Unknown Hinson
Unknown Hinson |
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Unknown Hinson is a musician, performer and songwriter. His music ranges from country-western to psychobilly to hard rock. A highly accomplished and respected guitarist, Hinson's songs are often blackly humorous parodies of country-western and redneck culture cliches.
The Character
"Unknown Hinson" is the alter-ego of Stuart Daniel Baker. The character of Unknown Hinson is the self-proclaimed "King of the Country-Western Troubadors." Baker has cultivated the character carefully, and Unknown Hinson has quite a colorful fictional background:
Unknown Hinson was an only child, named after his father (“says right there on my birth certificate - Mama: Miss Hinson. Daddy: Unknown.”) and raised by his mother, who gave him his first guitar. After his mother’s mysterious disappearance, Unknown ran off and joined the circus as part of the sideshow, where he learned how to lift 50-pound weights with his tongue, among various other skills.
Unknown Hinson has a reputation as a hell-raising, hard-drinking country and western singer. Partial to "party liquor" and fine guitars, Hinson knows how to have a good time.
Hinson was imprisoned for 30 years, convicted of various trumped-up charges, including three counts of murder, 19 paternity suits, vampirism and random grave-robbing offenses. He was released in 1993 to reclaim his long-denied musical legacy.
Origins
The character first appeared on a public-access TV show called Southern Styles. Baker portrayed Hinson, as well as other characters on the show. Hinson was by far the audience favorite.
In 1992 Baker created his own public-access program, The Unknown Hinson Show. This show featured comedy sketches and concert footage. The Unknown Hinson Show won Creative Loafing's "Best of" poll for Best Public-Access Television Show four years running. Unknown Hinson himself was voted Best Local Television Personality by the readers of that same publication, many times.
After the series ended, the character of Unknown Hinson continued on as Danny Baker's alter-ego. More than just a stage name, Unknown Hinson has taken on a life of his own. When Danny Baker performs or appears as Unknown Hinson, he never breaks character. In fact, he will deny the existence of "Danny Baker" altogether.
Music
"Unknown Hinson" writes his own music, performs live, and does much of his own recording. He is a gifted guitarist with a strong cult following and many high-profile fans, including Billy Bob Thornton and Matt Groening. Hank III, grandson of Hank Williams, has Unknown's face tattooed on his bicep.
Unknown has performed on the same bill with many notable rockabilly and psychobilly acts, including The Reverend Horton Heat, Southern Culture on the Skids, The Legendary Shack Shakers, and E.J. Wells.
Voice Acting
Danny Baker provides the voice of Early Cuyler, a balding hillbilly squid from Georgia, on Cartoon Network's late night Adult Swim program, Squidbillies. The Early character has many echoes of Unknown Hinson, including an affinity for guns and liquor, and a "no-nonsense" alpha-male attitude.
Discography
- 21 Chart Toppers
- The Future Is Unknown... (1999)
- Rock 'N' Roll Is Straight From Hell (2002)
- The Future Is Unknown... (2004)
- Target Practice (2006)
References
- Baker, Margo. *Unknown Hinson website Retrieved August 21, 2007.