Who is Denny Lile?
This article will not be stylized whatsoever and it will not include a conversation with any creative (although I wish I could’ve met Lile). I, in fact, see this article serving as a musical PSA. You may or may not know who Denny Lile is. If you do a huge kudos to you because I had little to no clue who he was until just a few nights ago. The only tidbit of information I knew about Lile was that he had written a song made insanely popular by Waylon Jennings but that was essentially it.
Lile is a regional legend in Louisville, Kentucky who was part of the late ’60’s Louisville based band, Soul, Inc. and he was surely on his way to having an incredibly promising career until his life was unfortunately ended short by his alcoholism. Lile lived a short life and 40+ years after his death emerged a collection of his work, Hear The Bang, a brilliant example of 1970’s Americana music. The album was recorded in 1973 but released in 2015. Lile died at 44 years of age, alone inside his van. It’s said that Lile purchased said van in the ’80s with proceeds made from “Fallin’ Out”, a song he wrote but was made famous by Waylon Jennings. The song even made top 10 single on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in 1987.
I spent all of Sunday morning listing to Hear The Bang and after my research on Lile, many people seem to agree with the fact that Hear The Bang can be compared to Neil Young’s more contemporary album, Harvest. The album was “…recorded one year after Neil Young’s Harvest and Nick Drake’s Pink Moon, Denny Lile’s eponymously titled and lone record has come back to life due to Jer Lile, Denny’s now 39-year-old nephew…” (Big Legal Mess On Lile).
The album flows perfectly. It’s not quite full country, but fully captivating with a laid-back twist. Lile’s songs are generally melancholy with, of course, a few exceptions. “If I Had My Way It’d Rain”, track 9 of the album, is one of my personal favorites, a fun beat tune that’ll make your foot stomp! “Will You Hate Me When I’m Gone”, is the existential question we will all ask ourselves at some point during our life here on Earth. It creates a somber vibe, both with the lyrics and the music. Lile sings, “Will you hate me when I’m gone / Will you cry and carry on / Or will you smile and say so long and be glad it’s done with”. It could be a song reflecting on a breakup or it could be something more — relating to life and death.“Things Don’t Stay The Same” discuss the only true thing in life, change!
Listening to the album gave me so many mixed feelings. One one hand, it’s incredibly refreshing and quality music. Lile’s work is just so darn good! However, on the other hand, to think of all the life he missed out on and all the music WE missed out on I can’t help to feel sad all the same. Hear The Bang deserves much more exposure and that is why I’m writing about it today. So with all of this being said, do yourself a favor and listen to Denny Lile’s, Hear The Bang, released on Big Legal Mess Records. His smooth voice will captivate you instantly.
Thank you to Bruce Watson and Jer Lile for bringing Lile’s music into my life & the life of many others.
