Hank Cramer

Hank Cramer
Concert Reading PA June 4, 2011
Background information
Born	1953 , North Carolina, United States
Genres	Country music, folk, sea shanty, Celtic
Occupation(s)	Musician, soldier
Instruments	Vocals, guitar and Banjo
Years active	1982–present
Labels	Ferryboat Music, Skookumchuck Music, Front Range Records
Associated acts	Dakota, Victory at Sea, The Rounders, The Cutters, The Ferryboat Musicians, Constellation's Crew
Website	HankCramer.com

Hank Cramer (born 1953) is an American folk singer from the Pacific Northwest. He was born an "Army Brat" at Fort Bragg, North Carolina where is father was one of the Army's original "Green Berets". Hank's father, Captain Harry G. Cramer, was killed in Vietnam on October 21, 1957, the first Special Forces soldier to die in that conflict. Hank Cramer began singing professionally during his college days at the University of Arizona (1972-1976). After graduation he was commissioned as an officer in the United States Army, serving 14 years in the Regulars and 14 years in the Army Reserve. The highlight of his military career was a five-year tour with his father's Green Beret unit, the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne). After 9/11, Hank served in Afghanistan as the Senior Signal Corps Advisor to the Afghan National Army. He retired as a lieutenant colonel in 2004.

Hank began a full-time career as a traveling folksinger in 1999. He established a small, co-op music label known as Ferryboat Music, and has organized a number of music instruction camps and festivals. In 2006 Cramer revived the annual Pine Stump Symphony in the Methow Valley of Washington, a music event run by his late father-in-law Ron McLean from 1962 until his death in 1982.

Cramer made dozens of recordings. A partial discography is available at:

Specific examples follow.