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Tall, charismatic, and eschewing rustic hillbilly stage outfits in favor of sleek, tailored Nudie suits, Hank Williams was country music's first true superstar, and he was more than aware that a little motion on-stage drove the ladies crazy. But it is Williams' songwriting that has ensured his legacy more than anything, and his songs -- which mixed hillbilly elements with blues and gospel, all with a firm grasp of how to shade in some Tin Pan Alley techniques -- crossed over regularly to the pop charts, and have continued to hold up well even into the 21st century. Songs like "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," which has a spare, poetic structure so efficient it could be a haiku, and "I'll Never Get out of This World Alive," which manages to be funny, ironic, and prophetically frightening all at once, don't happen by accident, and show an awareness of craft that has a good deal more in common with Irving Berlin than it does Uncle Dave Macon. This two-disc overview of Williams' career includes his classic MGM and Polydor singles from 1947 to 1952, a handful of haunting acoustic demos (which show him to be a quite capable acoustic guitarist), a couple of his Luke the Drifter cuts, and a half-dozen or so live spots from the Grand Ole Opry (in 1950) and Health & Happiness (in 1949) radio shows. Thankfully it includes none of the string-sweetened overdubbed versions that proliferated after Williams' death, and given the number of dubious and rather thrown-together Hank Williams collections on the market, Gold earns trust points for being both thorough and tasteful.
© Steve Leggett /TiVo
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Hank Williams, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - FRED ROSE, Producer - The Drifting Cowboys, Ensemble, MainArtist
℗ 1985 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - FRED ROSE, Producer, ComposerLyricist - The Drifting Cowboys, MainArtist - Wesley Rose, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1948 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - The Drifting Cowboys, MainArtist - Barry Feldman, Producer - T.C. Rogers, Producer
℗ 1948 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - FRED ROSE, Producer - The Drifting Cowboys, Ensemble - Wesley Rose, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1947 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - FRED ROSE, Producer - The Drifting Cowboys, MainArtist - Wesley Rose, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1949 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - FRED ROSE, Producer - Wesley Rose, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1949 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - FRED ROSE, Producer - The Drifting Cowboys, MainArtist - Wesley Rose, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1949 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist - Clarence Williams, ComposerLyricist - FRED ROSE, Producer - The Drifting Cowboys, MainArtist - Wesley Rose, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1949 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - FRED ROSE, Producer - The Drifting Cowboys, MainArtist - Wesley Rose, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1950 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - FRED ROSE, Producer - The Drifting Cowboys, Ensemble - Wesley Rose, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1951 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - FRED ROSE, Producer - The Drifting Cowboys, MainArtist - Wesley Rose, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1951 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - FRED ROSE, Producer - The Drifting Cowboys, Ensemble - Wesley Rose, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1951 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, Vocals, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - FRED ROSE, Producer - Don Helms, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Jerry Rivers, Fiddle, AssociatedPerformer - The Drifting Cowboys, Ensemble - Jack Shook, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Wesley Rose, Producer, Co-Producer - Sam Pruett, Electric Guitar, AssociatedPerformer
℗ 1951 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - FRED ROSE, Producer - The Drifting Cowboys, MainArtist
℗ 1951 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist - FRED ROSE, Producer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1951 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Jimmie Davis, ComposerLyricist - FRED ROSE, Producer - The Drifting Cowboys, Ensemble - Wesley Rose, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1951 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - FRED ROSE, Producer - The Drifting Cowboys, Ensemble - Wesley Rose, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1952 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist - FRED ROSE, Producer - Curley Williams, ComposerLyricist - The Drifting Cowboys, MainArtist - Wesley Rose, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1952 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - FRED ROSE, Producer - The Drifting Cowboys, Ensemble - Wesley Rose, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1952 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist - FRED ROSE, Producer, ComposerLyricist - The Drifting Cowboys, Ensemble - Edward G. Nelson, ComposerLyricist - Wesley Rose, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1952 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - FRED ROSE, Producer, ComposerLyricist - The Drifting Cowboys, Ensemble - Wesley Rose, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1952 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - FRED ROSE, Producer - The Drifting Cowboys, Ensemble - Wesley Rose, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1952 UMG Recordings, Inc.
