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Ten Thousand Motels |
A rare glimpse at the Hank behind the myth
By Charlie McCollum
Mercury News
Before he died at the age of 29 on New Year's Day 1953, Hank Williams recorded just 66 songs under his own name.
Yet in the pantheon of American popular music, Williams still looms large. His songs include such classics as ``I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry,'' ``Cold Cold Heart,'' ``Move It on Over'' and ``Your Cheatin' Heart.'' His influence, as a songwriter and as a vocal stylist, has spilled down through the years to Lucinda Williams, Bob Dylan, Norah Jones, Willie Nelson and the late Ray Charles. More than any other artist, he defined country music as it has evolved over the past half-century.
But like other iconic figures such as bluesman Robert Johnson, Hank Williams the man has largely been lost to the fog of myth and legend. Which is what makes tonight's installment of PBS's ``American Masters'' -- ``Hank Williams: Honky Tonk Blues'' (8 p.m., Ch. 9) -- such an intriguing documentary.
Filmmaker Morgan Neville, who explored Muddy Waters for ``American Masters'' last year, has rounded up a number of Williams' friends, members of his band, other country artists of the time, son Hank Jr. and grandson Hank III, and even the singer-songwriter's second wife, Billie Jean Horton, to talk about the man. If aspects of Williams' psyche remain elusive, the insights offered at least strip away some of the myth and cut to the things in the artist's life that formed the groundwork for his incredible musical canon.
``There was nothing smooth and symmetrical and complete about Hank,'' says author Rick Bragg, a true son of the South, in the film. ``He was all rough edges and ragged parts and a puzzle that didn't quite fit together.''
Neville has also unearthed some incredible archival footage and, for those who have never seen Williams perform in his prime, those moments may come as something of a revelation. Watching Williams wail through ``Your Cheatin' Heart'' is to see a pillar on which much of modern-day American music was built.
And maybe, in some ways, that's all we ultimately need to know about Hank Williams. One longtime friend says in ``Honky Tonk Blues'' that she is often asked what Williams was really like.
Her reply: ``All you have to do is listen to his music.''
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Gazza |
Only 66 songs??
I'm presuming the "under his own name" disclaimer means theyre not counting the recordings he did as "Luke The Drifter"
Hank's amazing in every conceivable way. A king of rock 'n' roll who burnt out before rock 'n' roll was even invented. |
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polksalad69 |
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Bloozehound |
66 songs huh, I didn't know that either. |
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Ten Thousand Motels |
I think this is on TV (here in the States) tonight. I've never heard Hank-3. Is he any good? |
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Bloozehound |
quote: Ten Thousand Motels wrote:
I think this is on TV (here in the States) tonight. I've never heard Hank-3. Is he any good?
I checked and it's not coming here, I'll doublecheck later.
III's more alt country, a bit more punky-rockabillish than traditional country, but he's not bad.
Worth a listen, he is a Williams after all.
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polksalad69 |
Don't know if I'd call it alt country. I hate that term. Hardcore Honky Tonk. He plays hellbilly which is pretty heavy but not as heavy as Assjack which is hardcore/death metal.
quote: polksalad69 wrote:
Nice to see this in the paper today even if she, yes, Michael is a she, got the day wrong.
The music man . . .
The hat trick: Hank Williams III, the grandson of the late, legendary Hank Williams, wowed 'em at the Double Door on Wednesday night with a three-way talent: Not only did he play classic country songs and original songs sung in his grandfather's style, but he wowed the crowd with a set of hardcore rock!
http://www.suntimes.com/output/sneed/cst-nws-sneed20.html
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Main Offender |
I love Hank Sr. Do you people have "Timeless"?? Get it!! |
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polksalad69 |
Hank II = Jackass |
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Bloozehound |
quote: polksalad69 wrote:
Hank II = Jackass
You don't like Hank Jr ? |
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polksalad69 |
quote: Bloozehound wrote:
You don't like Hank Jr ?
Some of his older stuff is good but I'm not a big fan. |
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Gazza |
Hank III, from what I've heard, is a lot more talented than Hank Jr.
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polksalad69 |
quote: Gazza wrote:
Hank III, from what I've heard, is a lot more talented than Hank Jr.
Now you're talkin.
http://www.novogate.com/board/2891/index.php
[Edited by polksalad69] |
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not bound to please |
http://www.pbs.org/previews/american_masters_williams/ |
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Bloozehound |
I dunno about this guys...see Hank Jr. is best known for his tounge-in-cheek, novelty songs, but he also wrote some excellent straight country songs that tend to be overlooked by all the popular silly stuff.
