Dan Hubbard

“Dan Hubbard should be on your to-hear list.” – Independent Clauses

“His latest album proves he deserves a reputation as one of the best, most versatile songwriters around." - Charles Black (LiveGigShots.com)

"Intimate and confessional, like the 'cool breeze passing through' he depicts in his lyrics." - Elmore Magazine

“His stage presence is delightful. His music is wonderful. I cannot speak highly enough of this brilliant performer.” – C.U. Bands and Fans

“His songs weave the stories of people’s lives.” – Norman Transcript -

“Livin’ in the Heartland is a perfect title for this new collection of Dan Hubbard originals. In spite of the considerable craft and care that went into these songs, the net effect is like looking right into the middle of his Midwestern heart – and it’s a good, big one.” – Bruce Bergethon WGLT

"Hubbard's tunes are beautiful, powerful and often seemingly effortless." - Independent Clauses

“Dan Hubbard’s Livin’ In The Heartland is like sitting on the porch with a good friend talking about the good old times, the one that got away and how fast the kids are growing. It isn’t often a combination of acoustic singer/songwriter/Americana Roots (did I mention master on the harp) comes along and allows you to leave the complications of the real world behind and escape to a comfortable dimension of heartwarming reminiscence. It ultimately becomes a great getaway when you need it most.” – Nanobot Rock Reviews

“Hubbard's vital country-tinged singer songwriting is worthy of hubbub, his lyrics as observant as the Hubble, and despite mellowness, his music rocks like a hobby horse.” – Roctober Reviews -

In an alternate universe, all country-rock is this vital and satisfying. - Oklahoma Gazette

These are the songs that make you want to crank the volume and go for a drive. Just don’t set the iPod on repeat or you may never come back. - Twangville.com

Syrup-on-hot-oatmeal nice. If you’re planning a trip to the heartland, keep an eye out for one of their shows – they look to be awfully rejuvenating. – San Diego Entertainer

Dan brings a feel good, in your face, rocking acoustic sound straight from the fields and highways that dominate the landscape of central Illinois. - Illinois Times

Don’t let “The Love Show” pass you by. The music is only shown up by the lyrics. – Katie Darby Recommends

Nothing flashy here, just good American rock and roll. - Dagger Zine
The match of light fun music that also describes dark events is completely inappropriate while simultaneously perfect. - Secret Note
This one's (The Love Show) worth seeking out - In Tune Magazine
a no-nonsense group that is a perfect compliment in a time in history that’s full of nonsense. - This is Book's Music

Should be called "the Human Doors," because this Americana heartland grown folks rock n roll band swung my soul wide open! - Roctober Magazine

There are several songs about people coping with life’s challenges on The Love Show, the latest collection of well-crafted Midwestern rock from Dan Hubbard & The Humadors. A husband consoles his wife about their economic woes on the acoustic “We’ll Be Fine,” while the guy in the rocking “Beautiful Bar” finds relief in a few beers. “Don’t Take Me Now” and “All I Want Is You” are prime examples of Hubbard’s gift for creating engaging love songs. - Illinois Entertainer

Dan Hubbard’s approach is unadulterated roots rock without all the showy excess of today’s major label acts. - Power Popaholic
We can identify with his lyrics, we move to his beat, and we’re glad to see that rock music is in good hands with Dan Hubbard and The Humadors! -Frank C. Etier (BlogCritics)

No hyphens or hype, invented categories or inverted genres, just a guy writing good songs with a fine band backing him up. -Illinois Times
I find Hubbard's songs working their way into my subconscious and showing up in my head unexpectedly in bright moments of harmony. This is See You Again's greatest strength — it stays with you. -Annie Weisner (SmilePolitely.com)

The professionalism and masterhood of Dan Hubbard is without any doubt present in this new album (See You Again). -Rootstime.be
This eponymous debut blends folk, country, blues, soul and funk with classic singer/songwriter hooks to startling effect. Heavily indebted to legendary artists Tom Petty, Jackson Browne, Van Morrison and Neil Young, Hubbard ranks alongside the likes of Ryan Adams as one of the finest contemporary country-rock front men. –R2 Magazine

Dan Hubbard and the Humadors is a truly exceptional album that needs to be heard! The atmosphere is right and makes me long for Gruene Hall again, and the many gigs I saw there that sounded just like this album. –Mr. Blue Boogie (5 out of 5 stars)

The music makes me happy, something breathing the Hollies and the Kinks and melodic rock. My walk into this album has only just begun, something in there is calling me. –Frank Ostergren, Rootsy.nu

Dan Hubbard And The Humadors exude a workingman’s sensibility on a self-titled CD filled with easy-going rock songs about finding love and a purpose in life. Hubbard’s expressive vocals are appealing, and having three back-up vocalists results in some impressive harmonies. “You’re All I Need” provides some Buddy Holly-type fun and “Run For Our Lives” has a melodic country & western arrangement. –Illinois Entertainer

