Hard Road Blues (Remastered) Hans Theessink

• 1 Big Bill's Guitar 03:03
• 2 You Make Me Feel So Good 03:18
• 3 Prison Blues 03:11
• 4 Blind Willie 02:58
• 5 One Kind Favour 05:11
• 6 Vicksburgs Is My Home 04:56
• 7 Hard Road Blues 04:38
• 8 Two Trains 04:17
• 9 Sugar Babe 02:30
• 10 Minnibelle 02:51
• 11 Shotgun Blues 02:46
• 12 Cypress Grove 05:16
• Total Runtime 44:55

Info for Hard Road Blues (Remastered)

Newly remastered! "I recorded HARD ROAD BLUES in 2 nights (October 6th-7th, 1994) in the OPUS Recorder Music Studio in Austria in one go and all analog. It was quite a meditative affair, recorded very well by sound engineer Andreas Fabianek. We used a vocal mic, a guitar mic, and a few other mics to capture the natural sound of the room. The recording sounds very organic; you can feel every movement and breathing and you can literally hear the fingers dancing on the fretboard.

The record was first released in 1994 on vinyl, CD and cassette. HARD ROAD BLUES has been highly acclaimed by fans and press alike and has sold very well. If a copy of this pressing ever turns up in good condition, it would cost quite a bit of money.


Unfortunately, the fire devil struck at the German pressing plant - many masters and matrices were destroyed; including those of HARD ROAD BLUES. A subsequent pressing was therefore impossible. But during Corona 2020 I had a lot of time to look through my stock of recordings and I also found the HARD ROAD BLUES master tapes. That's when the idea came up to re-release this record.


I contacted Christoph Stickl from CSMastering. Christoph had already done an excellent remastering of my 1987 "Baby Wants To Boogie" LP and he was therefore predestined to carry out this rather delicate work for HARD ROAD BLUES as well. He reviewed the tapes, which after all, were already 27 years old, and said he'd have to "bake" them in the oven to play them and start remastering. Luckily the tapes were still in good shape and so Christoph was able to do the remastering without interrupting the AAA chain.

“This recording deserves a spot in the stores next to the work of the men who inspired it”. (Acoustic Guitar, CD hitlist, USA, 1997)

"This sparse guitar-and-voice production is immediately engaging. Theessink plays with a strong groove and excellent tone and sings in a deep, resonant voice. A majority of the songs are originals that show his love of traditional blues forms. This recording deserves a spot in the stores next to the work of the men who inspired it." (James Jensen, Acoustic Guitar, CD hitlist, USA, 1997)

"The arrangements are sparse but very rich in dynamics and highlights his emotional directness and superb phrasing in both his guitar playing and vocal delivery. Theessink has a total grasp on the loping, pulsing rhythm that propels classic Delta blues music. Songwriting craftsmanship is amply displayed in „Big Bill’s Guitar“, where bittersweet reminiscences of  life events linked to distant experiences of Big Bill Broonzy are artfully fit over a traditional blues framework." (Andy Allen, Dirty Linen, USA, July 1996)

"Let one more myth die quickly; you don’t have to be American to play the blues. Hans Theessink is in that select group of artists such as John Hammond, Paul Geremia and Rory Block, whom all share the responsibility for preserving and enriching the styles of the old masters." (Reflex Magazine, USA)

"Theessink helps us realize how wealthy our American musical heritage truly is – via Vienna! (Northwest Arkansas Times, USA)

“Hard Road Blues”, a mix of originals and respectful versions of songs from founding fathers like Blind Willie McTell and Mance Lipscomb, shows Theessink’s deep and original understanding of the country blues. As songs like the original “Minnibelle” and the traditional “Two Trains” show, Theessink’s interest in the genre arises not from a prurient or nostalgic attraction to its exotic subject matter, but rather from a genuine fascination with the playing and singing of its practitioners. “Minnibelle” achieves an authentic sound without resorting to lyrical cliches or imitations of ethnic speech: The authenticity lies in Theessink’s grasp of the deep structure of the form. “Big Bill’s Guitar”, a paean to Big Bill Broonzy, skillfully interweaves elements of Broonzy’s style – his thwacking, empathic fingerpicking and his “talking blues” storytelling style – into a song about Theessink’s inspiration. Lipscomb’s “Sugar Babe” and Theessink’s more interpretive version of Blind Lemmon Jefferson’s “One Kind Favor” showcase his mastery of the strange and diverse guitar styles of his forebears. Running like a golden thread through all of Theessink’s work – is his inspired and accomplished musicianship as both guitarist and vocalist." (PC, Sing Out, USA)

Hans Theessink, guitars, vocals

Digitally remastered by Christoph Stickl von CSMastering

Hans Theessink
We've already had an American in Paris, but a Dutchman in Vienna? And one who has dedicated himself, body and soul, to American blues and roots music? Okay, Hans Theessink (pronounced Tay-sink) did not pick the easiest way to do this, but he has done so with a certain degree of single-mindedness.

Like others of his generation, in the early 1960‘s a love of the Blues took hold of the man whom Bo Diddley described as "one helluva guitar player", and it has not let go since. Above all, the country blues with its earthy and heartfelt sound impressed Hans Theessink and played a major role in his development as a musician. His roots are unmistakenly in the blues, but has also been influenced by countless other aspects of roots music. This musical variety has become a trademark of Hans Theessink, who as a songwriter has succeeded in building bridges to the present in addressing issues which reflect the reality of the here and now.

Hans is probably Europe's bluesexport Nr.1 - one of the top blues and roots musicians worldwide who has entertained audiences around the globe during a musical career that spans over more than 35 years. The world's leading bluespaper - US magazine Blues Revue wrote: "Hans Theessink is an international blues treasure. He is one of the world's pre-eminent country pickers and his warm baritone expresses blues".

Theessink's first recording was an EP in 1970. Since then his music has continually developed and so far Hans has released 20 albums, a songbook, a blues-guitar instruction video and a DVD. His CDs are guaranteed award winners. "Banjoman", the tribute project to Derroll Adams, that Hans produced with Arlo Guthrie, was recently nominated for a Grammy.

In 2004 Hans got the Austrian Amadeus award for "Songs from the Southland", a tribute to the music of the American South - a constant source of inspiration and companion on his musical journey. A Danish Music Award for best bluesalbum followed in 2005. His most recent CD "Bridges" - a recording with the new Hans Theessink Band, is again nominated for the Amadeus in the category best Blues-, Jazz-, Roots-, Folk-album. Hans' latest work is a DVD "Live in Concert" - "A Blues & Roots Revue" - it shows the Hans Theessink Band in action + lots of other special features. Hans' productions are known for their excellent sound quality and are also in big demand in HiFi circles.

Through his unmistakable guitarwork, sonorous baritone voice and stage presence, Hans has attained a status which is unique for a European. He has performed at many of the most prominent North American music festivals such as the "New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival", the "Chicago Blues Festival", the "Kerville Folk Festival", the "Toronto Soul & Blues Festival", the "Kansas City Blues & Jazz Festival", the "Edmonton Folk Festival", the "St.Louis Blues & Heritage Festival", the "King Biscuit Blues Festival", the "Woody Guthrie Festival" and the "Ultimate Rhythm and Blues Cruise" to name a few.

Hans Theessink has become one of the most sought-after artists of the international blues scene. He is more or less constantly "on tour" and plays an average of 200 concerts a year - a modern day troubadour and entertainer who keeps on spellbinding audiences all over the world with his rich and emotional sounds.

This album contains no booklet.