutt mit Bruchen in de Liedern. In “A Better Side Of Me” geht es beispielsweise um das Aufwachsen eines jungen Mannes auf dem Land mit traditionelien Werten-doch damn ist er in Saigon, auf seinen Knien kriechend gelandet. Hunnicutt sieht sch als Arkansas Folk Music Botschafter. Im “Natural State Song” geht es naturlich auch um die Ozarks, Und “Mountain View” ist der wichtigste Song der CD. Sehr Poetisch schaut der Sanger zuruck in seine Kindheit. Er fragt sich, warum er uberhaupt weg gegangen ist. Aber er kommt wieder- “in meinen Traumen heufe nacht” I Mit Mountain View verbindet man natulich den Wohnund Schaffensort der Folklegende Jimmy Driftwood und ihm ist der Song auch gewidmet. Seiner Frau hat Hunnicutt das Liebeslied “Joanie” gewidmet, “The Compass & The Square” ist ein Lied Ober den Vater des Protagonisten. Instrumental ist das Album so gut wie die Songinhalte und lie Stimme des Sangers. In eine Mischugn zwischen Folk and Bluegrass sind die 12 songs verpackt. Dabei spielte der populare Time Crouch mit Gitarre, mandoline, banjo und Fiddle die CD fast allein ein, Doug Driesel stand am Bass under half Hunnicutt, der auch Gitarre spiette, mit Harmonien zu dessen Leadgesang. Ein wirklich feines Album mit ertreulich kiaren Arragenmentstrukturen zu einer starken Stimme.

Dresden, Germany (July 3, 2006)

New Christian Music Radio Show
www.ncmradioshow.com
NCM Country Chart
7th April 2006

1. Gardiner Family – Out Of His Great Love
2. Clint Miller – Cast Your Care
3. Captain T (Tom Hunnicut) – The Craigshead Country Jail
4. Tompall Glaser & The Jordanaires – Where No One Stands Alone
5. Tompall Glaser & The Jordanaires – Let The Lower Lights Be Burning
6. Wynonna – Attitude
7. Gene & LaVada Triesch – Sing A Happy Song
8. Jimmy Scott – One By One
9. Larry Gatlin – Healin’ Stream
10. Shane Tecza – Help Me Get Down On My Knees
11. Audrey Kelly – This May Be Life
12. Dave Clemo – Walk The Talk
13. Clint Miller & The Jordanaires – First And Great Commandment
14. Randy Travis & The Crabb Family – Through The Fire
15. The Messengers – Me In-Between
16. Collin Raye – Fearless
17. Bryn Haworth – Keep The Faith
18. Raymond McCullough – I Will Lift My Eyes Up
19. Sawyer Brown – With You Daddy
20. Clint Miller & The Jordanaires – Above The Clouds
21. Erv Lewis – I Don’t Belong Here
22. Clint Miller & The Jordanaires – Book Of Life
23. Vernon Oxford – The Great Stone Face
24. Michael J Ramplin – One Day
25. Dave Clemo – To God Be The Glory
26. Paul Copestake – There’s A Light
27. Steven Curtis Chapman – Remembering You
28. Mary James – Truth Cries Out
29. Pat Boone & Friends – Thank You Billy Graham
30. Charlie Louvin, Waylon Jennings & George Jones – Country Boy’s Dream