As far as vocalists go, my personal voice hero is Gary Louris from the Jayhawks. The hand of God has touched that soul and there are a few times I hear the essence of Gary coming through on the vocal tracks. In terms of singing, this is the highest compliment I know to give. –Openingbands.com
- Dan Hubbard

The line “I pray to God every night and still wake up in hell” comes from Dan Hubbard’s “Desperate Times” and describes how this reviewer has often felt in an effort to embrace new genres. Followers of my writing will have noted that no genre is absolved from my pen and opinion. Recently, I’ve heard my fair share of hip-hop, rap, opera, Latin, and gypsy jazz. I needed a good dose of rock, and See You Again delivers.

See You Again is the fifth album from Dan Hubbard, an Illinois-based singer-songwriter. Accompanying Hubbard on this project is his band, “The Humadors,” which consists of Scott McRae on bass, Kevin Yarger on drums, and Kyle Yapp and Andy Herald on guitar. Jerry Erickson sits in for one track on lap steel guitar.

The CD begins with the opening bars of “In Between,” which have a driving beat that reminds me of Lynyrd Skynyrd — and that’s fine with me. I’m not from Alabama!

Track four, “Years” begins as a slow-paced, acoustic ballad of innocence, naivete, desire and hope. Gradually the pace quickens, and drums and electric guitars add to a strong typical “rock” beat that segues into “Love’s Comin’” — a Mellencamp-esque narrative ballad. On his website, Hubbard lists influences such as Tom Petty, Van Morrison, Neil Young, and Jackson Browne. These various influences are especially noticeable in the title track and the bluesy “You’re Not Alone” — an emotional reassurance.

Hubbard is credited with having written all 10 tracks (with help from Scott McRae on “Love’s Comin’”), which are well suited to his strong voice and rock-style delivery. When Hubbard sings, “I’ve got an angel up above — showed me how to love,” you believe him. From the video clips, it’s easy to see he has a comfortable yet confident stage presence which can also be heard in his singing. This fifth album combines the experience of the previous efforts (which I haven’t heard) along with extensive touring to deliver a polished production with a punch.

We can identify with his lyrics, we move to his beat, and we’re glad to see that rock music is in good hands with Dan Hubbard and The Humadors!



- Frank C. Etier (BlogCritics)

As many times as I've eaten them, mashed potatoes will never blow my mind. Chicken potpie will never be earth shattering. Biscuits and gravy will never change the world of food as I know it.

Dan Hubbard's fifth album, See You Again, won't redefine genres or reshape the musical landscape. But like the comfort foods we indulge in time after time, See You Again has a satisfying familiarity to it that makes it worth returning to. It's a well-composed, accessible album that is surprising in its staying power. While its light country influences and simplistic lyrics are not typically elements that would draw me in, the whole of Hubbard's work is refined, effortless, and easy to love.

Hubbard is almost a local boy, based in Normal, IL, about an hour from Champaign. See You Again is his fifth full length and was released on August 6th, with Hubbard himself managing the release. Hubbard's first full length, "No Worries", came out in 2003, followed by two more solo albums before he joined up with The Humadors in 2008. The band released their self-titled album together that year, and while See You Again was released this year as a solo album, Scott McRae, Kevin Yarger, and Kyle Yap all supported Hubbard on the album.

See You Again opens boldly, brightly, showcasing Hubbard's strong modern country influences in its simple, steady backbeats and its antithetical themes-to love or hate, to live or die? "In Between" is one of the album's strongest tracks, and roots itself where Hubbard feels most comfortable, with layered guitars and straightforward bass setting the tone.

The second track, "My Name" abandons the country influences for a heavy-handed piece that relies on deep bass and repetitive vocals. It's a strong-armed counterpart to the easy flowing opener, instead becoming loud, demanding, and insistent.

"Years" slows the tempo and catches your ear, starting out as the quintessential soft-spoken country love song, with Hubbard's simple lyricism as the star. It's a welcome quiet moment in the progression of See You Again and layers hand-plucked strings and killer lap steel guitar. It's sweet, soothing, and easy to sink into. Tempo and momentum gather into the third verse, with the steel guitar becoming the star.

The title track is the standout for me, a song full of warm nostalgia sang for an old friend who's been long gone. This is the kind of story Hubbard tells well; honest and uncomplicated, it's captures a shared sense of gentle regret and affection for the past.

Hubbard lets himself cut loose a bit and relax on "New Jam", a song that is exactly what it promises to be: a loose, spirited number chock full of mini guitar solos and supported by a rhythmic beat.

