The Legend Hank Cochran

THE LEGEND HANK COCHRAN
A Charlie Peacock Film
In Association with Broadcast Music International, Inc.
and Sony/ATV Music Publishing

Executive Producers: Del Bryant, Jody Williams, Clay Bradley, Troy Tomlinson & Charlie Peacock
Associate Producers: Kay Clary & Dale Dodson  

The Legend Hank Cochran got its start in June of 2009. I was hired by BMI to make a short film of a surprise party for legendary songwriter, Hank Cochran honoring 50 years of hits. Hank's songs include such country classics as “Make the World Go Away,” “She’s Got You,” “I Fall to Pieces,” and “Set ‘Em Up Joe.” He's had songs cut by a hall of fame list of performers from Elvis Presley to Elvis Costello and hundreds of other marquee names like Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and Johnny Cash.

Merle Haggard, Bobby Bare, Jamey Johnson, and Lee Ann Womack, were a few of the musical guests invited to sing acoustic versions of Hank Cochran classics. Elvis Costello, Cowboy Jack Clement, Jeannie Seely, Jim Lauderdale and fifty more or so celebrities and music industry folks mingled and listened. Willie Nelson didn't make his flight but graciously called in and spoke to Hank via speaker phone. Merle acted as master of ceremonies. It was sweet, surreal, and about as stressful a recording/filming scenario as you can imagine.

The Variables: live sound company, event coordinator and caterer, restriction on nearly all the lighting we brought, three distinct areas of the room that needed mics for the recording, no official soundcheck, a three camera shoot but subjects weren't supposed to be aware of the cameras, and the stars were positioned up against a window with the sun shining in. This scenario was as far away from the comfort and control of my home studio as I could be. When Willie Nelson decided to call in to congratulate Hank I was so thankful I had rented a Shure UR4D-H4 wireless mic system. They put a speaker phone on a table in front of Hank so he could hear Willie clearly. I wove a Shure PG185 condenser lav mic into the fabric of the tablecloth, applied a little white gaff tape and hoped I'd be able pick up Willie's distinctive voice.

There were many highlights to the day, most notably the presence of Elvis Costello and his gracious deference to the country legends in the room, Willie Nelson's phone call, and Jamey Johnson's pathos drenched version of Hank's “Is It Raining at Your House.” But then there's the iconic Merle Haggard. Smithsonian is all I can say. Smithsonian. For evidence check out the attached clip of Merle playing a Willie Nelson song, "Back To Earth." It's hard for a producer to record anything of lasting value if an artist doesn't have a unique essence. The Hag has essence in spades. Put a mic in front of him and get out the way. Listen and for a moment you can hear some of the history of America. Not all of it, but some of it, and that's no small achievement.

Before the music tribute portion began I watched Merle walk up to the acoustic guitars provided for him and strum an open chord with the fingernail of his forefinger. He did this four times and walked away. I took it as mild disinterest and asked him if he wanted to play an older Gibson. He said nothing but looked at me with a cobalt eyed stare and lowered his head about 3/4 of an inch. I handed him my son Sam's Gibson J-30. He strummed a chord, kept the guitar, and walked out of the room. That guitar has a way about it. Bono played the same guitar when he came to our house several years ago. Artists tend to know when an instrument invites music and contains it. Sam's J-30 does both well.

CREDITS:
Written and Directed by
Charlie Peacock

Edited by Jeff Wyatt Wilson

Narrated by Bobby Bare

Original Score by Charlie Peacock

Featuring the Friends of Hank

Bobby Bare
Booth Cochran
Clay Bradley
Cowboy Jack Clement
Dale Dodson
Dallas Frazier
Dean Dillon
Del Bryant
Elvis Costello
Gene Watson
Hank Cochran
Jamey Johnson
Jeannie Seely
Jim Lauderdale
Jim, Dan, and JR Cochran
Jody Williams
Kay Clary
Lee Ann Womack
Merle Haggard
Red Lane
Scotty Emerick
Shawn Camp
Theresa Haggard
Troy Tomlinson
Wayne Jackson
Whitey Shafer
Willie Nelson

Special Assistance from Suzi Cochran

Camera Operators
Kip Kubin
Sam Ashworth
Ryan Hamblin

Location Sound and Mixing
Richie Biggs

Assistant Editor
Sam Ashworth

Видео The Legend Hank Cochran канала Charlie Peacock