Cuts The Deepest: Hannah Dasher

Her retro-styled kitchen will have you missing your grandma’s house. Her big hair will have you missing your teasing comb. Her sharp country lyrics will make you fall in love with her. Hannah Damn Dasher - as she is known around town - is one of a kind.

The singer-songwriter moved to Nashville after graduating from the University of Georgia. From there, she started crafting her songwriting, developing it enough to produce a cut for Brad Paisley (‘Go To Bed Early’). While writing was paying the bills, Dasher knew she always wanted to be an artist. She became a mainstay around Nashville on stages like Whiskey Jam, not too long before opening for the likes of Hank Williams Jr., The Cadillac Three and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

When the pandemic shut down touring, Dasher was cooped up at home spending a ton of money on groceries so she could cook. Like many of us, making things in the kitchen brought Hannah joy during that unstable time. Soon, her idea for a quirky cooking show called Stand by Your Pan was born. She poured her culinary skills, blended with her quick wit and comedic timing, into Tik Tok. The series has gone on to become a viral sensation, amassing over a million followers.

“I don't like to stop entertaining,” says Dasher, “so whatever holds the attention of the viewer or the listener, that's what I go for. It could be me shaking my biscuits and singing “my biscuits bring all the boys to the yard; it’s whatever holds your attention.”

It’s led to Dasher inking a deal with Sony records, with her new project, The Half Record, arriving July 9th. The release represents Hannah well; take a dash of rock and roll, mix it with sharp lyrics and add a heaping cup of country flavor, before topping it off with a thick layer of sweet Georgia twang.

Joining from her 1970’s inspired bungalow in Nashville, Dasher considers her influences and inspirations for Cuts The Deepest. It turns out, her place holds some country music history in its own very walls; “I live in a little historic cove. I'm in one of the guesthouses of the big place where Waylon Jennings and Charlie Daniels lived. Waylon was here for a year in ’76, when he was making The Outlaw. My house is just full of little pieces of country music history.”

This is one of my favorite country songs. Tim Nichols is a writer on it and I'm tickled to death to have a song with him on The Half Record. 'Leave This Bar' was an idea he brought to the table - God sent that melody out of him, it’s a little edgier. I guess you could say it's pushing my normal boundaries, but I don't want to have any anyway.

I’m obsessed with the Smokey and the Bandit movies and that whole era. Young Burt Reynolds looked like my Daddy, although my dad is a lot taller than him. I was just taken by that movie as a kid. I just long for that kind of America, because I didn't get to experience it. So, I've just created it myself.

Whenever I hear that song it gives me chills. I’m going to have it played live at my funeral. All of my talented musician buddies, like Charlie Worsham and Jaren Johnston from The Cadillac Three, already know they have to play it at my gravesite. When I was a teenager and I got into boys, I discovered Lynyrd Skynyrd's music. Rock and roll just makes me come alive, I freaking love it. I've got to have it in my life.

Aretha Franklin is a big influence. Whether it's her gospel record, 'Amazing Grace' or 'Baby, I Love You' - Aretha is the queen. If I could sound like anybody, I would want to sound like her. It’s amazing the way that she took care of her voice, didn't drink and honored God at all of her shows.

He is my favorite entertainer of all time. Call me a redneck - I reckon that I am - but if you have a chance to go see Hank play, please do. He will play the piano with his butt. He plays fiddle. He plays rock and roll guitar. He'll play Waylon’s old guitar. His voice is just larger than life and his songs are so well-written. You’ll hear a song and think “I haven’t heard that song in forever”. You'll just never be bored.

Hannah Dasher's new project, Half Record, is out July 9th via Sony Music Entertainment. Watch the video for her single 'Left Right' below.

Photography courtesy of Sony Music Entertainment.