Outlaw Roots — The Hank Jr. Legacy (Week 25)

🎧 I’m Just a Man • The Blues Medley

I once knew an old man… he was a total jerk… so mean and hateful and bitter. His words were like vomit.

The first time I was alone with him, I tried to reach out with a kind conversation. To break the silence, I said, “It sure is a beautiful day.”

Then, for about ten seconds… you could hear paint drying.

As he slowly turned and looked at me in utter disgust, he said, “You’re Captain F#ckin’ Obvious, aren’t ya?”

Honestly, I wasn’t offended. Instead, I let go of the biggest smile.

Over time, he and I became friends. We wore each other down… haha.

The more I was around him, the more he slowly got better. I did things for him like running errands, doing his shopping, and helping him with different things. And whenever he was a dick to me… which was often… I just fired off smile after smile like bullets at him.

As things got lighter, I began to witness another side of him. The walls started to come down. He opened up some. He would sometimes share words of wisdom with me.

Turns out he was well-read, had been to college, had earned degrees, and loved great literature and writing.

He once told me, “If you have a foot in yesterday and a foot in tomorrow, then you’re pissing all over today.”

He died alone… no wife… no family and very few friends… I’m determined to get better the older I get… not stay the same or get worse… the thought of ending like that scares the hell out of me.

And what are great words really? If not applicable.

I have two great songs for you today… I’m Just a Man and The Blues Medley featuring John Lee Hooker and Ray Charles along with Hank. The three of them together on this Delta blues number is something special.

And I’m Just a Man is kind of the mood I’m in today… because some things make me feel sad. I feel like I could cry… but feeling you next to me? Ahh… that makes me feel alright.

John Lee Hooker
Ray Charles
Hank

© 2026 Bryan Loia Hudson. All Rights Reserved.

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Outlaw Roots — The Hank Jr. Legacy (Week 22)

I’ve Been Down & I’d Love to Knock the Hell Out of You ♩♪♫

I’ve been kind of bummed out for a few days now… not a whole lot to say. Life will straight show up on you. These next two songs have a 17 year gap between them… and take you to different places. The second song really cracks me up, and I need some laughs tonight.

Because I’ve been down.

♩♪♫ I’ve Been Down 1982

♩♪♫ I’d Love to Knock the Hell Out of You 1999

Hank & Travis Tritt

© 2026 Bryan Loia Hudson. All Rights Reserved.

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Outlaw Roots — The Hank Jr. Legacy (Week 14)

Old Habits 🎵 Man Of Steel

So I’ve evolved… musically…
since I first started spinnin’ round this world…

My earliest memories—
with my mom and dad—
were The Beach Boys…
and Eagles…

Then around 8… 9 years old—
it was Michael Jackson…
Van Halen…
whatever was lightin’ up the radio back then…

Then came my early teens—
and that’s when Hank Williams Jr. hit me…

And after that…
I just exploded…

Rock…
Folk…
Punk…
Blues…
Rap…
RnB…
Christian…

A little bit of everything—
and somehow… all of it stuck.

But to me…
you can never forget where you came from…

So here’s two excellent ones from my early days—

Allow me to hike up my dress a little for you… so you can see… what im workin’ with… what my roots look like.

Old Habits 🎵
Habits Old and New (1980)

Man Of Steel 🎵
Man of Steel (1983)

and ima bout to listen with you… if you don’t mind. 😎

Featured image credit… Rick Diamond and Getty Images

© 2026 Bryan Loia Hudson | All rights reserved.

`’.,°~