I checked out In The Hank Williams Tradition from the library. I absolutely loved it.

Hank’s Story:

The career of Hank Williams, Sr. spanned from 1947-1953. During that time he set a standard for country music singers today. The length of his career was nearly the same amount of time as Patsy Cline’s. Though both had a short career they touched the country music world more than they ever could have imagined.

In 1942 Hank fell in love with Audrey Sheppard. They were married two years later. Hank wrote so many sad songs and Audrey was the inspiration for them. Roy Acuff was a hero to both Hank and Audrey. They came to Nashville and Frank Rose signed Hank to a record deal. His relationship with Audrey fell apart. They were divorced after 3 ½ years of marriage.

On June 11, 1949 Hank Williams, Sr. made his first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry. He got five encores that night. Hank and Audrey got back together and had the divorce annulled. Hank, Jr. was then born. Audrey pushed Hank harder than she ever should have. He began to drink more and more. He had back problems and had to have surgery. He then became addicted to pain pills. In January 1952 Audrey filed for divorce again. In May 1952 the divorce was finalized. Hank thought she would change her mind about the divorce so he agreed to her terms. He had limited time with his son and she was promised ½ of all future royalties.

Hank’s drinking got worse. He would drink for 4 or 5 days at a time with no food. He started missing shows and got a bad reputation. On October 18, 1952 he married Billie Jean Jones. Still his drinking didn’t improve. On January 1, 1953 Hank Williams, Sr. died from an overdose of drugs and alcohol. He was only 29. He was in the back seat of his Cadillac on the way to a show in Canton, Ohio. When the crowds were told you could hear sobbing among the people.

What You Will See:

This program shows the viewer the life story of Hank Williams, Sr. Included are film clips, music, family photos and lots of interviews. Those interviewed were: Randy Travis, Waylon Jennings, Ricky Skaggs, Emmylou Harris, Kris Kristofferson, Hank Williams, Jr., Minnie Pearl, Dwight Yoakam, Don Helms (steel player in Hank’s band), Jerry Rivers (also in the band), and Chet Atkins.

The songs performed are:

Your Cheatin’ Heart ~ Hank Williams, Sr.
Lovesick Blues ~ Ricky Skaggs
My Bucket’s Got a Hole In It ~ Willie Nelson
Hey Good Lookin’ ~ Hank Williams, Sr.
Move It On Over ~ Hank Williams, Jr.
I Want to Live and Love ~ Hank Williams, Sr.
I’m So Lonesone I Could Cry ~ Randy Travis
Lovesick Blues ~ Hank Williams, Sr.
Window Shopping ~ Dwight Yoakam
Half As Much ~ Emmylou Harris
Pictures From the Other Side ~ Kris Kristofferson
I Can’t Help It If I’m Still in Love With You ~ Chet Atkins
I’ll Never Get Out of This World Alive ~ Randy Travis
The Conversation ~ Hank Williams, Jr.
You Win Again ~ Kris Kristofferson & Billy Swan
May You Never Be Alone ~ Emmylou Harris
Alone and Forsaken ~ Ricky Skaggs
Turn Back the Years ~ Waylon Jennings
I Saw the Light ~ Entire Cast
I’ll Have a New Life ~ Hank Williams, Sr.

60 Minutes
Color / B&W

Between each song someone shares something from Hank’s life. There are many different pictures shown and clips of him signing.

My Thoughts:

I absolutely enjoyed every minute of this. Some of the clips of Hank weren’t the best picture. They were taped back in the late 40’s and early 50’s. So I had expected that the quality of the recordings would be bad. This was such a moving tribute to the life of a talented singer and songwriter. It’s a shame that he had to leave this earth so young and before his time.

I think the people who sang his songs for this recording did a fabulous job. At the end of the program the entire cast sang I Saw the Light. It was extremely moving for me. I couldn’t keep the tears from flowing as they sang so beautifully together. This was recorded in 1989 so many of those people are no longer alive. It was so sad for me to think of all of those people who are not here such as: Minnie Pearl, Roy Acuff, Waylon Jennings, and Chet Atkins. Chet did an awesome guitar solo in the song. This was the best 60 minutes that I’ve spent in a long time.

If you are a fan of Hank Williams, Sr. you will absolutely love this program. If you enjoy traditional country music then you will really like this. I checked it out from my local library, but would not mind having this in my personal collection to watch again.




Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Good for a Rainy Day
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children up Ages 8