Program Notes:  Tennessee Walt’s ‘The Hank Williams Century’

Elmont Memorial Library, May 5, 2023 “Hey, Good-Looking” (Hank Williams, 1951). Yes, the official name is “Hey, Good Lookin’.”  To understand why I don’t call it that, read my 2016 blog post, “Hank Williams’ Apostrophe: A Quest for Authenticity.”  It’s not about this song specifically, but it might just as well be. Williams’ penchant for … Continue reading Program Notes:  Tennessee Walt’s ‘The Hank Williams Century’

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Program Notes:  Tennessee Walt’s ‘Riding with the Outlaws’

Bayport-Blue Point Public Library, Blue Point, New York * November 13, 2022 1. “Honky Tonk Heroes” (Billy Joe Shaver, 1973). The story goes that in late 1972, after repeated efforts to corner Waylon Jennings and play his songs for him, Billy Joe Shaver had had enough.  Knowing that Jennings was going to be recording at … Continue reading Program Notes:  Tennessee Walt’s ‘Riding with the Outlaws’

Program Notes: Tennessee Walt’s ‘An Afternoon in the Country’

Westbury Memorial Public Library, Westbury, NY * December 16, 2022 1.  “Night Train to Memphis” (Roy Acuff, 1942). Roy Acuff It’s impossible to say for sure who did what on this song, since it has three co-writers: Owen Bradley, Marvin Hughes and Beasley Smith.  However, Bradley and Hughes were both best known as musicians, while … Continue reading Program Notes: Tennessee Walt’s ‘An Afternoon in the Country’

Program Notes: Tennessee Walt’s ‘Hanks a Lot”

Voorhies Hall, Bay View, Michigan * July 20, 2022 “Honky Tonking”  (Hank Williams, 1947) Williams actually recorded and released this song twice in consecutive years, once for the low-budget, no-royalties Sterling Records in 1947 and again for the far more professional MGM Records in January 1948. Sterling didn’t have much distribution, so the MGM recording … Continue reading Program Notes: Tennessee Walt’s ‘Hanks a Lot”

The Night that Hank Williams, Ernest Tubb and Porter Wagoner Came to Town

Is it a mystery if not many people care what the answer is? I say it’s a mystery if even one person cares—and, in this case, I’m that person. I didn’t initially recognize it as a mystery.  It started out looking like a song: “The Night Hank Williams Came to Town” (1987).  It’s a pretty … Continue reading The Night that Hank Williams, Ernest Tubb and Porter Wagoner Came to Town