Hank ( Hiriam ) was born on Sept. 17, 1923 in Alabama USA.
As a young kid inspired by a black street musician Rufe Payne, known as "Tee-Tot" he developed a great interest in music and decided that music should be his life. Hank would say that Payne had given him "all the music training I ever had," and most biographers consider Payne the source of the noticeable blues thread running through Hank's music. At 16 Williams quit school and began his music career in earnest. He made his first radio appearance on WSFA in late 1946 or early 1947 and soon became one of the station's most popular performers. .
In March 1947, in a deal engineered by Fred Rose, Hank signed with MGM. "Move It On Over" was his first MGM release and his first Billboard chart entry. He charted again in April 1948, with "Honky Tonkin."
Rose set about finding an avenue for greater exposure for Williams. Decision makers at the the Grand Ole Opry were wary as Williams had a reputation of being a drunkard, but KWKH in Shreveport, La., was interested in the emerging star for their Saturday night jamboree, the Louisiana Hayride, and Hank joined the show in August. "I'm a Long Gone Daddy" had recently reached No. 6, but his next four releases failed to chart, and a fifth, "Mansion on the Hill," stopped short of the Top 10.
By early May. "Lovesick Blues" was an "event;" popular beyond precedent, imagination or belief. And suddenly, Hank Williams was big. Big enough at last for the Opry.
His self-destructive lifestyle by mid-1952, however, was quickly ruining his health. Wracked with back pain, he was dependent on alcohol and, it is believed, morphine. Often missing or too drunk to perform at curtain time, he was fired by the Opry.
Sometime after midnight on New Year's Day 1953, sleeping in the backseat of his Cadillac en route to a show, Hank Williams fulfilled the prophecy of his own "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive."
Sources: Wikipedia and CMT
1. 1946
Tracks:
Calling You / Never Again / Wealth Won’t Save Your Soul / When God Comes and Gatrhers his Jewel / Won't You Sometimes Think of Me
Rating :
2. 1947
Tracks:
I don’t Care / My Love For You / Honky Tonkin’ / Pan American / Move it On Over / I Saw the Light / I Heard You Crying In your Sleep / Six More Miles / Fly Trouble / On the Banks of the Old Ponchartrain / Rootie Tootie / I Can’t Get You Off My Mind / I’m a Long Gone Daddy / Honky Tonkin’ (2) / My Sweet Love Ain’t Around / The Blues Come Around / A Mansion on the Hill / I’ll Be a Bachelor till I Die
Rating :
3. 1948
Tracks:
Lost on the River / There’ll be No Teardrops Tonight / I Heard My Mother Praying for Me / Lovesick Blues
Rating :
4. 1949
Tracks:
Dear Brother / Jesus Remembered me / Lost Highway / May You Never Be Alone / Mind Your Own Business / You’re Gonna Change / Wedding Bells / I’ve Just Told Mama Goodbye / I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry / A House Without Love / I Just Don’t Like This Kind of Livin’ / My Bucket’s Got a Hole in it
Rating :
5. 1950
Tracks:
Long Gone Lonesome Blues / Why Don’t You Love Me / Why Should We Try Anymore / My Son Calls Another Man Daddy / Too Many Parties / Beyond the Sunset / The Funeral / Everything’s Okay / They’ll Never Take Her Love From Me / Nobody’s Lonesome For Me / Moaning the Blues / Help Me Understand / No No Joe / Cold Cold Heart / Dear John / Just Waitin’ / Men With Broken Hearts
Rating :
6. 1951
Tracks:
