NEWS4U JULY 2021 | MUSIC
HUDSY
Tri-state's busiest performer preps release of "Life Is," aims to hit the road in the coming months
Before the pandemic came along and spoiled the party, local musician Eddie Hudson - aka Hudsy - was playing upwards of five shows a week, scoring regular gigs at hotspots like Bokeh Lounge, Carson's Brewery, The Landing, The Rooftop, Ghost Quesadilla, Prime Time Pub & Grill and Jennings Street Public House. He made his living that way, in fact, but then it all went sideways as the tri-state locked down and months of bookings suddenly evaporated. But Hudson didn't give up - he's just not that kind of guy. You see, six years before Covid pulled the rug out from under him and stymied his momentum, the Canadian transplant received a harrowing diagnosis: Multiple Sclerosis. "After a two-nighter [performance] in a Winnipeg Pub I started to limp and couldn't figure out why," Hudson explains. "It didn't hurt - I just couldn't lift my foot." He consulted several doctors and endured numerous exams - but it would take several months to solve the mystery of a growing list of odd physical symptoms. Remarkably, rather than deter Hudson, MS only strengthened his resolve to pursue music; he lived harder than ever before, putting everything he had into making his dream a reality. Now Hudson is proving his resilience once again, striving to get back on track and reclaim his status as the tri-state's busiest performer. A recent packed gig at Bokeh Lounge - during which he effectively opened for himself, playing an acoustic set before returning to the stage to headline with a full band - signaled that he hasn't lost a step, musically speaking. Patrons lapped up his covers of Matchbox 20, Harry Styles and more but also dug pop-based original tunes like the sultry "Blue Dress," the ultraaddictive "Tennessee" (a clever re-working of Tom Petty's "Free Fallin'")
30 | JULY 2021
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