New Christian Music Radio Show
www.ncmradioshow.com

NCM COUNTRY CHART
19th May 2006

1. Lynn Beckman – Come And Dine
2. Gene & LaVada Triesch – Know Your Master
3. Lynden Childers – A Father’s Heart
4. Tompall Glaser & Jordanaires – Peace In The Valley
5. Captain T (Tom Hunnicutt) – An Old Time Preacher
6. Calvary Quartet – Canaanland Is Just In Sight
7. Bryan Chalker – Two Little Orphans
8. Clint Miller – It’s A Grief
9. Michael J. Ramplin – I’ve Stepped Over The Line
10. Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder-I'm Ready To Go
11. Karen Taylor-Good - God's Refridgerator
12. Gus Eyre - Big John, Cash That Is
13. Randy Travis - Here I Am To Worship
14. Johnny Cash - Suppertime
15. Tompall Glaser & Jordanaires - When They Ring Those Golden Bells
16. Donny Richmond & Stonewall Jackson - Jesus Is My Lifeline
17. Karen Lynne - There Is A Reason
18. Paul Wheater - In My Father's House
19. Wes Davis - My Eyes Will See
20. Clint Miller & The Del McCoury Band - Wings Of A White Dove
21. Gardiner Family – Out Of His Great Love
22. Tompall Glaser & The Jordanaires – Where No One Stands Alone
23. Lynn Beckman – There’s A Cross On The Hill
24. Captain T (Tom Hunnicut) – The Craigshead Country Jail
25. Clint Miller – Cast Your Care
26. Gene & LaVada Triesch – Sing A Happy Song
27. Larry Gatlin – Healin’ Stream
28. Tompall Glaser & The Jordanaires – Let The Lower Lights Be Burning
29. Wynonna – Attitude
30. Jimmy Scott – One By One

NEW CHRISTIAN MUSIC Country Chart
www.ncmradioshow.com

NCM COUNTRY CHART
28th July 2006

1. Billy Walker/Jesus Is A Soul Man
2. Captain T (Tom Hunnicutt)/Ozark Mountain Home (NCM-34)
3. Amy Roberts/Wasted Years
4. Paul Wheater (with Sarah Wheater)/The Sweet By And By
5. Hemphills/Walking In The Light
6. Rodney Crowell/Denomination Blues
7. Inheritance/God Is Good
8. Captain’s Crew/Don’t Look Back
9. Martha Daughtrey/Holy Ghost Fire
10. Messengers/On My Way
11. Clint Miller & The Jordanaires/Many Of You
12. Clint Miller & Del McCoury/I’ll Fly Away
13. Karen Taylor-Good/On Angel’s Wings
14. Billy Chernoff/Jesus Is
15. Billy Ray Cyrus/Love Has No Walls
16. Michael Harcus/One Day I’ll Know
17. Mitchell John/Faith Ain’t Faith
18. Donny Richmond & The Jordanaires/He Did It Because
19. George Hamilton IV & V/Life’s Railway To Heaven
20. Isaacs/Heroes
21. Jessy Dixon/I Wish I Could Have Been There
22. Donnie Sumner/On My Journey Home
23. June Carter Cash/Hold Fast To The Right
24. Captain’s Crew/Why Am I So Low
25. Calvary Quartet/Canaanland Is Just In Sight
26. Captain T (Tom Hunnicutt)/An Old Time Preacher (NCM –32)
27. Michael J. Ramplin/I’ve Stepped Over The Line
28. Gene & LaVada Triesch/Know Your Master
29. Lynn Beckman/Come And Dine

NOTE: Those listed in red are on the WYKX Radio Place List for July 30, 2006. Also, note that Captain T actually has two songs in the top 30 songs. In this case both Arkansas and Christ are put front and center in a folk song by Arkansas’ own...Captain T.

NEW CHRISTIAN MUSIC NEWS (September 29, 2006)


CAPTAIN T (TOM HUNNICUTT) in a soggy Arkansas, USA wrote last week to say that his house was being flooded! He said, "I have 4 inches of water in the house as I am writing this…” The Spring river rose 20ft above normal and coincided with tornadoes, heavy rains and extraordinary lightening storms (which Tom described as ‘a beautiful sight’). Two people in the area lost their lives during the floods and the region was left ‘like a war zone’ in the period after the storms. Fortunately Tom’s over-zealous DIY skills (which have been the butt of jokes) paid off, with his house escaping severe damage. “We have a lot of clean up and some drying, but nothing major or like many others have at this time.” The community banded together to help friends and neighbours in the clean up operation. Tom writes, “I do believe the good Lord was watching over us for many reasons and those who pray should see this as part of His plan. He is not the Federal Government, but much stronger and much wiser…and indeed He had a hand in this event. This cleanup was like people did in the old days. If you had a problem they had a problem and the community was there for you without exception and not because of pay. Friendship and loyalty being the key factors.” Looking on the bright side he ended his email with a little humour, adding: “There are more places to fish from now...”
Paul Davis – New Christian Music, United Kingdom

Sweden Review ... Jens Unosson
TOM HUNNICUTT Very Rare US'74 Hippie Folk Private LP

TOM HUNNICUTT - Escaping From Today
(Hillside HSC 103) USA 1974
Fantastic country-folk songs w/ a definite edge to them (even featured in Fuzz, Acid & Flowers Revisited) & ecological concerns in the lyrics. Tom later fronted the proto-hippie outfit Honeybee Ridge (see my other auctions) & is an excellent songwriter. He & his songs should be the stuff of legend if this was a better place. Recorded as a one-off Nashville venture & the playing's great without ever being slick. Highly recommended!