DISC 2
Hank Williams, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Chet Atkins, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - FRED ROSE, Producer - Don Helms, Steel Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Floyd Chance, Bass Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Tommy Jackson, Fiddle, AssociatedPerformer - The Drifting Cowboys, Ensemble - Jack Shook, Guitar, AssociatedPerformer - Wesley Rose, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1953 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - FRED ROSE, Producer
℗ 1952 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - FRED ROSE, Producer, ComposerLyricist - The Drifting Cowboys, Ensemble - Wesley Rose, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1953 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hy Heath, ComposerLyricist - Hank Williams, MainArtist - FRED ROSE, Producer, ComposerLyricist - The Drifting Cowboys, MainArtist - Wesley Rose, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1953 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist - Frank Walker, Producer - Lonnie A. Glosson, ComposerLyricist - Bill Carlisle, ComposerLyricist - Colin Escott, Producer, Co-Producer - Kira Florita, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1998 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist - Ralph Jones, ComposerLyricist - Barry Feldman, Producer - Colin Escott, Producer, Co-Producer - Kira Florita, Producer, Co-Producer - T.C. Rogers, Producer
℗ 1949 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist - Eddie Hill, ComposerLyricist - Jean Branch, ComposerLyricist - The Drifting Cowboys, MainArtist
℗ 1987 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist - FRED ROSE, Producer - BOB NOLAN, ComposerLyricist - Colin Escott, Producer, Co-Producer - Kira Florita, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1998 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist - Ernest Tubb, ComposerLyricist - Colin Escott, Producer, Co-Producer - Kira Florita, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1998 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - The Drifting Cowboys, Ensemble - Colin Escott, Producer, Co-Producer - Kira Florita, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1955 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - FRED ROSE, Producer - The Drifting Cowboys, MainArtist
℗ 1998 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1957 Mercury Records
Hank Williams, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Big Bill Lister, Producer
℗ 1990 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - The Drifting Cowboys, MainArtist - Colin Escott, Producer, Co-Producer - Kira Florita, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1990 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Colin Escott, Producer - Kira Florita, Producer
℗ 2002 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist - Colin Escott, Producer - Kira Florita, Producer
℗ 2002 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2002 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist - Leon Payne, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2002 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2002 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Hank Williams, MainArtist - Irving Mills, ComposerLyricist - Cliff Friend, ComposerLyricist
℗ 2002 Mercury Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
Album review
Tall, charismatic, and eschewing rustic hillbilly stage outfits in favor of sleek, tailored Nudie suits, Hank Williams was country music's first true superstar, and he was more than aware that a little motion on-stage drove the ladies crazy. But it is Williams' songwriting that has ensured his legacy more than anything, and his songs -- which mixed hillbilly elements with blues and gospel, all with a firm grasp of how to shade in some Tin Pan Alley techniques -- crossed over regularly to the pop charts, and have continued to hold up well even into the 21st century. Songs like "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," which has a spare, poetic structure so efficient it could be a haiku, and "I'll Never Get out of This World Alive," which manages to be funny, ironic, and prophetically frightening all at once, don't happen by accident, and show an awareness of craft that has a good deal more in common with Irving Berlin than it does Uncle Dave Macon. This two-disc overview of Williams' career includes his classic MGM and Polydor singles from 1947 to 1952, a handful of haunting acoustic demos (which show him to be a quite capable acoustic guitarist), a couple of his Luke the Drifter cuts, and a half-dozen or so live spots from the Grand Ole Opry (in 1950) and Health & Happiness (in 1949) radio shows. Thankfully it includes none of the string-sweetened overdubbed versions that proliferated after Williams' death, and given the number of dubious and rather thrown-together Hank Williams collections on the market, Gold earns trust points for being both thorough and tasteful.
© Steve Leggett /TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 42 track(s)
- Total length: 01:48:43
- Main artists: Hank Williams
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Mercury Nashville
- Genre: Country
© 2002 UMG Recordings, Inc. This Compilation ℗ 2002 UMG Recordings, Inc.
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