Instead of the better-suited second-to-last song, "The Reason", the album closes with a stalker-sung track made infinitely creepier by its refusal to acknowledge its own insanity. Patient, straightforward acoustic guitar chords underscore blunt, tell-it-like-it-is vocals: "I am scary obsessed/When you get tired of hearing my voice/Just remember that you have no choice." It's an intriguing, possibly misguided note to leave us on-Hubbard telling his trapped listeners that there's no way out.

Despite the dark sendoff, I find Hubbard's songs working their way into my subconscious and showing up in my head unexpectedly in bright moments of harmony. This is See You Again's greatest strength — it stays with you. It gets stuck in your head; on second listen I caught myself already tapping my toes with anticipation to the intro of the title track. After a day together I found myself humming along. In spite of any of my brain's criticisms, my body, at least, had already made up its mind.
- Smile Politely online magazine - Champaign, IL

Dan Hubbard & Humadors Dan Hubbard & Humadors

I think it's their own label. Nowadays that's hard for an old man used to specific names and numbers of record companies. But the music makes me happy, something breathing the Hollies and the Kinks and melodic rock. My walk into this album has only just begun, something in there is calling me. I wonder what it is...

Frank Östergren
- Rootsy.nu

eponymous debut album blends folk, country, blues, soul and funk with classic singer/songwriter hooks to startling effect. Heavily indebted to legendary artists Tom Petty, Jackson Browne, Van Morrison and Neil Yound, Hubbard ranks alongside the likes of Ryan Adams as one of the finest contemporary country-rock frontment.
www.danhubbard.net - R2 Magazine

Dan Hubbard And The Humadors exude a workingman’s sensibility on a self-titled CD filled with easy-going rock songs about finding love and a purpose in life. Hubbard’s expressive vocals are appealing, and having three back-up vocalists results in some impressive harmonies. “You’re All I Need” provides some Buddy Holly-type fun and “Run For Our Lives” has a melodic country & western arrangement. Appearing: July 25th at Taste Of Lincoln Ave. in Chicago. (www.danhubbard.net)
– Terrence Flamm

- Illinois Entertainer

Based in not-so-faraway Normal, Dan and the gang list themselves as an original rock and roll band, which is pretty cool when you think about it. No hyphens or hype, invented categories or inverted genres, just a guy writing good songs with a fine band backing him up. They claim influences from Tom Petty, Neil Young, Van Morrison and others farther up the music chain doing the same thing. Head honcho Dan Hubbard covers songwriting, lead vocals, guitar, piano and harmonica, while the Humadors play the backing band with Scott McRae on lead guitar and sometimes bass, Kyle Yap on guitar and vocals, Kevin Yarger on drums, percussion and vocals, and Rob Hill on bass. Hubbard lists four CDs to his credit with the most recent in 2008 getting good reviews as a well-produced, nicely played and strongly written recording done with the Humadors. They’ve opened for fellow Bloomington-Normal rockers Backyard Tire Fire and played all over the Midwest. Word has it they’ve even played Springfield before. Were you there? - Illinoistimes.com

Style : Americana
Rate (1-5) : 5 stars

After touring solo for a couple of years and releasing 4 albums, Dan Hubbard finally took his time to assemble a group to accompany him! Hubbard and The Humadors classify them selves as Rock and Roll but in all truth their music is a mix of blues, soul, a little funk and old time styles.

Leading track “New Love Song” is drenched in blues but on the second tune “circles” Hubbard goes more into folk territory with a song that is clearly influenced by the sound of the counting crows. “Throwing it all away” is a more typical example of the Texas Americana sound as we can find it today. Although Hubbard is not a Texas native he certainly knows how to pick up the sound. “Where I belong” is a more of the same and makes me even think of Micky and the Motorcars. “The One You love” takes us back to the blues. A funky chopping guitar and a distant organ opens the tune and immediately takes you in the right mood. On “Long road” the guitars are rocking once more on the intro but as soon as the song really starts the edges are less sharp and only during the refrain the sharp hooks return.
“You’re all I need” is the first tune that leans a little bit toward Rock and Roll, but it never comes near the real R&R. However it is certainly one of the better tunes on the album and one that is surely a good live act. “The Good Wind” brings us back to the Americana sound I love so much. A nice gently flowing tune that keeps on running forever with some expressive singing! That’s all I need these days! Also worth your attention is “Sign” and “All This time” where you can hear the Adam Duritz (Counting Crows) influence again.

Dan Hubbard and The Humadors is a truly exceptional album that need to be heard for sure! The atmosphere is right and makes me long for Gruene Hall again and the many gigs I saw there that sounded just like this album!

