Have a helping of southern musical stew Interview with the blue dogs’ Bobby Houck & Hank Futch
Written by Cayci Banks Concert-goers are in for a treat when South Carolina natives The Blue Dogs take to the Opera House stage on February 20, 2021. With a unique sound they self-describe as “Southern musical stew,” you can expect a little bit of everything during their performance—from early Country and Bluegrass tunes to Rock n’ Roll, Soul, and Big Band elements. Since their debut record, “Music for Dog People,” hit in 1991, the Blue Dogs have been entertaining their loyal and continually growing fanbase— performing alongside mega superstars like Willie Nelson, Hootie and the Blowfish, and Widespread Panic, to name a few. With nine albums and two DVDs under their belt, the band was inducted into the South Carolina Lowcountry Music Hall of Fame in 2018. But, their story and friendship goes back much further, as acoustic guitarist Bobby Houck and upright bassist Hank Futch have been lifelong friends, meeting as Cub Scouts and growing up together in Florence, SC near the Black Creek and a little town known as Quinby. They founded The Blue Dogs together in the late 1980s after they both developed a love of music at an early age. Hank was raised around his guitar-pickin’ father who was influenced by multiple genres of music, including Bluegrass, Classic Country, and Gospel. Meanwhile, Bobby found a love for Classic Southern Rock, listening to the likes of Lynard Skynard, Marshall Tucker Band, and Charlie Daniels as a young kid. All of these influences can be heard throughout their music as it was these genres that molded these two musicians into the “Country Rock band from the South” that their fans have come to know and love.
“Walter.” The Newberry Opera House audience will be singing and dancing along as Hank and Bobby pack the stage with other South Carolina musicians, including a 3-piece horn section, keyboards, an electric guitar, and a pedal steel player. These musicians will add a twist to the original Blue Dogs sound and increase the fun and excitement of the evening through the Big Band atmosphere they will bring. As the Blue Dogs so eloquently wrote in their hit song “What I Want:”
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I want my own reputation ’ I cant believe that I don’ t I can’ t stand this ugly situation I just want what I want I just want to be”where everybody knows my name.
Let’s pack the Newberry Opera House on February 20 with people who not only know their name but who are also ready to welcome back to the stage a few of the best musicians South Carolina has produced!
Blue dogs Sat. Feb 20, 2021 // 8:00 p.m. // Tickets: $35
While new music is likely to be on the horizon in 2021, the band promises its fans some hit classics in February, like a few of their all-time favorites “Cosmic Cowboy,” “Hope She Falls in Love with You,” “Half of My Mistakes,” “Isabelle,” and 10
// 2020-2021 mid-Season //
