Hasil Adkins
Outsider musician and one-man band from West Virginia.
Hasil Adkins was an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist known for his unusual playing style, often performing as a one-man band by playing guitar and drums simultaneously. His music, which blended rock and roll, country, blues, and rockabilly, is frequently cited as an example of outsider music and a precursor to the psychobilly genre. Adkins remained obscure outside of West Virginia until the 1980s, when a resurgence in popularity secured him a cult following and helped launch the Norton Records label.
Quick Facts
- Alias
- The Haze
- Born
- 29 April 1937
- Birthplace
- Boone County, West Virginia, U.S.
- Died
- 26 April 2005
- Place of death
- Boone County, West Virginia
- Instrument
- Guitar
- vocals
- drums
- harmonica
- keyboards
- Genre
- Rockabilly
- country
- rock and roll
- blues
- psychobilly
- outsider
- Occupations
- Musician, singer-songwriter
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Adkins was born during the Great Depression and grew up in poverty in a tarpaper shack, the youngest of ten children. He reportedly attended school for as few as two days of first grade. His given name, Hasil (pronounced 'Hassel'), was often mispronounced; he later acquired the nickname 'The Haze' after a record label wanted something catchy. Adkins claimed to have three loves in life: 'girls, guitars, and cars,' all of which he said got him into trouble. In 1957, he survived a car that tumbled 70 feet off a mountain, though he sustained a permanent back injury. In the 1980s, he was charged with third-degree sexual assault involving a minor and later spent five months in jail for felony illegal possession of a shotgun after a shootout with a jealous husband. He never married and was said to have manic depression and insomnia.
Reader's Guide
Hasil Adkins is significant as a key precursor to the psychobilly genre, influencing bands such as The Cramps, who covered his song 'She Said' and helped bring him to a wider audience. His raw, unpolished sound—born from makeshift home recording equipment—became a hallmark of his style and a touchstone for outsider music. The Cramps' drummer Miriam Linna and her husband Billy Miller founded Norton Records specifically to release Adkins' work, beginning with the compilation 'Out to Hunch' in 1986, which became an underground success. Adkins' songs often explored themes of chicken, sexual intercourse, and decapitation, with tracks like 'No More Hot Dogs' about decapitating a girlfriend. He claimed a repertoire of nearly 7,000 songs. His legacy includes induction into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame in 2018 and continued recognition as a cult figure in psychobilly and outsider music circles.
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