Customer Reviews

Sing a Sad Song: THE LIFE OF HANK WILLIAMS (Music in American Life)

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I've read HANK WILLIAMS:THE BIOGRAPHY and SING A SAD SONG numerous times and I like this one the best. It's sentimental and loving in tone. The former is more sensationalized and antiseptic. Having visited Georgiana, Alabama, a town frozen in time, this book starts right there on the little railroad platform where Hank shined his shoes as a youngster. THE BIOGRAPHY aspires to more detail, but you can only get so many facts within a given number of pages, and so THE BIOGRAPHY isn't really more detailed.

Both books omit my favorite anecdote, which is related by Hank's steel guitar player, Don Helms: Playing at any outdoor venue, Hank and band had to retreat to a covered area when it came a downpour. Looking out at his drenched fans, who refused to leave, Hank had compassion on them. Hank returned to the outdoor stage and informed them that "If you can stand in the rain and listen to me, then I can stand in the rain and sing for you!"

There you go--someone with a god-like talent, a great deal of humility, and who loved his followers more than he loved himself. Is it any wonder that only Jesus Christ and fellow Southerner Robert E. Lee have had more influence on the Southern psyce than Hank Williams?

Roger Williams, who of course is not related to the subject that he wrote about, has given us a rare, insightful look into the life,career, and death of a country music legend. Hank Williams was an ordinary man with extroardinary talent who made the most out of the gifts that he was blessed with. However, as he grew up, Hank came across two powerful forces that would eventually destroy his career, and ultimately, his life. Women and booze did not mix, and as the book says,Hank found this one out the hard way. The author goes into detail about how Hank's career took off with his induction into the Grand Ole Opry in June of 1949. From there it gives us a look into how the opry operated in the early 1950's.The alcoholism which Hank undoubtedly had went far back to the early days of his youth when he was just eleven years old. By the time he released Lovesick Blues in 1948, Hank was already having problems staying sober. Alcohol is mentioned many times throughout the book because, as most fans know, alcohol wrecked Hank's overall physical condition. The book reveals some rare photos of Hank when he was at the prime of his recording career, but some of these photos shows his body slowly wasting away.After all is said and done, Hank Williams died in the backseat of his Cadillac at the age of 29, in the early morning hours of January 1, 1953. The cause of death could problably have been attributed to a broken heart. The life that Hank lead spelled out his fate way before the reaper came to take him away forever, but the legend lives on in the hearts of country music fans everywhere. Hank Williams will never be forgotten, and this book gives all the reasons why. But there's only one thing left to say. Hank was a man like all the rest, but his memory is enshrined because of his care and compassion for others who were less fortunate than he was.

This is the first book ever written that actually told the true life story of country music singer Hank Williams. Roger Williams interviewed country music performers who either worked for Hank or shared the stage with him. There are inside looks at Hank's problems and his relationships with his family and fellow performers. Hank's career was short. He died two months after his 29th birthday. However, in his short life he became a legend and fifty years after his death his music is still going strong. I recommend that every country music fan buy this book.

Good book, factual, full of trivial facts which was interesting, but way too much time spent on things like the history of the Opry, Louisiana Hayride, radio stations, other performers and events, etc. Why no photos? Most biographys have at least a couple of photos to go along with the story. The only photo you get is what's on the front cover. Other than that, I guess I learned a little more about Hank and how he wrote songs so in that light it was a decent book.