WAYNE HANCOCK feat. IV and the STRANGE BAND

Join us for a night of unforgettable music with Wayne Hancock IV & The Strange Band at the Little Bear Saloon on Wednesday, June 18, 2025 at 8:00 PM. Get ready to dance and sing along to their unique blend of rock, blues, and country music. This is a live, in-person event that you won't want to miss! Grab your friends and come enjoy a night of great tunes and good vibes. See you there!

WAYNE HANCOCK BIO

Thomas Wayne Hancock III (born May 1, 1965, in Dallas, Texas), known professionally as Wayne "The Train" Hancock, is an American singer-songwriter celebrated as "The King of Juke Joint Swing."

Hancock's musical style blends jazz, blues, western swing, country, and rockabilly, reflecting the diverse genres he absorbed from his parents' record collection, which included artists like Jimmie Rodgers, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Hank Thompson, Hank Williams, and Hank Snow. His vocal delivery was initially influenced by Hank Williams, a comparison that has persisted throughout his career.

At the age of eighteen, Hancock won the Wrangler Country Showdown. Immediately after this victory, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, serving for four years. During a six-month deployment in Okinawa, Japan, he penned one of his signature songs, "Cold Lonesome Wind," which later appeared on his album Thunderstorms and Neon Signs.

In 1990, Hancock relocated to Austin, Texas. A pivotal moment occurred in 1994 when he met Joe Ely of The Flatlanders at the Continental Club in Austin. This connection led to Hancock's involvement in Terry Allen and Jo Harvey Allen's play, Chippy. Originally, Jimmie Dale Gilmore of The Flatlanders played the character of Mr. Jukebox, but when Gilmore couldn't continue, Ely suggested Hancock, noting his Hank Williams-esque voice. Hancock joined the cast and recorded "Thunderstorms and Neon Signs" for the play's soundtrack, marking his first recording of the song.

During the production of Chippy, Hancock encountered Lloyd Maines, a Grammy-winning producer and pedal steel player from Lubbock, Texas, who was handling the sound. Maines has since produced all of Hancock's albums, starting with his 1995 debut, Thunderstorms and Neon Signs, released on Deja Disc Records. This album achieved significant early success, selling 22,000 copies in its first year. His second album, That's What Daddy Wants, followed in 1997 on Ark 21. Hancock earned the moniker "The Train" due to his exceptionally long live performances, often stretching for three, four, or even five hours.

Hancock's debut album also gained attention when Hank Williams III, the grandson of Hank Williams Sr., covered two of its tracks, the title song and "Why Don't You Leave Me Alone," on his own 1999 album, Risin' Outlaw. He also recorded "87 Southbound" from That's What Daddy Wants.

April 2014 brought a serious motorcycle accident for Hancock, resulting in a fractured elbow and a collapsed lung. This forced him to cancel several months of touring. However, by the end of the year, he had made a full recovery and returned to performing. In 2016, he collaborated again with producer Lloyd Maines for his eighth studio album, Slingin' Rhythm.

Wayne Hancock's music is often described as a blend of old country, roadhouse blues, western dance swing, boogie-bop, and rockabilly. He is considered a torchbearer of traditional country music, infusing it with his unique energy and style, which includes elements of big band horns, boogie-woogie piano, rockabilly beats, Hawaiian steel guitar, and hillbilly jazz guitar. He has garnered a reputation as a genuine and uncompromising artist dedicated to entertaining his audience with his distinctive "Juke Joint Swing."

Sources and related contentIV and The Strange Band Bio

Coleman Emmett Williams (born November 7, 1991), known professionally as IV, is an American alternative country singer-songwriter and the frontman of the band IV and The Strange Band. As the great-grandson of Hank Williams, grandson of Hank Williams Jr., and the son of Hank Williams III, IV represents the fourth generation of the Williams family musical legacy.

Raised in Nashville, IV spent his formative high school years with his father, Hank III, where he was exposed to punk and heavy metal music alongside his Southern roots. This diverse musical upbringing shaped his genre-bending sound. Before fully embracing his musical path, IV earned a degree in literature and worked as a teacher. However, his lifelong passion for songwriting and a desire to forge his own artistic identity led him back to music.

IV and The Strange Band officially formed after he connected with a group of musicians who shared his vision. The core members of the band include lead guitarist David Talley and bassist Jason Dietz. Later, Laura Beth Jewell joined on fiddle and Tylor Powell on drums, solidifying the band's unique sound.

Their music blends Southern storytelling and country textures with the raw energy of 100-watt guitar amps and a DIY attitude, drawing from country, punk, and metal influences. Their debut album, Southern Circus, was released in 2022, followed by Hang Dog in 2023, produced by Shooter Jennings.

IV and The Strange Band carve their own space in the alternative country scene, honoring their musical heritage while exploring new sonic territories.

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