Wyatt Aleman – Hank And Me
Nineteen-year old fiddler/singer Wyatt Aleman is being mentored by Richard Helsley and has been featured onstage with that fiddling master’s band Billy Mata & Texas Tradition, proving beyond any doubt Aleman is a talented up-&-comer. In 2022 the (then) 17-year-old portrayed Hank Williams for the Fayette County Opry’s annual tribute. Aleman’s release is a worthy, self-produced and recorded reproduction of the Country grand master’s effect. From the voice to the arrangements, it’s just about dead on. That’s no small achievement. But, career-wise, hopefully the choice to issue it now…as his introduction to a wider audience…won’t prove to have been a tactical miscalculation.
An endorsement from Billy Mata indicates Aleman is a fiddle phenom. The vintage arrangements on this album don’t really give him a chance to show that. Hearing the vocals, folks will likely say “yep, he really sounds like Hank” when it might be more important now for him to sound like Wyatt Aleman. That being said, perhaps his first goal is to be a Williams tribute act. Regardless, the release is a top quality Classic Country effort. Since we review Western Swing, the tracks we’ll pick are from that genre: “Just Don’t Like This Kind Of Livin’,” “Moanin’ The Blues,” “Take These Chains From My Heart” and “Why Don’t You Love Me.” Ten tracks total, recommended.
– by Rick Huff
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Wyatt Aleman – Hank And Me