Unknown Hinson
Encyclopedia
Stuart Daniel Baker, better known by his stage name, Unknown Hinson, is a comedic country musician, songwriter, and voice actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as the voice of Early Cuyler on the Adult Swim
cartoon series Squidbillies
.
coat and black ribbon necktie, is a dark parody of the country western stars from the 1950s through the mid-1980s. His recorded material has the sonic qualities of a regional country star with access to cheap recording studios and hack producers. With his glued-on sideburns, blacked-out front teeth, and dark hair slicked back to reveal a prominent widow's peak, he has been referred to as the "hillbilly vampire." The self-proclaimed "king of country-western troubadours" speaks and sings with an exaggerated southern drawl, commonly pronouncing words like woman "womern," and window "winder." Hinson's personality is that of a hell-raising and hard-drinking country western singer with a preference for "party liquor," sexy womerns, and fine guitars. Baker has carefully cultivated his alter-ego. Much like Andy Kaufman's
alter-ego, Tony Clifton
, Unknown Hinson never breaks character in public and adamantly denies having any connection to Danny Baker.
Later, Hinson was convicted of various trumped-up charges, including three counts of murder, 19 paternity suits, vampirism and random grave-robbing offenses and was sentenced to thirty years in prison. He was released in 1993 and set forth to reclaim his long-denied musical legacy.
, created his alter-ego for The Wild Wild South, a Charlotte area public-access program that featured comedy sketches and concert footage. Baker along with co-star Don Swan played the characters of Unknown Hinson and Rebel Helms. After Swan's death in 1995, Baker created "The Unknown Hinson Show", a direct spin-off of "The Wild Wild South". The Unknown Hinson Show won Creative Loafing's "Best Of" poll for Best Public-Access Television Show four years in a row. After the series ended, Baker continued in his role as Unknown Hinson, performing live concerts and releasing several recordings.
, country
, and psychobilly
acts such as The Reverend Horton Heat
, Marty Stuart
, and Hank III.
He has a strong cult following and many high-profile fans, including Ed King
of Lynyrd Skynyrd
, Waylon Reavis
of Mushroomhead
, Billy Bob Thornton
, and Matt Groening
. Hank III, grandson of Hank Williams, has Unknown's face tattooed on his biceps.
In late 2008, working under his real name of Stuart Baker, Hinson was hired to play bass as well as lead guitar in Billy Bob Thornton's band The Boxmasters. For this hired-gun gig, Baker appears without the familiar Unknown Hinson wardrobe and makeup, instead appearing in a 60's vintage suit, white shirt and black pencil tie.
and difficult to find. In early 2009, Hinson's 'Torture Town' won in The 8th Annual Independent Music Awards
and Vox Pop vote for Best Alternative Country Song "Torture Town".
's late night Adult Swim
program, Squidbillies
. The Early Cuyler character echoes Unknown Hinson in several ways, including an affinity for guns and liquor, and a "no-nonsense" alpha-male attitude.
Adult Swim
Adult Swim is an adult-oriented Cable network that shares channel space with Cartoon Network from 9:00 pm until 6:00 am ET/PT in the United States, and broadcasts in countries such as Australia and New Zealand...
cartoon series Squidbillies
Squidbillies
Squidbillies is an animated television series about the Cuylers, an impoverished family of anthropomorphic hillbilly squids living in the Appalachian region of North Carolina's mountains. The show is produced by Williams Street Studios for the Adult Swim programming block of Cartoon Network and...
.
