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Michael Amburgey and Bobby Hanson first played together in 1972 as
an acoustic blues duo called the Back Door Men. Pioneers of the
Coastal Empire’s burgeoning blues and rock scene of the 1970s,
Amburgey and Hanson were a major influence on many Savannah
musicians of their genre and era. Bobby and Michael are members of
the Savannah Folk Music Society and play at the Society’s First Friday
concerts several times a year.
The summer of 2008 we completed our new CD "Laughin' When I See
You Go." We are still trying to carry on the tradition established by our
musical heroes while still working on our own musical identity. This new
CD has a mixture of our humor, some gospel and ballads and it reflects
the musical journey that began a while ago.
We are very fortunate to have our good friends Joe Nelson, John
Powers and Seamus McGurgan help us out on a couple of songs, and it
was a real pleasure to work and play with them. Joe Nelson played the
Mandolin and assisted with harmony. John Powers is on Bass and
Seamus on the Banjo to help round out the sound of "Rosie" and "I've
Been Born Again." The CD was also mixed and mastered by Seamus
with the Meadowvale Studios in Omagh, County Tyrone, N. Ireland.
He is master at his art as you will hear in the music.
The photography and design of our new CD was created by another
good friend , Lori Balfe or Photography by Lori. She also did our
"Honky Blues" CD, and she did even better this time. Neither of us has
any knowledge of how she does what she does, so she is a real blessing
to us.
A special thanks to Asta (Michael's dog) in the foreground of the CD
Cover. Who knew a dogs tongue could be so long? Gidget (Bobby's
daughter's dog) and Ginger (Bobby's dog) are sitting in the background
with Michael and Bobby and are also on the inside of the CD cover
panel. We want to assure everyone that no animals were harmed in the
production of this CD.
an acoustic blues duo called the Back Door Men. Pioneers of the
Coastal Empire’s burgeoning blues and rock scene of the 1970s,
Amburgey and Hanson were a major influence on many Savannah
musicians of their genre and era. Bobby and Michael are members of
the Savannah Folk Music Society and play at the Society’s First Friday
concerts several times a year.
The summer of 2008 we completed our new CD "Laughin' When I See
You Go." We are still trying to carry on the tradition established by our
musical heroes while still working on our own musical identity. This new
CD has a mixture of our humor, some gospel and ballads and it reflects
the musical journey that began a while ago.
We are very fortunate to have our good friends Joe Nelson, John
Powers and Seamus McGurgan help us out on a couple of songs, and it
was a real pleasure to work and play with them. Joe Nelson played the
Mandolin and assisted with harmony. John Powers is on Bass and
Seamus on the Banjo to help round out the sound of "Rosie" and "I've
Been Born Again." The CD was also mixed and mastered by Seamus
with the Meadowvale Studios in Omagh, County Tyrone, N. Ireland.
He is master at his art as you will hear in the music.
The photography and design of our new CD was created by another
good friend , Lori Balfe or Photography by Lori. She also did our
"Honky Blues" CD, and she did even better this time. Neither of us has
any knowledge of how she does what she does, so she is a real blessing
to us.
A special thanks to Asta (Michael's dog) in the foreground of the CD
Cover. Who knew a dogs tongue could be so long? Gidget (Bobby's
daughter's dog) and Ginger (Bobby's dog) are sitting in the background
with Michael and Bobby and are also on the inside of the CD cover
panel. We want to assure everyone that no animals were harmed in the
production of this CD.
| Michael Amburgey |
| Bobby Hanson |
Michael started playing music during the folk
music revival of the 1960s. At that time, his
primary influences were Woody Guthrie and
Bob Dylan, as well as the Koerner, Ray &
Glover records. He began playing in rock
bands while in high school, mostly covering
English groups.
At age 18, he was exposed to jazz through
Ken Palmer, one of the finest jazz musicians
Savannah has known. As well as teaching
him, Michael credits Ken with giving him a
feel for the music and the mentality of the
different periods. Michael played off and on
with Ken’s big bands and smaller ensembles
for several years. Michael also credits Ken’s
teaching as an important influence in his
perspective and songwriting.
Michael met Bobby Hanson in the early
1970s, and through Bobby’s vast record
collection was exposed to a wide range of
music, primarily country blues. Before long,
the duo was playing songs by Papa Charlie
Jackson, Washboard Sam, Leadbelly, Willie
McTell, Blind Blake and Gary Davis among
others. Michael believes the combination of
these influences in addition to what he
learned from Ken Palmer had a lot to do with
how the duo’s own songs turned out at that
time.
After playing intermittently over several years
and developing a small but enthusiastic
following, Michael and Bobby went their
separate ways, but kept in touch through the
years.
