ENTERTAINMENT BUZZ
Oklahoma Gold: Hank Charles
delivers sound advice
By Robert Scott
vocalist and keyboardist for the Jay Nunley
Band.
Along the way, recording sessions at Valcour
included Gus Hardin, Brandon Clark, Josh
Yarbrough, John Sawyer, Debbie Boone,
Crooked X, Debbie Campbell, Wes Hayes,
Rebecca Ungerman, The Bourgeois, Fiawna
Forte, Scott Ellison, Nuns, Erv Felker, Red Alert,
Red Stripes, and yours truly, No Limits.
TULSA, Okla. - While you may not know
the name Valcour Sound, multitudes of
successful artists/songwriters have utilized the
talent behind its owner: engineer, producer,
writer and performer Hank Charles.
The Current Buzz recently caught up with
Mr. Charles by phone as he was searching
Tulsa for a copy of the newest limited edition
Record Store Day single of the Fab Four’s
“Penny Lane”. The location of the single is still
unknown, but what is known is Charles has
built a stellar reputation as a talent on stage
and in the studio.
The beginnings of Valcour in Broken Arrow,
Ok. came by way of St. Louis, Mo. His father,
Hank Sr., who wrote for Marty Robbins,
moved the family to Broken Arrow in 1970.
Once settled, Hank Jr. studied albums like
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and
continued recording with brother Paul as he
had done since the age of 11.
By 1976, he and his band of brothers honed
a few more chops, thanks to Leon Russell
opening the doors of his Tulsa home to what
would become known as the band Boot. A
man on a mission, the year was 1978; Hank
and the band scored big time with the single
“Linda” that aired eight times a day for 10
weeks alongside the national top 40 on
local radio station KELI. That summer’s Beach
Party on the west bank of the Arkansas
River was the beginning of 40-plus years of
performances, including 14 years as guitarist,
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Hank has long been known for his natural
talent to bring out the best every time. One
release that I am fond of is the 1996 Capitol
Records release by Phil Seymour, Precious
to Me. Hank’s keyboard arrangement
and performance was a major reason for
the success of the highlighted track, “First
Mistake I Ever Made.”
Fast forward to the 21st Century: Hank
shared the stage playing for Wanda Jackson
from 2006-2011. For four straight years Urban
Tulsa’s ABOT “Studio of the Year” Awards
found their way to Valcour Sound from 2009-
2012. Hank continues to deliver great sounds
in-studio and live, performing with the Bill
Holden Band in addition to sound support to
Oklahoma’s music community.
So kids, want some sound advice? Keep
your ears open and you’ll hear the distinct
trademark sound of Valcour making history
right in your own backyard. For more
info, contact Valcour Sound via e-mail at
[email protected] .
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L
Thomas Martinez
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