Welcome back to Tuning Thursdays, where we kick back and listen to some sweet tunes dedicated to that big, brash Bowtie that towers above the rest. In this episode, we invite you to check out Hank Sundown and the Roaring Cascades as they rock out about the ’56 Chevy.

Hank (right) and the boys rock out in Eindhoven, Holland. Photo: Rockaround.org

The rollocking, rockabilly style harkens back to the stylings of the King and his contemporaries Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis. But Hank and his crew combine a classic American sound with an appreciation for things automotive, with this and another song dedicated to bashing the Ford name, dubbed “F***ing Ford.”

Photo: Kool Kolors

Interestingly, despite their swell pompadours and St. Andrew’s flags, these guys are about as American as a pair of Dutch clogs. It turns out that they’re all based out of a town called Trysil, Norway, and are comprised of the following players: Arild Rønes (a.k.a Hank Sundown) on lead vocals and guitar, Christopher Johansen as backup singer and guitarist, Ole Evensen slapping the bass, and Tor Andreas Roseth on drums.

Nonetheless, we can’t fault them for wanting to strum and sing the praises of the ’56 Chevy, the middle child of those peerless tri-fives. Although Chevrolet didn’t change much to it compared the previous year, it still had an impact whether racing around the circle track or driving into downtown.

Among the advantages to this model year were the addition of a Corvette engine to the options, as well as the first time that a passenger car’s cubic inch dimensions matched its horsepower output. Inside, owners could count on the beautiful carpet, chrome headliner bands, and other fine accents to deliver style and comfort to an already magnificent automobile.

It doesn’t look like Hank and the boys will be making their way to America anytime soon, but that’s okay. Someone’s got to preach the evangel of classic Chevrolet to Europeans, and who better than Hank Sundown and the Roaring Cascades?

Photo: StreetrodSteve.com