He's mainly about having a good time, kinda like what Keef says about rock n roll only being "below the waist" (or shoulders)
He's definitely talented, some are just seem put off by the silly aspects of his act.
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polksalad69 |
quote: Bloozehound wrote:
I dunno about this guys...see Hank Jr. is best known for his tounge-in-cheek, novelty songs, but he also wrote some excellent straight country songs that tend to be overlooked by all the popular silly stuff.
He's mainly about having a good time, kinda like what Keef says about rock n roll only being "below the waist" (or shoulders)
He's definitely talented, some are just seem put off by the silly aspects of his act.
His assclown side. The side that hangs out w/Kid Rock. There's also some funny live stuff out there of a drunk Jr. telling the crowd to suck his d*ck.
Shelton pays his respects even tho they dont get along. He did write some good songs and did have talent. Did... |
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Bloozehound |
I forget about Kid Rock.
Do they truly admire each other & like each others company, is it a publicity stunt by their record companies, or did all of Hank's rowdy friends just settle down and he's lonely - I'm not sure.
It doesn't really bother me, that's show Biz for ya. |
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polksalad69 |
quote: Bloozehound wrote:
or did all of Hank's rowdy friends just settle down and he's lonely - I'm not sure.
haha ^^^ |
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WildBillGrover |
quote: Bloozehound wrote:
I checked and it's not coming here, I'll doublecheck later.
III's more alt country, a bit more punky-rockabillish than traditional country, but he's not bad.
Worth a listen, he is a Williams after all.
"...he's not bad"? Holy shit, Leroy, Hank III is one of the best country and metal artists alive today. He and guys like Wayne "The Train" Hancock and Dale Watson are the true faces of cool country music - not goof balls like Toby Keith, Alan Jackson and Skin-whya Twain. If you like real country, like Hank Sr., George Jones, Lefty Frizzell, Bob Wills and Merel Haggard, listen to Hank III.
The best place to start is at the Hank III Cussin' Board (http://www.novogate.com/board/2891/) to trade some of your live recordings for Hank III live recordings because III's studio albums are not nearly as ballsy. Don't offer any God damn Stevie Nicks for trade though - they'd know you weren't a serious music listener and you'd be laughed out of there pretty quickly! |
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polksalad69 |
quote: WildBillGrover wrote:
"...he's not bad"? Holy shit, Leroy, Hank III is one of the best country and metal artists alive today. He and guys like Wayne "The Train" Hancock and Dale Watson are the true faces of cool country music - not goof balls like Toby Keith, Alan Jackson and Skin-whya Twain. If you like real country, like Hank Sr., George Jones, Lefty Frizzell, Bob Wills and Merel Haggard, listen to Hank III.
The best place to start is at the Hank III Cussin' Board (http://www.novogate.com/board/2891/) to trade some of your live recordings for Hank III live recordings because III's studio albums are not nearly as ballsy. Don't offer any God damn Stevie Nicks for trade though - they'd know you weren't a serious music listener and you'd be laughed out of there pretty quickly!
So tell us how you really feel about Stevie and Fleetwood Mac. |
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WildBillGrover |
quote: polksalad69 wrote:
So tell us how you really feel about Stevie and Fleetwood Mac.
Stevie Ray Vaughan was a fabulous musician and a hell of a nice guy too! But any serious music listener knows that Fleetwood Smack sucks! |
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polksalad69 |
^^^TY, now back to a Williams.
for a little hellbilly country music:
http://www.novogate.com/board/2891/195665-6.html |
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WildBillGrover |
You're gonna scare 'em, PolkSalad. I can tell a lot of these people on the Rocks Off Board are into the "classic rock" genre atop of all else! This deviation from the middle of the road might shake 'em up a bit! |
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WildBillGrover |
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Taptrick |
Anybody ever listen to David Allen Coe?
. |
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WildBillGrover |
quote: Taptrick wrote:
Anybody ever listen to David Allen Coe?
Hell yes! Fabulous artist and redneck.
Feel free to hang out here:
http://www.novogate.com/board/2891/index.php
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Taptrick |
Right now I'm listening to "I'd Like to Fuck the Shit Outta You" - funny song with great harmonies. |
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Bloozehound |
quote: Taptrick wrote:
Anybody ever listen to David Allen Coe?
yep
Here's an cool old pic of him with Johnny Paycheck,
Paycheck the dude that turned Coe's "Take This Job and Shove it" into a hit.
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Bloozehound |
quote: Taptrick wrote:
Right now I'm listening to "I'd Like to Fuck the Shit Outta You" - funny song with great harmonies.
Ha!
I've heard "cum stains on the pillow" and a few others b4
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Gazza |
was Coe the guy who recorded "Suzie Shallowthroat" ? |