Persona
Unknown Hinson, dressed in his signature rodeo tailorTailor
A tailor is a person who makes, repairs, or alters clothing professionally, especially suits and men's clothing.Although the term dates to the thirteenth century, tailor took on its modern sense in the late eighteenth century, and now refers to makers of men's and women's suits, coats, trousers,...
coat and black ribbon necktie, is a dark parody of the country western stars from the 1950s through the mid-1980s. His recorded material has the sonic qualities of a regional country star with access to cheap recording studios and hack producers. With his glued-on sideburns, blacked-out front teeth, and dark hair slicked back to reveal a prominent widow's peak, he has been referred to as the "hillbilly vampire." The self-proclaimed "king of country-western troubadours" speaks and sings with an exaggerated southern drawl, commonly pronouncing words like woman "womern," and window "winder." Hinson's personality is that of a hell-raising and hard-drinking country western singer with a preference for "party liquor," sexy womerns, and fine guitars. Baker has carefully cultivated his alter-ego. Much like Andy Kaufman's
Andy Kaufman
Andrew Geoffrey "Andy" Kaufman was an American entertainer, actor and performance artist. While often referred to as a comedian, Kaufman did not consider himself one...
alter-ego, Tony Clifton
Tony Clifton
Tony Clifton is a fictitious character created and often played by stand up comedian Andy Kaufman in the late 1970s. Characteristic of the many elaborate hoaxes and practical jokes Kaufman concocted, Clifton was not exclusively played by Kaufman—others, mainly Bob Zmuda, stepped into the role on...
, Unknown Hinson never breaks character in public and adamantly denies having any connection to Danny Baker.
Fictional background and arrest
Unknown Hinson was an only child named after his father "says right there on my birth certificate—Mama: Miss Hinson. Daddy: Unknown." and raised by his mother who gave him his first guitar. After his mother's mysterious disappearance, Unknown ran off and joined the circus as part of the sideshow, where he learned how to lift 50-pound weights with his tongue and a variety of other skills.Later, Hinson was convicted of various trumped-up charges, including three counts of murder, 19 paternity suits, vampirism and random grave-robbing offenses and was sentenced to thirty years in prison. He was released in 1993 and set forth to reclaim his long-denied musical legacy.
Origins
Stuart Daniel Baker, a music teacher and studio musician from Albemarle, North CarolinaAlbemarle, North Carolina
Albemarle is the county seat of Stanly County, North Carolina. The population was 15,680 at the 2000 census. It is governed by Mayor Elbert L. "Whit" Whitley, Jr...
, created his alter-ego for The Wild Wild South, a Charlotte area public-access program that featured comedy sketches and concert footage. Baker along with co-star Don Swan played the characters of Unknown Hinson and Rebel Helms. After Swan's death in 1995, Baker created "The Unknown Hinson Show", a direct spin-off of "The Wild Wild South". The Unknown Hinson Show won Creative Loafing's "Best Of" poll for Best Public-Access Television Show four years in a row. After the series ended, Baker continued in his role as Unknown Hinson, performing live concerts and releasing several recordings.
Live performer
As a live performer, Unknown Hinson has been known to tour for months at a time. After his shows, he takes the time to meet as many of his fans as want to stay, and graciously takes pictures, signs shirts, posters, CDs, and body parts. Hinson is known to always fire his signature gun on the up swing, a true mark of his skill. He has shared the stage with many notable rockabillyRockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
, country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
, and psychobilly
Psychobilly
Psychobilly is a fusion genre of rock music that mixes elements of punk rock, rockabilly, and other genres. It is one of several subgenres of rockabilly which also include thrashabilly, trashabilly, punkabilly, surfabilly and gothabilly...
acts such as The Reverend Horton Heat
The Reverend Horton Heat
The Reverend Horton Heat is the stage name of American musician Jim Heath as well as the name of his Dallas, Texas-based psychobilly trio. Heath is a singer, songwriter and guitarist....
, Marty Stuart
Marty Stuart
John Martin "Marty" Stuart is an American country music singer-songwriter, known for both his traditional style, and eclectic merging of rockabilly, honky tonk, and traditional country music...
, and Hank III.
He has a strong cult following and many high-profile fans, including Ed King
Ed King
Edward C. King is an American musician. He is best known as the guitarist for psychedelic rock band Strawberry Alarm Clock and Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd....
of Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird...
, Waylon Reavis
Waylon Reavis
Waylon Reavis is the vocalist for American alternative metal and industrial metal band Mushroomhead as well as the Cleveland based band Tenafly Viper and former singer of 3 Quarters Dead.-Biography:...
of Mushroomhead
Mushroomhead
Mushroomhead is an American industrial metal band from Cleveland, Ohio. Formed in 1993 in Cleveland Warehouse District, the band's music can be described as a synthesis of alternative music, heavy metal, and electro-industrial...
