The history of the Hickory Hill band

Banjo, guitar, mandolin, Dobro and bass fiddle will ring out Saturday at Music City Texas Theater as Avinger’s Hickory Hill Bluegrass Band arrives for its almost 50th year of performance. It will be the band’s 23rd year at this venue.

The annual Summer Bluegrass Show will open at 7:30 p.m. when lead guitar player John Early welcomes the audience, tells a joke or two and then introduces the six members of the band.

Someone from the audience may call out, “Play ‘Cadillac.’” Someone else may say, “Old Red” or “Home-grown Tomatoes.” And then the evening will be off. For more than two hours without a break, Hickory Hill will play much the same music they played back in the fall concert. The band plays here twice each year, February and August, and the audience sings along each time. To keep the record straight, Hickory Hill is playing in its 46th year of being together and its 23rd year of being at the Music City Theater building. That’s ever since the former American Legion Hall became Music City Texas Theater in 2003.

Hickory Hill gets the first choice of dates, too. And its pretty much the same program. Everyone comes out to hear “Mail Order Dog,” “Help Me Make it Through the Yard,” “Songs About Texas” and “Jesus on the Main Line.”

After laughing or feeling thankful, Hickory will play familiar Beatles, Eagles or Bob Dylan music such as “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere” and “Peaceful Easy Feeling.” Their renditions are smooth and heartfelt.

“We’re downright bluegrass,” Early will explain. “But we’re not your typical bluegrass band. We like to do it with our own flair.”

One audience member who comes to each concert describes the music and audience this way.

“The crowd at a bluegrass show is different. They are quiet, sit still and they clap at all the right places. Hickory Hill has been together for such a long time that they sound like it. It’s hard to find another act with this much talent who still enjoy doing what they do, as much as they do. They have a good time. Some are funny and others are classics, either way, it’s always a great time. You’ll leave laughing. It’s real entertainment.”

Richard Bowden of Linden, one of the more recent members of the band, tells of his own relation to the band.

“I first became aware of Hickory Hill when I was in Nashville when they played at a club at the Opryland Hotel. I had heard about them and knew who they were. I really enjoyed them. When I moved back to Texas years later, I knew John really well. I have enjoyed their annual performances here at Music City. To me they are progressive enough to keep my attention, but traditional enough to get the hardcore bluegrass fans there also. They are one of the best well-rounded acts in bluegrass that I am aware of. They always pack the house. It is one of the best recurring shows we have at the theater.”

Music City Texas theater is a 350-seat venue in the renovated 1950 American Legion Hall on Texas 11 just west of Linden.