About George 

I was sitting at the bar enjoying a cold mojito when some underfed looking guy wearing a panama hat walked in loaded down with guitars, amps, volume pedals, overdrive boxes and cords. I soon found out it’s not the roadie for Red White and Blues , it’s not a jewellery sales man or the night manager at some Holiday Inn, it’s the one and only ‘Hot-Fingers’ Chris Hanni. And I’m not talking chicken wings here.

There’s chit-chat and gossip on the bar stools, the clinking of glass and the generic grassy smell of mint. Ahhhh and that sweet aroma of a fine Cuban Cohiba drifts through the room, all the ambiance that sets the mood of a weekend night at the Havana Club. Then the composed aura comes to an end with the feed-back of an amp and a count from Don Foster the drummer. Patrons turn their heads toward the stage, as Red White and Blues has just come to life with an electrifying intro performed by Chris on his customised Fender Stratocaster. Some do a double take – where are his fingers? Look again; they are there my friends, hidden between the blurred frets as he smokes through a rendition of BB King’s ‘The thrill is gone’.

Chris joined Red White and Blues some seven years ago when band leader Bob Moseley gave him the opportunity to flaunt his passion – playing the guitar. Chris is not just a blues man; he enjoys rock as well as country. When you’re in one of Bob Moseley’s bands you’d better be versatile in your picking styles. One night you may need to take a solo on a Johnny Cash song and the next evening an Eric Clapton lick best be in your repertoire. If you can’t handle it you could end up as the night manager at a
Holiday Inn.

In the daylight hours Chris undergoes a complete transformation, going from Superman to Clark Kent as he dons suit and tie to perform his duties at Bernard Passman’s Gallery where he is the
sales manager.

Personally I prefer watching Chris working behind his Stratocaster while I’m on the cool end of a fine cigar.   WH