Hank and Claire

Hank and Claire are Hank Payne and Claire Favro, who have been singing tight-harmony duets together since 2008. In that time they’ve released two CDs, gotten married, and settled near Seattle, WA. Hank and Claire perform folk (traditional and contemporary), swing, standards, and a few originals. Hank’s “Shade Tree Mechanic” won a prize in the 2016 Tumbleweed Music Festival Songwriting Contest. They sing a cappella or with guitar, bowed psaltery, dulcimer, banjulele and mando-guitar.

We met in 2008 studying therapeutic music. Right away we knew our voices blended well and we realized we wanted the same things musically and in life. Both of us have been making live acoustic music for years, stretching back to coffee house days of the 60’s though in different parts of the country: A little songwriting, the occasional paid gigs at weddings and community events, a real concert or two.

Neither of us gave up our day jobs, but kept our guitars close at hand. Each of us also longed for a singing partner. So when we started out at age 58 to explore the possibilities for singing, playing, collaborating, sharing lives—right away we needed to figure out what Hank and Claire would represent, what would drive our choice of songs, what would make us different from any other folksinging duo.

It’s partly in the songs we choose. We don’t care so much what style they come from—pop, jazz, gospel, folk. We don’t worry about whether they are original, traditional, and/or contemporary. We are drawn to songs that touch us in the heart or in the funny bone.

And it’s partly in the spirit with which we make the songs our own and share them with you. We are dedicated to perpetuating the tradition of live music, recognizing its powerful potential for building community and nurturing the human spirit.

CD:  Heart of the Matter (2010): covers of Tom Paxton, Michael P. Smith, Bill Gallaher, Chuck Pyle, Lou and Peter Berryman and others, as well as Hank Payne originals.

CD:  Home at Last (2014): covers of Doc Watson, George Harrison, Jay Ungar, Pete Seeger, Utah Phillips, and more, plus Hank Payne originals.

“Enjoy sweet harmonies, a bit of sentiment, some fun, and a big dose of heart? You’ll love Hank and Claire.”   -Portland Folklore Society review

“Guitars, psaltery, and dulcimer back the lovely lead and harmonizing voices. All clean, clear and full of   life—just like when you see them in person.”  – Chris Lunn, founding member International Folk Alliance

Special programs available:

Pete Seeger: The Man and the Music

Hank and Claire take listeners back in time with their banjo and 12-string guitar as they sketch the line from Pete’s passion for social justice issues (labor, war, civil rights, and the environment) to the music he inspired.  Learn the back stories and sing along with songs like “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” and “Turn, Turn, Turn.”

“Hank and Claire’s work presenting the music and philosophy of Pete Seeger is an important contribution to the one warm bloodline of activism and compassion that is the last, best hope of mankind.”   -Tom May, River City Folks

Hootenanny, Then and Now

Hank and Claire share their love of live music-making in an hour of community singing, complete with back stories and all the chorus words.  There’ll be songs that you already love, like “Freight Train” and “Last Thing on My Mind” plus some from today’s creative folkies. Find out where the 60’s Folk Revival came from and come prepared to SING!  Raise your voices with your neighbors in celebration of life, love, rivers, trains, and who knows what else?

“Truly consummate professional performers, seamlessly blending well researched history, visuals, live music and audience participation into a memorable experience.”  -Poulsbo Public Library, Washington State

“Simplicity and honesty in the sound and arrangements of lovely tunes.”  -Tom May, River City Folks