Mr Blue Boogie
- Mr. Blue Boogie / BillyBop

Da begibt sich ein junger Mann namens Dan Hubbard mit drei weiteren Musikern, plus wenigen Gästen, ins Studio der Oxide Lounge Recordings in Bloominton und möchte mit seinen vierzehn »songs from heart«, dass sich der Hörer wohl fühlt.
Dieses Ziel hat definitiv jeder Künstler, der Vertontes auf den Markt bringt.
Folglich nichts neues, was Hubbard als Ziel verfolgt.
Selbst aus Bloominton stammend, hat er mit "No Worries" (2003) und "I'm Still Here" (2006) bereits zwei Alben veröffentlicht. Allerdings unter dem Namen The Hubbards.
Seine erste CD mit den Humadors heißt "Life Is Sweet" und stammt aus dem Jahr 2007.
Dan Hubbard schrieb, mit drei Ausnahmen, bei denen ihm Scott McRae unter die Arme griff, alle Songs selber.
Wäre die CD ein Autoreifen, müsste eine Runderneuerung her. So viele Schleifen hat der Silberling bereits im Player gedreht und nach dieser Rezension wird das ebenfalls der Fall sein.
Darüber hinaus wird mit diesem Album Lust geweckt… auf ältere und neue Scheiben vom Protagonisten.
Die Platte hat Stil und transportiert eine tolle Atmosphäre.
Es macht den Anschein, als seien die Tracks live im Studio eingespielt und Hubbard formt ganz Großes aus seiner Stilvielfalt, die ich, entgegen seiner persönlichen Kategorisierung nicht als Rock'n'Roll einstufe.
Womit wir es zu tun haben ist klasse Roots Rock, Americana und Singer/Songwriter-Sachen. Schon wird deutlich, dass es der Sänger und Gitarrist geschafft hat, sich nicht einordnen zu lassen.
Fürwahr, Hubbard, der auch noch eine verdammt gute Stimme hat, schüttet sein Herz aus und serviert grundehrliche Kompositionen.
Die Lieder sind allesamt stimmungsvolle Statements in unterschiedlicher Geschwindigkeit.
Mit dem Opener beginnt der Amerikaner damit, seine Duftspur zu legen und der Hubbard bedient im Folgenden tatsächlich vom Feinsten unterschiedliche Stimmungen.
Mit dem funkig angelegten "The One You Love", ausgestattet sowohl mit tollen Breaks, Rhythmuswechseln als auch einem coolen Chorus rockt der Herr und liefert eine in sich klasse Nummer ab, wobei diese Orgel ihren nicht minderen Anteil hat. Die Gitarrenarbeit, sowohl im Rhythmusbereich, wie auch im Solo, ist famos und Kevin Yarger trommelt sehr differenziert dazu.
Was dann folgt, nennt er "Bad Dreams". Eine derart luftige und sphärische Ballade, die einem eine Gänsehaut macht. Die Keyboards kommen jetzt flächendeckend und auch die E-Gitarre setzt sehr sparsame Akzente. Das Solo ist mit Hall gespielt und der Track bringt gefrorenes Wasser zum Schmelzen.
Dann haut man ein Country-infiziertes Ding raus, so als wäre es das Selbstverständlichste auf der Welt ("Run For Your Lives").
Wer hier welches Instrument spielt, kann man nicht genau angeben. Gleich drei Leute können die E-Gitarre bedienen und beim Bass werden zwei Leute gelistet. Der Protagonist sitzt auch am Piano und Andy Herald spielt neben dem Tieftöner ebenfalls E-Gitarre, einiges, was Tasten hat und die Harp. Also wird auch von der handwerklichen Seite sehr viel geboten.
"Long Road" ist eine vortreffliche Mischung aus Ballade und Rock-Song, wobei die Gitarren ordentlich Schmackes haben und eine einen herrlichen Zerrfaktor aufweist.
Harp und Slide-Gitarre sind die würzige Mischung, mit denen man auf den Blues-Zug springt ("You're All I Need") und "The Good Wind" gehört in die relaxt daher kommende Abteilung Hubbard'scher Songs.
Man vermutete es bereits: Mit "Two-Chord Rock'n Roll" befördert man die Kuh auf das Dach und wird dann doch überrascht, so zu sagen auf dem falschen Fuß der Erwartungen erwischt. Der Rausschmeißer wird ausschließlich mit dem Piano eröffnet, Hubbard singt die ersten Zeilen und dann erst haben wir es mit einem herrlichen Midtempo-Rocker zu tun. Es muss an dieser Stelle abermals geschrieben werden: Der Bandvorsteher ist ein genialer Sänger. Seine Stimme passt so toll zur Musik.
Überhaupt fügt man alle Einzelteile des musikalischen Puzzles zu einem sehr schönen Gesamtbild in unterschiedlichen Farben zusammen, wovon sich der RockTimes-Leser liebend gerne selbst einen Eindruck verschaffen sollte.
- RockTimes - Joachim 'Joe' Brookes

"An Album filled with catchy songs" - The Country Start Page