Editor’s note: I’ve been under the weather — a kidney stone hailstorm — so Nathan Arizona has agreed to handle the Song of the Day for a spell.
The great slugger Henry Aaron died yesterday and the accolades are pouring in. Here’s a song about Hammerin’ Hank, who passed Babe Ruth’s career home run record of 715 in 1974. A lot of people were not happy to see the white player superseded by a black man.
The song is by Peter Cooper, who is well-known in folk and Americana circles. It captures the sweet-swinging aspect of Aaron as well as his lifetime battle with racism.
Cooper has recorded eight albums, some with Eric Brace of Last Train Home. He has a Grammy nomination and his songs have hit the roots music charts. He got his start in the Washington, D.C., region, at times performing with bluegrass stars Seldom Scene and dobro player Mike Audridge.
He moved to Nashville, where he was a newspaper country-music critic and then became senior director of the Country Music Hall of Fame. He has continued to record and perform all while, with appearances on David Letterman’s show and Prairie Home Companion.
Hank Aaron was Cooper’s favorite player when he was a young boy pulling for the Braves. He heard the racists talking.
