Hibbard's, Grammy-winning Gary Baker team for new custard flavor

Left of Center by Joshua Maloni

“Gary’s Rockin Road” rolled into the Hibbard’s Original Frozen Custard rotation on Friday. The new flavor is a collaboration between the iconic Lewiston sweet shop and Gary Baker, a Grammy Award-winning artist and River Region native.

Though Baker now lives in famed music town Muscle Shoals, Alabama, he returns yearly to perform with the Summer of ’69 band.

“I’ve been bugging Gary forever!” Hibbard’s proprietor Kris Trunzo said.

She noted, “He kind of wanted to make it something Christmas, because he lives in Alabama and he misses Christmas here.”

Trunzo explained, “He wanted something that reminded you of Christmas. So, this flavor has peppermint and it has marshmallows. The peppermint brought in the Christmas, and the marshmallows brought in hot chocolate with mini marshmallows.”

That said, “We didn't want to name it a Christmas kind of name,” with the world-famous custard stand open in the summer and early fall. Baker’s son, Brett, came up with “Gary’s Rockin Road.”

Baker said, “I can’t find custard anywhere in the whole world like this. It’s my favorite place. There’s only a couple of things I do when I come home that are definite. The top of the list is always to come here – at least once a day while I’m here.

“I’m excited to be part of this.”

Singer/songwriter Baker said he is known as a holiday hitmaker, having paired with artists including the Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees, and Donny and Marie Osmond for seasonal songs.

“Christmas – that’s special for us, for me,” Baker said. “It turned out really good. I really enjoy this flavor.”

Gary Baker and Kris Trunzo.

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Baker, a Lewiston-Porter graduate, and his 1960s rock musician friends, are headlining a concert at 6 p.m. Friday night at Academy Park, as part of the Lewiston Council on the Arts’ summer season. They perform favorites from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. 

The Summer of ’69 band also has lent its talents to fundraisers benefitting RockOut Cancer and the Home Assistance Referral Team (HART).

“I love giving back,” Baker said. "I just love this area so much. It’s such a part of me – I can’t shake it. I grew up here. I love the people here. My best friends are here, of all places. So, I only get to see them once or twice a year. Who would not want to come here and stay?

“I wish I was living here … but then, of course, you have this thing called winter! I miss the four seasons. I grew up right down 104 there, 7 miles or so (away from Hibbard’s). Lewiston is where we did everything; we hung as kids; walked barefoot all over. Took our shoes off last day of school; put the shoes back on the first day the next year. It was that kind of thing.”

Baker is a member of several distinguished musical organizations, having been inducted into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame (Class of 2018), the Alabama Music Hall of Fame (2020) and the Niagara Falls Music Hall of Fame (2022).

He co-wrote “I Swear” with Frank J. Myers. The Grammy-winning song became a No. 1 smash hit on both the country (with John Michael Montgomery) and pop (All-4-One) music charts. Baker also co-wrote “I’m Already There,” a Grammy-nominated No. 1 country song for Lonestar. He produced the Backstreet Boys’ greatest hits album and their Christmas record, “A Very Backstreet Christmas” (which included the Baker-penned “Christmas in New York”).

“Gary’s Rockin Road” joins a rotating roster of specialties at Hibbard’s, joining the daily “core four” of chocolate, vanilla, black raspberry and pistachio.

Hibbard’s also has a custard collaboration with the Barenaked Ladies, “Big Barenaked Bang,” which is a coffee-forward dessert.

Try out the new flavor at 105 Portage Road, Lewiston.

Gary Baker at Hibbard’s Original Frozen Custard in the Village of Lewiston.

Gary Baker with his new signature custard flavor, “Gary’s Rockin Road.”