Based in Tucson, AZ, singer / songwriter Hank Topless delivers a honkytonk countryblues sound unlike any other. Drawing unpredictable energy from the razor’s edge between tragedy and triumph, the battle between right and wrong, he’s lived out many a hard country song – and, somehow, survived to tell the tales.

Four albums’ worth of dark, soulful, weird, humorously twisted, even tender tales – if you wanna get specific – and, with a relentless fifth album on the way. Whether alone with his guitar, or fronting a rocking band – in a local dive or on theater boards, Hank Topless never does the same show twice.

Topless is one of Tucson’s most tenacious entertainers, having worked its downtown bars since the late 1980’s. Along the road, he’s shared stages with and / or provided support for:

Les Paul, Junior Brown, Kinky Friedman, Scott Biram, Jesse Dayton, Joe Ely, Ryan Chrys & The Rough Cuts, Robbie Fulks, The Outlaws, Whitney Rose, Pete Anderson, Skip Heller, Mack Stevens, Reverend Payton’s Big Damn Band, Kevin Daly, Kaci Bays, Al Perry, Jim Goad, Tom Walbank, Split Livers, Al Foul, Gary Stockdale, Calexico, and many more.

2021 /2020 winner of “Best Of Tucson,” country music category.

Mr. Topless also co-produces music and vlogs with partner Suzi Gardner (L7).

“It’s So December” (2011) and “Big Black Heart” (2017) showcase songs written largely in the early to mid 2000’s, prior to and during a stay in the Arizona Department of Corrections.

“Songs I Hate To Sing” (co-produced by Jim Waters, and featuring a cherrypicked team of Arizona studio players),  and “Hank Me Crank Me I’m Dead” (live solo / acoustic, recorded 2018) were digitally released in October, 2019.

“Thank Your Dirty Stars” (with The Dead Horsemen) was digitally released on January 14, 2022.                                     

Single / music video  “300 Roses” released on 6/25/21.

       Single / music video “I Can’t Tell The Boys From The Girls” released on 1/1/21. 

       Complete discography available for digital download/ streaming. Links below. 

WHAT?: Sad songs, bad songs, death songs, love songs, get-lost songs, come-back songs, weird songs. 

In addition to 4 albums’ worth of original material, lots of covers: old honkytonk and hard country (Ernest Tubb, George Jones, Hank Thompson, Ray Price, Conway Twitty), old country blues (Reverend Gary Davis, Mississippi John Hurt, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Charley Patton), 60’s / ’70’s pop songs (Leon Russell, Fleetwood Mac, Doors, Beatles, Dylan),and outlaw country (Waylon Jennings, Jerry Lee Lewis, Willie Nelson)- a sort of mashup of these styles, with something broken thrown in.

WHERE /WHEN? Solo show will play whenever and wherever there’s fair pay. 

Band books out four months in advance.

Email for event rates.

HANK TOPLESS & THE DEAD HORSEMEN:

J Claymore Koweek on guitar and vocals.

R. Swelling on electric bass. 

Dani Ponce on drums.