War Hippies Win 2023 Telly Award for 'The Hangman'

06-01-2023

(117) The official music video for country music duo War Hippies' explosive second single, "The Hangman," has garnered a 2023 Silver Telly Award for Craft Videography/Cinematography (Non-Broadcast). Upon its release last fall, the video was featured on The Country Network and the VEVO True Country playlist and has racked up over 1 million views on YouTube alone.

Produced by band members Scooter Brown and Donnie Reis and directed and edited by Paul Gaehring, the video is set in 1875 and follows the story of a good man-turned-outlaw who is forced to go on the run to try to protect the "angel" he loves. With its stunning cinematography and tragic ending, the video embodies the throwback country sound and penchant for authentic storytelling that have earned War Hippies critical acclaim and solidified the pair's status as one of country music's most promising new acts.

"This song was inspired by a conversation we had around a campfire with Kurt Russell about his character, The Hangman, in the movie The Hateful Eight. Our drummer on tour also happens to be an incredible cinematographer, which made it easy to shoot the video while touring out West, and everything was done in-house, from concept to filming to editing," said Brown.

Added Reis, "This was an amazing collaborative effort, with friends and family generously allowing us to film with their horses, props, farm and cabin. They cooked for us, built the gallows and even dressed up and appeared as extras in the shoot, while a combat veteran friend of ours, Gamble Alexander, starred in the video alongside his now-girlfriend, Lauren Payne. We're proud to share this award with all of them and everyone on our team who supported the video's creation.