Jason Petty honors 'Hank and My Honky-Tonk Heroes' - Sept. 1

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

IF YOU GO• What: "Hank and My Honky-Tonk Heroes" by Jason Petty.• When: 2:30 p.m. CDT Sunday, Sept. 1.• Where: Cumberland County Playhouse, 221 Tennessee Ave., Crossville, Tenn.• Admission: $22 adults, $12.50 students• Phone: 931-484-5000• Website: www.ccplayhouse.com

photo Jason Petty

Jason Petty has made a name for himself with his uncanny portrayal of Hank Williams, but there are other "gods of country music," he says, who helped shape Williams' path.

On Sunday, Sept. 1, Petty will pay tribute in "Hank and My Honky-Tonk Heroes" at the Cumberland County Playhouse in Crossville, Tenn. Petty wrote this musical revue, which features classics by Jimmie Rodgers, Roy Acuff, Ernest Tubb, The Carter Family, George Jones and Webb Pierce, among others. The work offers a nostalgic look at artists who either influenced Williams or were influenced by the legendary singer.

Born and raised in Manchester, Tenn., Petty made a striking impression on New York's theater district, with his "Hank Williams: Lost Highway" playing to sold-out audiences at The Little Shubert Theatre. He won rave reviews from major critics, including The New York Times, Variety and Rolling Stone. A New York Post reviewer wrote: "At times it seems as if Petty is not just offering an impersonation of Williams, but channeling his ghost."

The portrayal won him a 2003 Obie Award, off-Broadway's highest honor, as Outstanding Actor.

Petty began portraying the country music legend in 1996 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville and has since performed in theaters across the United States, Canada and Europe in tours of "Lost Highway" and "Hank and My Honky-Tonk Heroes."

photo "Hank and My Honky-Tonk Heroes" is a musical revue written by Jason Petty.