Hiram King “Hank” Williams was born in Butler County, Alabama on September 17th 1923. On January 1st 1953, to borrow a turn of phrase from one of his own songs, he didn’t get out of this world alive and passed away at the age of 29. Between those two dates be became one of the biggest, most influential and best loved Country singers America has produced. He was the very embodiment of that description of the vital ingredients for Country Music, “three chords and the truth”. 

His songs have been covered by Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones and countless others. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1961, the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, the Native American Music Awards Hall of Fame in 1999. He was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010 and he was awarded a posthumous Pulitzer Prize Special Citation for his songwriting skills. In the USA Hank Willimas is as close as it gets in a Republic to being Royalty.

I’ve wrapped these 2 volumes up into one piece because together they tell a story. 32 songs across 2 LP’s, some you’ll undoubtedly know like “Jambalaya (On The Bayou)”, “Hey, Good Lookin'” and “Your Cheatin' Heart”. Some you may not but might want to investigate, “Honky Tonkin’”, “Lost Highway” and the beautiful “I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry” whose opening line “Hear that lonesome whippoorwill, He sounds too blue to fly” may well be the perfect summation of heartbreak in 2 lines. 

These songs are from Hank’s “pop” output (many with his wonderfully named band, the Lonesome Cowboys). He also had a parallel career as a Country Gospel singer (he was from Alabama, none more Bible Belt). The best known of his Gospel songs would likely be “I Saw The Light”, which although not a hit at the time of release has become a Country/Gospel standard. Sadly it’s not on these albums.

Hank Williams still sits on a lofty perch in Country Music history. In 1978, 25 years after his passing, Waylon Jennings used the power of Hank’s name to throw some ridicule at the glitz and rhinestones of Nashville in the song “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way ?”. Because, as Waylon knew, all you really need is “three chords and the truth”. 

If you have any appreciation of Country Music it’s almost impossible to avoid contact with Hank Williams whether his music or the many artists that have covered his songs. It was my Dad that introduced me to Hank and his appreciation of Country runs to just Hank and Johnny Cash, where that came from among the Jazz, Classical, Big Bands etc. I have no idea, but thanx Dad.

I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry - https://youtu.be/4WXYjm74WFI?si=AWJ-P7gNEOEKdxtW