“Sister Hazel: A Story of Unconditional Regard”

(An interview published in the Valley Planet on Nov. 9, 2006)

©2006 Jeanie Kezo

(800 Words)

When an old friend comes back to your hometown to visit you, it’s usually an exciting and emotional experience. Such was the scene when Sister Hazel appeared before an enthusiastically welcoming, southern crowd at Big Spring Jam on Sunday, September 24^th, 2006. Lead singer Ken Block paused to tell me their story before he joined the others for the show.

In many ways, Block seems to be the antithesis of a rock star. The father of three children, ages six and under, he just celebrated his tenth wedding anniversary and his fourth year of sobriety, another milestone he’s proud of.

Block was raised in a musical environment, so his desire to pursue music wasn’t surprising. “My dad is a phenomenal piano player,” he said. “He actually has a music degree from NYU. We always had people coming over and jamming and playing. My family was very encouraging as far as that went.”

Sister Hazel is a Gainesville, Florida band that formed in 1993 and played five nights a week during those college years. Block still remembers their debut appearance at The Mill in Gainesville. “We opened up for a band called Big White Undies who are still one of my favorite bands. From the first show, we’ve always had this great connection with people,” he said.

That connection led to sold-out 1,000-seat venues in Gainesville, so the group set loftier goals. They used touring profits to finance recording sessions and convinced radio stations to plug their songs, attracting the attention of record companies. “If anything else, we weren’t gonna be out-worked by anybody,” Block said. “We’re very fortunate to be an Indie band, now, and still get radio play, but we don’t live or die by that. We control the things that we can control—that is, writing songs that we’re proud of, putting on high-energy, unique shows, and nurturing that fan base.”

Sister Hazel’s appearance at Big Spring gave a voice to Block’s philosophy and also publicized the release of their latest CD, “Absolutely.” “We’ve never been more excited about a CD. We wrote seventy-plus songs for this CD, so knocking it down to thirteen was a challenge,” Block said. Despite its many themes and sounds, “it’s still a really cohesive body of work, and it shows a nice evolution of the band.”

Sister Hazel owes its name to a black female minister named Sister Hazel Williams. “I grew up hearing about her,” Block said. “I remember being a little kid and this lady would come on TV and talk about working with the homeless, the prostitutes and alcoholics…When we were looking for names for the group, that name popped into my head, and it just kind of represented unconditional regard for everybody.”

They show their regard for fans with an annual event known as “The Rock Boat.” Billed as “a rock-themed party at sea,” Block describes it as “spring break for people with jobs.” After this tour, the cruise sails between January 11-15, 2007, from Miami to Turks and Caikos for four nights and five days of “unspeakable fun.” Sister Hazel will host several bands, including Better Than Ezra, Collective Soul, and Cowboy Mouth.

“Lyrics for Life” is another unique project that grew out of concern. With the band’s success, they received frequent requests to help charities, so they used that success as a vehicle to address those needs. “Lyrics for Life” also meant something to Block. “When I was twenty, my younger brother died of cancer at eighteen, and that had a profound impact on me,” he said. Basically, artists autograph various items and send them along for auction, which they distribute during special, intimate shows. “We’ve got stuff from everybody from John Mayer to Elton John to R.E.M…It turns into a beautiful piece of art,” Block said.

At Big Spring Jam, they turned music into art and fans responded with a wild ovation. Block shared vocals and rhythm guitar with Andrew Copeland as Sister Hazel walloped the crowd with familiar favorites and new material from “Absolutely.” Mark Trojanowski pounded a furious rhythm on drums and Ryan Newell electrified the crowd with his slide and lead guitar. Bassist Jett Beres treated the fans to a close-up view of his performance on top of one of the speakers. As the lights dimmed, the chanting crowd convinced the guys to return for a rousing encore that included a jam session and enthusiastic rendition of “Happy.”

Scratch the surface of the group’s success and you’ll find that same caring attitude that’s given them a reputation for being down-to-earth and accessible. “I just have a lot of gratitude, and I’m a firm believer in showing that community appreciation,” Block said. He understands the role that fans, promoters, radio, and media play in shaping their success. “They’re what keeps our army marching.”