All of these songs can be found on Captain T’s “The Early Years” on
http://cdbaby.com/cd/captmusic4

MUSIC MAKER MAGAZIEN
* * * London, England * * *
Magnet Publishing Ltd.
28 Grafton Terrace
London NW5 4JJ
United Kingdom
(In issue No. 99)

CD review by Councillor Bryan Chalker, a talented musician, song writer and government official at Bath & North East Somerset, Claverton Down, Bath, England. Mr. Chalker also write reviews England’s Music Maker Magazine. This is the second major review of Captain T’s music my Bryan and as faith would have it…they got to meet in late 2006 at BB Kings, House of Blues in Memphis, Tennessee. White Swan Records wants to thank Bryan and all the people of England for playing and buying Captain T’s CDs. It is his hope to be in England some day to meet the folks he has formed music relationship with via the Internet. Now here is Bryan Chalker’s CD Review of Captain T’s Ozark Mountain Home.


By Bryan Chalker




MY OZARK MOUNTAIN HOME
Written by Captain T (tom Hunnicutt)

I do like this guy’s music. Tom (Captain T) Hunnicutt writes songs the way they used to before country music sold out to the almighty dollar and blew its cover. This is the kind of polished old-time country that, if I played it on a radio show, people would phone-in and ask, “Who dat” Tom writes extremely good songs, sings them well and knows how to make them instrumentally attractive by blending six and twelve-string guitars, dog-house bas, electric guitar, acoustic drums, banjo, fiddle, harmonica, mandolin and jewsharp to create a sound that nods its head toward Bluegrass but doesn’t quite go all the way. Admittedly, the album’s superb title track is pretty well entrenched in the Monroe style, but elsewhere Hunnicutt creates his own genre and none beter exemplified than on the sensitive “Oh, Mama”, or jaunty “the Craighead County Jail”, with is mournful but highly effective lone-some yodel. There are no downers here throughout ten very good songs; every single one has an “up” thread running through it. “The Beaver Creek Meeting” is an absolute foot-stomper of a hoe-down, whilst “Helena”, nudges into a gentle Latino beat with Tom’s yodel adding a little extra to an already highly successful song.

I ought to point out at this juncture that “My Ozark Mountain Home” forms part of the Hunnicutt Collection (Volume Six) and this album is Part Two of “The Arkansas Years”. It might appear somewhat confusing to those unfamiliar with the world of Captain T, but Tom tackling everything from Bluegrass to “Arkansas Delta Blues”, swingly “Grand Ma Mellie”, bouncy “Your Arkansas Ways” and the gentle balladry of “Misty Blue”.

During most of March 2007 and all of April 2007 Red Truck Radio is celebrating Captain T' new CD release, Arkansas Years - Part Three. Featuring Sweet Warm Winds of Arkansas and Pickin' Ticks. Just go to"
www.myspace.com/redtruckradio
and http://www.redtruckradio.com/
for more details. Captain T's new CD is also found on:
http://cdbaby.com/cd/captmusic

Red Truck Radio Promo-Input No. 1 (May 14, 2007)

From: Charlotte Ryerson
Red Truck Radio, Mountain View, Arkansas

Tom,

Thanks for sharing the story of how “Purple Hearts and Silver Stars” was written. I love that song so much. It is one of my favorite things you’ve done. What is so disarming is that you went, your served, and your questions have added weight because of this. Who doesn’t have these questions, if they are a feeling, caring human being? I love the honesty and couldn’t resist it. You are such a good song writer and singer and I also really love your voice on this. Also, the For God, Country and Our Crops –wonderful too.

