Customer Reviews

The Hank Snow Story (Music in American Life)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A terrific book about a fine man, a great singer, and a great great guitar player. A must read for any true country music fan!

if you like hank snow you should enjoy this. its a good read but does not give anything away i wish he would have named a few names,but otherwise ok cheers

After I started reading, I could not put the book down. It is a story told in raw truth . . . a heart-wrenching story of a boy out of Brooklyn, Nova Scotia, abused by a step-father, Hank left home at age 12 and travelled a tough trail growing up to be a man, He became a hard worker, driven and determined, and eventually made his way into country music entertainment. It's an amazing story how he formed his own entertainment troupe and travelled town to town throughout eastern Canada. Of course, there's all the intrigue of his eventual move to the United States, his many hit songs, even a contact with Elvis! What a tale he has to share!

"The Hank Snow Story" is a highly detailed autobiography of the Singing Ranger from Liverpool, Nova Scotia. As the headline above states, it is certainly all here.

We follow Hank from his tough, hardscrabble childhood to the pinnacle of success in Nashville. There are scores of road trips, one night stands and tales of sheer self-preservation described herein. HSS also includes some good background Canadian flavor from his early years. Hank caught on north of the border years being accepted on this side. For the record, Hank had 65 chart hits from 1949 to 1974.

This reader was amazed at the sheer volume of self-promotion Hank had to do. Just what is the role of a record label in this regard? HS got his biggest break when the Texas Troubadour himself, Ernest Tubb, helped HS crack the Nashville scene. HSS also casts a very critical eye on the probity of record labels with respect to paying recording artists. The business side of recording is brutal indeed. Many of us knew that from reading other country bios but that principle is reinforced here anew.

There are two serious defects to "The Hank Snow Story": One is its sheer heft! At 504 pages, it is way too long, encompassing far too much detail. A stern editor with that sharp blue pencil was needed here. Coupled with that is the typesetting! It is very bad indeed-reading with bifocals is a chore. This reviewer had no recourse but to reduce the rating by 2 stars. Potential readers may deem this harsh-but reviews are supposed to be helpful!

To end on a positive note, folks are encouraged to consider "The Essential Hank Snow" a wonderful CD compilation of the best of Hank's RCA years-available on amazon and emblematic of where Hank's major talent lay.

An outstanding book about a true country music legend and super star. A must-read for all Hank Snow fans, and all country music enthusiasts. Hank worked hard all of his life, and was well deserving of his accomplishments and success. He was multi-talented as evidenced by his superb voice, ability to sing all styles of tunes, song writing skills, and outstanding guitar playing techniques. He has fans throughout the world, and although Canadian-born, he was proud of becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1958. This book goes into great detail of his struggles, determination, and devotion to country music.

THIS BOOK GIVES SOME INSIGHT AS TO WHY HANK SNOW WAS SUCH A GREAT COUNTRY SINGER .AS YOU READ HIS STORY,YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHY,AND HOW HE COULD PUT SUCH FEELINGS IN HIS SONGS. I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO SEE HANK IN PERSON FOR TWO SHOWS IN 1978 IN HUNTER MOUNTAIN N.Y. THE BOOK IS WRITTEN IN SUCH A WAY IT SEEMS AS THOUGH HANK IS TELLING YOU HIS STORY IN PERSON. A GREAT BOOK ABOUT A GREAT PERSON.I HATED TO FINISH IT.

Hank is known for being a good man, a great musician, and a terrific guitar player. This book is a must read for any true country music aficionado.