, Billy Bob Thornton
Billy Bob Thornton
Billy Bob Thornton is an American actor, screenwriter, director and musician. Thornton gained early recognition as a cast member on the CBS sitcom Hearts Afire and in several early 1990s films including On Deadly Ground and Tombstone...
, and Matt Groening
Matt Groening
Matthew Abram "Matt" Groening is an American cartoonist, screenwriter, and producer. He is the creator of the comic strip Life in Hell as well as two successful television series, The Simpsons and Futurama....
. Hank III, grandson of Hank Williams, has Unknown's face tattooed on his biceps.
In late 2008, working under his real name of Stuart Baker, Hinson was hired to play bass as well as lead guitar in Billy Bob Thornton's band The Boxmasters. For this hired-gun gig, Baker appears without the familiar Unknown Hinson wardrobe and makeup, instead appearing in a 60's vintage suit, white shirt and black pencil tie.
Recording artist
Unknown Hinson writes his own music, performs live, and produces all of his own recordings. His music often parodies the dark elements of today's country and redneck culture. Unknown Hinson's album "Target Practice" was never made available in music stores in the US; it can be found on his official website. His 2002 album "Rock n Roll Is Straight From Hell" is now out of printOut of print
Out of print refers to an item, typically a book , but can include any print or visual media or sound recording, that is in the state of no longer being published....
and difficult to find. In early 2009, Hinson's 'Torture Town' won in The 8th Annual Independent Music Awards
The Independent Music Awards
The Independent Music Awards is an international program that honors top-ranked independent artists and releases in more than 50 Album, Song, Music Video and Design categories....
and Vox Pop vote for Best Alternative Country Song "Torture Town".
Discography
| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 21 Chart-toppers | Uniphone |
| 2000 | The Future Is Unknown The Future Is Unknown -Track listing:#I Ain't Afraid of Your Husband - 1:30#I Make Faces - 3:58#Polly Urethane - 3:32#Hippie Girl - 4:03#Your Man... - 3:01#Lingerie - 3:11#Venus Bound - 3:34#Foggy Windows - 2:48... |
Uniphone |
| 2002 | Rock n Roll Is Straight From Hell | Capitol |
| 2004 | The Future Is Unknown (re-release) | Capitol |
| 2006 | Target Practice | Coffin Case |
| 2008 | Unknown Hinson: Live and Undead | Uniphone Records/sdbmusic |
Voice acting
Hinson, credited as Baker, provides the voice of Early Cuyler, a balding hillbilly squid from Georgia, on Cartoon NetworkCartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
's late night Adult Swim
Adult Swim
Adult Swim is an adult-oriented Cable network that shares channel space with Cartoon Network from 9:00 pm until 6:00 am ET/PT in the United States, and broadcasts in countries such as Australia and New Zealand...
program, Squidbillies
Squidbillies
Squidbillies is an animated television series about the Cuylers, an impoverished family of anthropomorphic hillbilly squids living in the Appalachian region of North Carolina's mountains. The show is produced by Williams Street Studios for the Adult Swim programming block of Cartoon Network and...
. The Early Cuyler character echoes Unknown Hinson in several ways, including an affinity for guns and liquor, and a "no-nonsense" alpha-male attitude.
| Year(s) | Production | Role(s) | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005–present | Squidbillies Squidbillies Squidbillies is an animated television series about the Cuylers, an impoverished family of anthropomorphic hillbilly squids living in the Appalachian region of North Carolina's mountains. The show is produced by Williams Street Studios for the Adult Swim programming block of Cartoon Network and... |
Actor | Lead role |
| 2004 | Anime Talk Show Anime Talk Show Anime Talk Show is an animated television special that aired on Cartoon Network's late night programming block, Adult Swim on November 4, 2004... |
Actor | TV Special |
| 2010 | Carl | Actor | Guest, 1 episode |