This 'Train' knows one speed.

Byline: Carolyn Lamberson The Register-Guard

Wayne "The Train" Hancock believes in giving folks their money's worth.

The singer-guitarist known for his juke joint swing style will plug in for a scorching set Thursday at John Henry's.

`Man, when I come to town, I just like to play until I'm done. So we'll play a lot of good, fast songs,' Hancock said.

`We're not playing no 45-minute set and then take a 15-minute break. I didn't get in my car and drive to your town and you didn't get off work and come to my show so you can sit for a 15-minute break in a 45-minute set. That's not what you paid for. You paid to have a good time.

`I'm going to have a good time. I'm going to teach these folks how to have a good time. For 2 1/2 hours, three hours of their night, they're happy because we don't talk about the news; we don't talk about anything other than having a good time.'

Hancock is, allmusic.com says, an alt-country favorite who is a "rare breed of traditionalist, one who imbues his retro obsessions with such high energy and passions that his songs never feel like the museum pieces he's trying desperately to preserve."

At 18, the Texan won the Wrangler Country Showdown, a well-regarded talent contest. He wasn't able to ride that wave because he'd just enlisted in the Marines.

After six years of service, he returned to Texas and eventually made his way to Austin.

In 1994, he co-starred with Joe Ely and Robert Earl Keen in a stage play, "Chippy." That show attracted the attention of the small Texas label Deja Disc.

With the help of legendary producer Lloyd Maines (father of Dixie Chick Natalie Maines), Hancock recorded his debut album, "Thunderstorms and Neon Signs." He's followed up with four more albums, includ- ing his most recent, 2003's live record "Swing Time."

A previous record label, Ark 21, has put out a "Best Of" collection - without Hancock's involvement. He jokes that the best for him is yet to come.

`Some of those songs are great and some of them, well, I don't know,' he said.

In the meantime, he's gearing up for a new album, putting the finishing touches on some songs, working out a deal with a record label and generally getting his ducks in a row.

`You've got to do these things right,' he said. "I only put one out every two or three years.'

For fans, the scarcity of new material shouldn't bode ill for this next week's show.

"You never have to worry about coming to one of my shows and seeing the same thing over and over and over and over again, because that ain't going to happen,' Hancock said. "It's not choreographed at all. It's pretty much all impro- vised.'

CONCERT PREVIEW

Wayne "The Train" Hancock

With: Whopner County Country All-Stars

When: 7 p.m. Thursday

Where: John Henry's, 77 W. Broadway

Tickets: $8 advance through at John Henry's, House of Records and CD World, $10 at the door

CAPTION(S):

Wayne Hancock is taking his time putting out a new album. He's polishing songs and shopping for a record deal. `You've got to do these things right,' he said. "I only put one out every two or three years.' His last was "Swing Time" in 2003.