Jim Hannaford
Entertainment Writer
Jim Hannaford is an Entertainment Writer for Hook & Barrel, covering music, entertainment, and food. A native of Jackson, Mississippi, he has written for newspapers, magazines, and websites throughout his career and has contributed regularly to Hook & Barrel since 2019.
His feature stories for the magazine include profiles of Toby Keith, Billy F. Gibbons, Luke Bryan, Guy Fieri, Kid Rock, and Trace Adkins, and he has written dozens of articles for Hook & Barrel's Jamming Out! series. At Mississippi State University, he served as Entertainment Editor of The Reflector and Editor of Thursday Magazine.
Entertainment
John Rich Exclusive: From Fired Bass Player to Million-Dollar Whiskey Mogul
John Rich still vividly remembers the almost-blinding soft, white sand and the sharp burn from a jellyfish sting. It had been a long trip for a 10-year-old boy in the backseat of the family’s Plymouth station wagon, but the payoff was worth it.
Entertainment
Kid Rock at 50: He Ain't Done Yet
A lifetime of musical success isn't stopping Kid Rock from pursuing greater heights as a human and a performer.
Music
Taylor McCall: Black Powder Soul and His Fishing 'Escape'
Taylor McCall takes some dark turns on his album Black Powder Soul. He tells Hook & Barrel why making music and fishing are one and the same.
Entertainment
Country Artist Brantley Gilbert - A Family Man
Rough-and-rowdy Brantley Gilbert grows older and wiser. STORY BY JIM HANNAFORD If Brantley Gilbert ever needs a refresher on what’s important in his life, he can just look in the...
Food & Drink
Big Bucks from Bourbon
Kentucky’s famous export is alluring, even to deer. STORY BY JIM HANNAFORD Long associated with bluegrass music and champion racehorses, Kentucky has an even bigger claim to fame as the...
Hunting
Carson Wentz - Monday Morning Bird Hunter
Carson Wentz scrambles to make time for dog and hunting. STORY BY JIM HANNAFORD Being an NFL quarterback, you shouldn’t expect a lot of downtime in the fall and winter,...
Entertainment
Bret Michaels' Survival Story: How the Poison Frontman Defied the Odds
Celebrity rock star Bret Michaels chases soul-stirring adventures despite a medical file that suggests he shouldn't.
Entertainment
Billy F. Gibbons: Have Mercy! Cooking & Outdoor Adventures
ZZ Top's Billy F. Gibbons spends more time in the kitchen than on the stage these days, but still finds time for his love of the outdoors.
Lifestyle
Doug Marcaida Is On the Cutting Edge
Doug Marcaida’s passion fuels Forged in Fire. STORY BY JIM HANNAFORD It’s safe to say that millions of people know a little bit more about knives because of the television...
Entertainment
Craig Morgan on Life and Music
Life comes full circle for Craig Morgan. STORY BY JIM HANNAFORD Craig Morgan never had a burning desire to be a famous country singer, even though he grew up practically...
Celebrities
Mike Rowe of 'Dirty Jobs': Finding Passion in Life & Work
Dirty Jobs’ Mike Rowe finds passion in everyday tasks. There’s a question that Mike Rowe gets asked so often that he was sick of it for a while. But then...
Entertainment
Tim Montana - American Thread
Big Sound, Big Ambitions for Outspoken Musical Artist Tim Montana Rank-and-file workers don’t always get enough credit, so Tim Montana thought it would be a good idea to salute them...
Entertainment
Luke Bryan - ‘Tis Always the Season
Holidays bring deep meaning for country music megastar Luke Bryan When he’s asked what’s his favorite kind of hunting, Luke Bryan is quick with a simple answer: “Whatever’s in season.”...
Entertainment
Laine Hardy – Born on the Bayou
Musical sensation Laine Hardy has deep roots in South Louisiana As you roll into the little town of Bayou Barbary in south Louisiana, you might see the blue metal sign...
Entertainment
Dustin Lynch: Country Star
‘Small Town Boy’ Dustin Lynch Makes Good—Again. Photos by Daniel Vorlet The word “Tullahoma” rolls off the tongue so smoothly that it seems like a no-brainer that it would make...
Entertainment
Zac Brown Wears Many Hats
Zac Brown | There’s More than Meets the Eye There’s more than meets the eye with this bearded bandleader. Zac Brown spends a typical summer on a tour bus, rolling across the country...
Celebrities
Larry the Cable Guy Talks “Modest Dreams and Huge Success”
Larry the Cable Guy Changes the World One Joke at a Time. Larry the Cable Guy’s voice is instantly recognizable. Part whiny, somewhat gruff, and outrageously Southern, it’s been making...
Entertainment
Easton Corbin - Classic Sounds for a Modern Audience
Easton Corbin a Modern-Day Standout in the Competitive Country Music Industry Growing up on his grandparents’ farm helped to make Easton Corbin what he is today. After his parents got divorced, he went...
Entertainment
The Cadillac Three - Best of Both Worlds
The Cadillac Three Blasts a Unique Brand of Rocking Country. For a country band, the guys in the Cadillac Three sure do look like rock stars. And they sound like...
Entertainment
Colt Ford - A Man of Many Talents
Colt Ford Reveals New Layers on his Seventh Album For most of his life, Jason Farris Brown’s biggest focus was on sports. At first it was baseball, then it was...
