On Thanksgiving, my family started playing Christmas music. You know, the traditional mid-20th century fare. From Nat King Cole's "The Christmas Song" to Bowie & Bing's mash-up of "Little Drummer Boy" and "Peace on Earth". Those, and popular tracks from that time period. Eartha Kitt. Karen Carpenter. Alvin & the Chipmunks. A) question arose over hors d'oeuvres. "Who recorded the original version of 'Jingle Bell Rock'?" Before people could reach for their smartphones and consult Google, I noted that I'd love to know who played that iconic guitar. Whether it was commonplace for that type of guitar playing to be found in the 1950's record industry. "Bobby Helms!" someone announces. Over the next week, I hear more holiday music in the air. The Brenda Lee version of "Jingle Bell Rock" also had those guitar parts. So did her recording of "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree". Helms wasn't the "it" factor in those timeless holiday staples.
That iconic 15 note reboot of Jingle Bells, and all of those little lilts decorating Helms's singing like tinsel on a Douglas fir is the work of a guitarist named... Well, "Garland". Walter "Hank Garland was raised in South Carolina during the Roosevelt and Truman administrations. After two years of studying under strings musician Don Reno, a 16 year-old Hank moved to Nashville in search of a career in the music industry. Garland composed his first big hit while still in his teen years. While still recording as a session musician in the recording studios, he proved with "Sugar-Foot Rag" that he was also a talented songwriter. One can say that versatility is part of the job requirement for session musicians. You adapt to the different artists under contract. Hank Garland would go on to record with Roy Orbison, Chet Atkins, Patsy Cline, charlie Porter, and Elvis. In the late 1950's Garland and Helms recorded "Jingle Bell Rock" (written by Joe Beals and Jim Boothe). Bobby Helms was credited as the recording artist, and it was his name that appeared on the album cover in a font big as the song title itself. Like Bob Kane stealing credit from Bill Finger for the co-creation of Batman. Executives at Decca Records knew where the talent was. That's why Hank was brought in to play a version of "Jingle Bell Rock" on Brenda Lee's Christmas album. He also recorded "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree" with her.
Hank knew his worth as a musician, and wanted more creative credit. He wanted to be recognized and monetarily rewarded for his work. While Bill Finger din't put up enough of a fight with Bob Kane and the DC Comics brass, Garland sought fair pay and credit. Especially when seeing the inequity in how the musicians in the Helms version of "Jingle Bell Rock" were credited. This didn't sit well with executives. Garland's working with Black musicians also gained him enemies within his union. One of Hank's boldest actions was creating a record label of his own and recording a jazz album.
According to Garland's brother, Hank's wife Evelyn was cheating on him. Billy Garland said that Hank left the recording studio one September Day. After receiving a call from his wife, he was in a rush to stop his wife and daughters from leaving him. A tire on Hank's 1959 Chevy station wagon burst, and the car flipped. The events following the accident backup Billy Garland's suspicions that foul play was involved and that there was a more elaborate plot against Hank. Evelyn had Hank admitted to what was then Madison Sanitarium. The guitarist was subjected to several rounds of electric shock therapy, an excessive regimen of Thorazine, and chemo therapy. In 2024, we know that many mid-20th century psychiatric facilities practiced treatment methods which often were more damaging than helpful. Based on doctors' analysis Garland, Hank would have otherwise been able to recover and continue his career. Evelyn Garland ended up dying in a separate car accident in 1963. Hank's hospitalization resulted in severe brain damage. While he re-learned to play some songs, the guitar legend lived under his parents' care and then that of Billy Garland and Hank's sister-in-law. The guitarist would pass away in 2004.
Learning of all this, I'm astonished that there isn't that Hank Garland's life story isn't more publicized or investigated. I think again of comic creators who for decades had been under-credited (I unapologetically geek out over comics), and I really wish that Batman creative Neal Adams had met Hank Garland. Adams famously fought for comic creators to receive more rights and credit for their work, and Garland appeared to have been cut from a similar cloth. Adams's efforts fell short in helping the family of Bill Finger (who as a writer also co-created Catwoman, Joker, Catwoman, Batgirl, the Penguin, and Wildcat. Writer Marc Tyler Nobelman historically got DC Comics' parent company to start crediting Bill Finger as co-creator of Batman. I hope that some day Hank Garland also gets his due respect in the entertainment industry. It's my hope that you think of Hank when his music plays on the radio, in "Home Alone", in "Lethal Weapon", on YouTube, or other online media. You can rock beyond the Christmas Trees, and explore his other works like "Seventh and Union". Look at Billy Preston as an example. He famously played on so many artists' recordings, and is now considered a "fifth Beatle" for his work with the Fab Four.
I will start working on the next blog post. I just had to take some time to honor this legend. Especially at a time when his guitar playing is offered alongside contemporary recordings like Chuck Berry's "Run Rudolph Run".
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