CD Review by Bryan Chalker

This is the seventh volume of songs from Arkansas’s Tom, Captain T, Hunnicutt and Part of Three of his Arkansas Years project. It’s all a mite confusing but I happen to know where Tom is coming from and appreciate his resolve in attempting to document his distinguished musical career in this way.
Tom’s music is a little hard to categorize, because it’s neither, country, folk nor Bluegrass, but seems to fall neatly between all three stools and emerges as something completely individual and stylized. Tom Hunnicutt is an honest writer with an uncanny knack of homing in on history and I doubt that any other artist could interpret his songs better than Tom himself, or with so much passion. Much of the success of Tom’s recorded material is down to his personal choice of backing instrumentation and the way in which the magnificent Tim Crouch chips in with tasteful acoustic guitar, subtle drums, fiddle, mandolin and banjo, to augment Tom’s own guitar picking and Doug Deforest’s solid dog-house bass.
If ever an album deserved wider exposure, it’s Tom’s latest, but life isn’t fair to struggling singer-song writers like him and the CDs success must surely rest upon reaction readers of magazine reviews and their generosity in pursuing interesting musical causes like Tom Hunnicutt.
I found myself listening time and time again to Tom’s compelling “Down Where the Old Black River Flows”, with its wonderful old-time yodeling chorus and Tim Crouch’s driving 5-string banjo. Interestingly, Tom treats the listener to two “takes” on the same song “Down Where the Old Black River Flows’ – Randolph County” and “Lawrence County”, but this is no lazy option and is simply an extension of Hunnicutt’s lyrical talent in constructing dramatic storylines. I also enjoyed the bouncy “Picking Ticks”, “The Jimmy Driftwood Barn”, “Arkansas Reel”, “Christmas in the Ozarks”, and the “Legend of Sheriff Goodwin”. This particular episode of the “Hunnicutt Collection” turns in at eleven tracks and, if you value traditional balladry in any shape or form, then go seek it out and relish a true taste of rural Americana from a master of his art.
You need a plug of Indian Spirit chewin’ tobacco, a couple of shots of Jim Beam and country “attitude”
To really take in where this old guy is coming from, but, take it from me, Tom Hunnicutt is the real deal.

Captain T's Musical Mission

KAIT K8 NEWS with Sarah Tipton July 20, 2007 6 PM NEWS
Jonesboro, Arkansas


Captain T's Musical Mission
















REGION 8 Headlines

Sharp County Spotlight






WILLIFORD--No matter how far Tom "Captain T" Hunnicutt's career as a Marine took him from Arkansas, the thought of home always followed him. One of the things he would pray for was to get home for one spring and one fall. He wanted to see the dogwoods and the jonquils bloom; to hear the birds singing in Arkansas. Arkansas was always on his mind.
Eventually Captain T returned to the Natural State, but stopped along the way to play with Buck Owens and Marty Robbins. While playing all over the country he did find one thing. He noticed there were many different songs about other states, but no one was singing about Arkansas. He wanted to change that and change it he did.
It took some time but things changed after writing and recording "The Spring River Eulogy." It released something inside him. He hadn't written any new songs for awhile and then songs were just pouring out of him. Captain T believes, "We got rivers, we got great people, we got great communities all over the place."
Arkansas changed from the Land of Opportunity to The Natural State, but the state songs did not reflect the state's new image. "The Natural State" is the one song Hunnicutt has written and recorded that he believes perfectly paints the image of Arkansas. That song in particular was meant to describe all of Arkansas, from the rolling rivers to country living.
Through 3 cds Captain T shares his love of Arkansas. His passion and emotion over the state is evident and that is why he wants his song "The Natural State" to be added to the list of Arkansas state songs. He wants others to know his music, "It's from the heart. From the heart and soul. This state is the one I wanted to come home to."
White Swan Records Remarks:
KAIT TV K8 News sent two individuals, Reporter Sarah Tipton and Photojournalist Keith Boles, to Williford, Arkansas on July 18, 2007 to cover Captain T’s music. They had only heard one of his songs at this time, but after a two hour session they left Williford with copies of his CD and got to hear several of his songs in a personal little concert in Captain T’s music studio. Both of these folks agreed with Captain T, Arkansas needs this song to become an official state song and that is why they came to Williford, Arkansas and wanted to air some of his thoughts about music and Arkansas.