I Can’t Help it / Howling at the Moon / Hey Good Lookin’ / My Heart Would Know / Rambling Man / Pictures From Life’s Other Side / I’ve Been Down That Road Before / I Dreamed About Mama Last Night / I’d Still Want You / Lonesome Whistle / Crazy Heart / Half as Much / Baby We’re Really in Love / I’m Sorry For You My Friend / Honky Tonk Blues / Let's Turn Back the Years
Rating :
7. 1952
Tracks:
Jambalaya / Window Shopping / Setting the Woods on Fire / You Win Again / I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive / I Could Never Be Ashamed of You / Kaw-Liga / Your Cheating Heart / Take These Chains From My Heart / I Won’t Be Home No More / My Love For You / Weary Blues From Waiting / I Can’t Escape From You / Please Don’t Let Me Love You / Faded Love And Winter Roses / I Cried Again / Wild Side of Life / If You'll Be a Baby to me / Are You Walking and Talking for the Lord / Be Careful of Stones that you Throw / Why Don't You Make up Your Mind / Log Train
Rating :
8. The Lonesome Sound of Hank Williams - MGM 1960
Tracks:
1. It Just Don't Matter Now / 2. First Year Blues / 3. Cool Water / 4. Dixie Cannonball / 5. I'm Free at Last / 6. Roly Poly / 7. The Old Home / 8. Rock My Cradle (Once Again) / 9. Sundown and Sorrow / 10. Rockin' Chair Money / 11. Tennessee Border / 12. Swing Wide Your Gate of Love
Rating :
9. Wait for the Light to Shine - MGM 1960
Tracks:
1. Wait for the Light to Shine / 2. Jesus Is Calling / 3. Ready to Go Home / 4. Last Night I Dreamed of Heaven / 5. Devil's Train / 6. Thy Burdens Are Greater Than Mine / 7. Are You Building a Temple in Heaven / 8. The Prodigal / 9. Are You Waklin' and Talkin' With the Lord / 10. The Battle of Armageddon / 11. Going Home
Rating :
Essential Albums!
Original albums as listed and rated on “Rate Your Music” - June 30 - 2008
4. Moanin' the Blues - 1952
18. Rambling Man - 1955
21. Luke the Drifter - 1955
30. Memorial Album - 1953
106. I Saw the Light - 1956
Check and Rate Here!
“Rate Your Music” - July 30 - 2008
My Suggestion For a 80 minutes (app.) Best Of Compilation:
1. Calling You ( Williams ) 1946
2. Won't You Sometimes Think of Me ( Williams ) 1946
3. Pan American ( Williams ) 1947
4. Move it On Over ( Williams ) 1947
5. Mansion on the Hill ( Williams/Rose ) 1947
6. Honky Tonkin' ( Williams ) 1947
7. Lovesick Blues ( Mills/Friend ) 1948
8. There'll Be No Teardrops Tonight ( Williams ) 1948
9. May You Never Be Alone Like Me ( Williams ) 1949
10. Mind Your Own Business ( Williams ) 1949
11. Wedding Bells ( Boone ) 1949
12. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry ( Williams ) 1949
13. I Just Don't Like this Kind of Living ( Williams ) 1949
14. Lost Highway ( Payne ) 1949
15. Why Don't You Love Me ( Williams ) 1950
16. My Son Calls Another Man Daddy ( Williams/House ) 1950
17. Everything's Okay ( Williams ) 1950
18. Nobody's Lonesome For Me ( Williams ) 1950
19. Cold Cold Heart ( Williams ) 1950
20. Dear John ( Gass ) 1950
21. Just Waitin' ( Williams/Gazzaway ) 1950
22. Lone Gone Lonesome Blues ( Williams ) 1950
23. Howling at the Moon ( Williams ) 1951
24. Hey Good Lookin' ( Williams ) 1951
25. I've Been Down that Road Before ( Williams ) 1951
26. I'd Still Want You ( Williams ) 1951
27. Lonesome Whistle ( Williams/Davis ) 1951
28. I Can't Help it ( Williams ) 1951
29. Jambalaya ( Williams ) 1952
30. Kaw-Liga ( Williams/Rose ) 1952
31. Your Cheatin' Heart ( Williams ) 1952
32. Take These Chains From My Heart ( Rose/Heath ) 1952
33. You Win Again ( Williams ) 1952
34. Weary Blues From Waiting ( Williams ) 1952
35. I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive ( Williams/Rose ) 1952
LINKS:
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