Hank Williams: The Biography (Paperback)

by Colin Escott (Author), George Merritt (Author), William MacEwen (Author) "THE Mount of Olives, which overlooks Jerusalem from the east, will, according to biblical lore, be the gathering place when the dead shall rise upon..." (more)
Key Phrases: feeling called the blues, surviving demo, roving cowboy, Hank Williams, Fred Rose, Lovesick Blues (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Escott traces the triumphant and tragic career of the legendary country star, who died at 29 from a drug overdose.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From Library Journal
The man who gave us Good Rockin' Tonight ( LJ 3/15/91) brings us the man who gave us country music.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 388 pages
• Publisher: Back Bay Books (April 13, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316734977
• ISBN-13: 978-0316734974
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #102,099 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #4 in	Books > Biographies & Memoirs > People, A-Z > ( W ) > Williams, Hank
  #41 in	Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Arts & Literature > Composers & Musicians > Country & Folk
  #45 in	Books > Entertainment > Music > Musical Genres > Folk & Traditional

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lots of detail in this story of country legend, January 9, 2002

By	cheri (Austin, Texas United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hank Williams: The Biography (Paperback)

I just finished reading this biography of Mr. Williams, and came away feeling very sad for Hank and his son Hank, Jr. Although the book chronicles the real contributions that Hank's mother and wife Audrey made in starting his career, the two women seemed to use Hank as a gravy train, with little love shown for this sad, lonely man. Particularly disgusting was the vulture like behavior exhibited immediately following his tragic death. Thank heaven he had Billie Jean, if even for a short while. She seems to be the only woman in his life that really loved him. Between his back pain and loneliness, it's no wonder he drank.

There was a lot of interesting detail in the book, sometimes too much info for my taste. Mr. Escott went into exhausting detail giving the background of practically every soul Hank ever met. It also seemed Mr. Escott disliked Roy Acuff, which I found interesting, since he has always been portrayed as a virtual saint. Also, Mr. Escott's descriptions of what would have become of Hank and his career had he lived were very interesting, and probably true.

I wish Hank, Jr. could have known his father, it was obvious that Hank loved him, but addictions and circumstance kept them apart.

I'll listen to Hank's music with a much deeper knowledge of the pain that influenced his songs.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good followup to Roger Williams' SING A SAD SONG, February 28, 2004

By	Gerald L. Russell "honkforhank" (Knoxville, TN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hank Williams: The Biography (Paperback)

Except for Jesus Christ and Robert E. Lee, no other person has affected the conscious and unconscious mind of the average Southerner as has Hank Williams.

Colin Escott's biography is less sentimental and more sensationalized than Roger Williams', but is it really more detailed? After all, you can only get so much material within a given number of pages. Nevertheless, every time you re-read this book, you pick up facts and suggestions you never noticed before.
Of course, this is necessarily true with such a complex man, a genius in his field, and whose life and death were mysterious.

My favorite anecdote concerning Hank is missing from both books and is related by his steel guitarist, Don Helms: Once, playing an outdoor venue, it began to rain on Hank and his band. Hank and the band retreated to a covered stage area, where they continued the show. Looking over the audience, who were getting soaked, Hank had compassion on his musical followers, and returned to the rain. "If you're good enough to listen to me in the rain, I'm good enough to play for you in the rain!" And he did.

There you have it--a man with godlike qualities but yet a complete lack of pretense and who cared for his listeners like no one ever has. This is why you should pick up a copy of this for yourself and a copy to pass down to your grandchildren. We should never let this man's memory die.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent biography, November 5, 1999

By	Diane Diekman (Upper Marlboro, MD USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Hank Williams: The Biography (Paperback)

Well-balanced and packed with good information about Hank Williams. I feel I know him now as well as anyone could. I highly recommend this book.