Hank Williams

Joe Burke · Post by **Joe Burke** » 17 Jul 2014 7:17 pm

Not exactly a lap steel question but...

Can anyone recommend a good Hank Williams biography?

Or a good history of country music book?

Peter Funk · Post by **Peter Funk** » 17 Jul 2014 10:44 pm

I enjoyed reading "Lost Highway - The true story of Country Music"

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 18 Jul 2014 4:24 am

Joe Burke wrote:Not exactly a lap steel question but...

Can anyone recommend a good Hank Williams biography?

Or a good history of country music book?

This is a good topic for the "Music" section, which is where one would locate books of this nature in a bookstore.

Sonny Jenkins · Post by **Sonny Jenkins** » 18 Jul 2014 6:18 am

Funny you should ask,,,I was in the library here yesterday and happened to see 3-4 books ("biographies") of Hank,,,one picture bio very good,,,even had a picture of Jimmy Day with Hank on the Hayride,,,Check your local library.

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 18 Jul 2014 6:26 am

Moved to Music from Steel Without Pedals. Please post in the appropriate area.

Diane Diekman · Post by **Diane Diekman** » 19 Jul 2014 5:33 am

Colin Escott's original "Hank Williams: The Biography" was excellent. It was published in 1994. I thought it was one of the best-written biographies I've read. Then he published a revised edition, with most of the changes being a claim that Hank, not Faron Young, wrote "Goin' Steady." This is mostly based on what Hank's sister said. So if you can find the first edition, read it. It's a good 'un.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 19 Jul 2014 8:54 am

Colin Escott's original "Hank Williams: The Biography" was excellent. It was published in 1994. I thought it was one of the best-written biographies I've read. Then he published a revised edition, with most of the changes being a claim that Hank, not Faron Young, wrote "Goin' Steady."

Apparently, Faron won out. Maybe Cal Sharp can add some insight here..

Diane Diekman · Post by **Diane Diekman** » 19 Jul 2014 11:39 am

I gave the history of Faron writing the song in Live Fast, Love Hard: The Faron Young Story.

Darrell Criswell · Post by **Darrell Criswell** » 19 Jul 2014 7:32 pm

I believe the best place to start reading about the history of country music is from three sources

1) The Carter family--excellently portrayed on the PBS DVD Will the Circle be Unbroken or the companion book
2) Bob Wills --read San Antonio Rose by Charles Townsend
3) Jimmy Rogers -- Meeting Jimmy Rodgers is good but any short biography will give you enough info

The compilation books of country music history are good but reading the individual history of these people will give you a good start

My prejudice is for the Carter family's monumental influence in the popularization of what we call country music. Rodgers and Bob Wills lives were fascinating and are inspirational, but the Carter family was phenomenal.

Diane Diekman's books, particularly the Faron Young one, give a fabulous portrayal of the more modern era of country music.

Also visit Bob Wills boyhood home in Turkey Texas, you can still feel his presence there, and a very beautiful area for a state which most people think isn't particularly scenic.

Joe Burke · Post by **Joe Burke** » 26 Jul 2014 6:43 am

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I might try and read them all!

I picked up Colin Escott's biography and am enjoying it.

The I came across the newly released "The Hank Williams Reader" - a collection of writings. Looks like a lot of fun.

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 26 Jul 2014 10:43 pm

Barry Blackwood wrote:
a claim that Hank, not Faron Young, wrote "Goin' Steady."
Apparently, Faron won out. Maybe Cal Sharp can add some insight here..

The story I always heard was Hank wrote it and offered it to Faron, if Faron would let Hank go out on a date with Faron's girlfriend Billie Jean Jones. That ended up being Faron's first hit, but Hank ended up married to Billie Jean.

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 27 Jul 2014 11:03 am

That gal got aroundâ€¦
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billie_Jean_Horton

Hank & Billie

Johnny & Billie

Daniel Policarpo · Post by **Daniel Policarpo** » 28 Jul 2014 5:41 pm

Anybody check out the latest Hank Williams platter? I received the record yesterday, a limited edition 12" red vinyl platter from Omnivore records. Released in May of this year, the recordings are taken from 24 Garden Spot Programs, 1950. Real nice transparent red disc.

Reading the notes on the back of the record jacket, it makes mention of the fact that the Drifting Cowboys were not on these dates. That gives it a bit different vibe than the Drifting Cowboys stuff. Not confirmed, but rumor on the liner notes say that may be Cousin Jody on steel guitar here. Lots of steel and fiddle. I have lots of Hank Williams, but this is pretty special. it's got the magic.

Here's somebody playing a 10" brown vinyl edition from the same set of releases...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO-xzBFaucQ

Tom Keller · Post by **Tom Keller** » 28 Jul 2014 7:08 pm

I realize we are talking about Hank but a book that I really enjoyed was The biography of Ernest Tubb by Ronnie Pugh.

Tom

The Steel Guitar Forum

Hank Williams

Hank Williams

Re: Hank Williams