Michael says the amazing thing to him is how
natural it feels to be playing and writing
together again: “It’s as though we never
stopped. I’ll be interested to see how much
interest there is in our music now.”
music revival of the 1960s. At that time, his
primary influences were Woody Guthrie and
Bob Dylan, as well as the Koerner, Ray &
Glover records. He began playing in rock
bands while in high school, mostly covering
English groups.
At age 18, he was exposed to jazz through
Ken Palmer, one of the finest jazz musicians
Savannah has known. As well as teaching
him, Michael credits Ken with giving him a
feel for the music and the mentality of the
different periods. Michael played off and on
with Ken’s big bands and smaller ensembles
for several years. Michael also credits Ken’s
teaching as an important influence in his
perspective and songwriting.
Michael met Bobby Hanson in the early
1970s, and through Bobby’s vast record
collection was exposed to a wide range of
music, primarily country blues. Before long,
the duo was playing songs by Papa Charlie
Jackson, Washboard Sam, Leadbelly, Willie
McTell, Blind Blake and Gary Davis among
others. Michael believes the combination of
these influences in addition to what he
learned from Ken Palmer had a lot to do with
how the duo’s own songs turned out at that
time.
After playing intermittently over several years
and developing a small but enthusiastic
following, Michael and Bobby went their
separate ways, but kept in touch through the
years.
Michael says the amazing thing to him is how
natural it feels to be playing and writing
together again: “It’s as though we never
stopped. I’ll be interested to see how much
interest there is in our music now.”
Best known in Savannah music circles as the harmonica
player with the legendary JoJa Band, Bobby Hanson
began playing music with Michael Amburgey in 1972 as
a duo called the Back Door Men. While most of their
contemporaries in Savannah’s music scene then were
attracted to hard rock, Amburgey and Hanson were
attracted to something a little different.
When asked how this came about, Bobby responded,
“Michael and I were crazy about people like the
Reverend Gary Davis, Blind Blake, Willie McTell, Blind
Boy Fuller, Tampa Red, Leadbelly and others in that
style. We learned many of their songs and wrote quite a
few of our own. For some reason, we found guys like
Big Joe Williams more interesting than Rod Stewart.”
Bobby and Michael also played together in a
blues/R&B/rock band called the Easywalkers, a
forerunner of the JoJa Band. The Easywalkers also
included Steffens Clark and Jimmy Maddox, who later
played in the JoJa Band with Bobby.
Bobby retired from playing music professionally in 1982,
but he has been very active since then in church music.
He is currently the song leader at Islands Christian
Church, where he works with a fine group of musicians
including Lonnie Mercier, Anne Brown, John Powers,
and former Easywalker and JoJa Band member Steffens
Clark. Michael Amburgey also joins them from time to
time, as do respected musicians Gordon Perry and
Mark Carter. Although gospel music remains his
primary focus, Bobby did take part in the recent JoJa
Band Reunion concert at Armstrong Atlantic State
University.
player with the legendary JoJa Band, Bobby Hanson
began playing music with Michael Amburgey in 1972 as
a duo called the Back Door Men. While most of their
contemporaries in Savannah’s music scene then were
attracted to hard rock, Amburgey and Hanson were
attracted to something a little different.
When asked how this came about, Bobby responded,
“Michael and I were crazy about people like the
Reverend Gary Davis, Blind Blake, Willie McTell, Blind
Boy Fuller, Tampa Red, Leadbelly and others in that
style. We learned many of their songs and wrote quite a
few of our own. For some reason, we found guys like
Big Joe Williams more interesting than Rod Stewart.”
Bobby and Michael also played together in a
blues/R&B/rock band called the Easywalkers, a
forerunner of the JoJa Band. The Easywalkers also
included Steffens Clark and Jimmy Maddox, who later
played in the JoJa Band with Bobby.
Bobby retired from playing music professionally in 1982,
but he has been very active since then in church music.
He is currently the song leader at Islands Christian
Church, where he works with a fine group of musicians
including Lonnie Mercier, Anne Brown, John Powers,
and former Easywalker and JoJa Band member Steffens
Clark. Michael Amburgey also joins them from time to
time, as do respected musicians Gordon Perry and
Mark Carter. Although gospel music remains his
primary focus, Bobby did take part in the recent JoJa
Band Reunion concert at Armstrong Atlantic State
University.
The Savannah Folk Music Society -
Monthly concerts & other events including
the Savannah Folk Music Festival
Monthly concerts & other events including
the Savannah Folk Music Festival
| Mailing Address |
| Amburgey and Hanson 505 Moon River Court Savannah, GA 31406-8908 |
E-mail Address
The Amburgey and Hanson Web Site - Home
© Colophon & Glyph 2004
http://www.amburgeyandhanson.com/index.html
Site Created: December 11, 2003
Last Updated: January 3, 2004
click here to send e-mail to Michael Amburgey and Bobby Hanson
or address your e-mail to: aslan131@yahoo.com
New 2008 Release!