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Hank
Williams, Sr.
(When
asked how he wrote a song) "I just sit down for a few minutes,
do a little thinking about things, and God writes them for me."
"I listen to people and try to understand how they feel about
things. Feelings about things...that's what songs should be about."
Birth
Name: Hiram Williams
Induction
Year: 1970
Date
of Birth: 9/17/1923
Place
of Birth: Mount Olive West, AL
Date
of Death: 1/1/1953
Place
of Death: West Virginia |
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Former Occupations:
laborer
and welder at shipbuilding company |
Education:
High
School--Sidney Lanier High School |
Career Milestones:
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1936--got
first guitar and wrote first song |
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1937--won
a talent contest singing an original song, "WPA Blues" |
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1937--won
a talent contest singing an original song, "WPA Blues" |
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1937--radio
debut on WSFA in Montgomery, AL; landed a regular spot as The
Singing Kid |
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1937--performed
regularly on WCOV |
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1937--formed
first band "The Drifting Cowboys" |
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1944--appeared
in Grand Ole Opry tour show |
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1945--published
first songbook, "Songs of Hank Williams 'The Drifting Cowboy'" |
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1946--went
to Nashville in September and signed first publishing contract with
Acuff-Rose (for individual songs) |
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1946--first
recording session in December with Sterling Records (in NY) |
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1947--signed
with M-G-M Records |
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1947--"Move
It On Over" became first of Hank's songs to get onto the
Billboard charts (reached #4) |
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1948--signed
exclusive publishing contract with Acuff-Rose |
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1948--became
a regular on KWKH's (Shreveport) Louisiana Hayride in August |
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1949--first
Grand Ole Opry appearance in June (performed "Lovesick
Blues"); first time an artist received six encores |
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1949--first
#1 record "Lovesick Blues" stayed on Billboard charts for
42 weeks (#1 for 17 weeks); top country record of 1949 in both
Billboard and Cash Box (sold more than 1,000,000 copies) |
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1952--fired
from the Grand Ole Opry in August |
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1952--recorded
last song for M-G-M in September, "Take These Chains From My Heart" |
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1952--last
public appearance for the American Federation of Musicians at the
Casino Lounge in the Elite Cafe in Montgomery on December 28 |
Awards:
1961--Country
Music Hall of Fame induction (among first three inductees)
1951--Billboard\Song
of the Year\Cold, Cold Heart
1970--National
Academy of Popular Music\Songwriters' Hall of Fame induction
Catalog
Highlights
Honky
Tonk Blues
-
Artists:
Hank Williams, Charley Pride, Hank Williams Jr., Waylon Jennings,
Huey Lewis and the News, Pirates of the Mississippi
I'm
So Lonesome I Could Cry
-
Artists:
Hank Williams, B.J. Thomas, Terry Bradshaw, Marty Robbins, Margaret
Whiting, Hank Wilson (Leon Russell), Linda Plowman, Charlie McCoy,
Jerry Lee Lewis, Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash, Cowboy Junkies, Gary
Morris, Al Green
Cold,
Cold Heart
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Artists:
Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, George Jones, Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie
McCoy, Tony Bennett, Mills Brothers, Lawrence Welk, Dinah Washington
I
Can't Help It (If I'm Still in Love With You)
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Artists:
Hank Williams, Margaret Whiting, Ricky Nelson, Adam Wade, Johnny
Tillotson, B.J. Thomas, Al Martino, Linda Ronstadt
Hey,
Good Lookin'
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Artists:
Hank Williams, Tennessee Ernie Ford & Helen O'Connell, Johnny
Cash, Faron Young, Mavericks
Jambalaya
(On the Bayou)
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Artists:
Hank Williams, Jo Stafford, Moon Mullican, Homer & Jethro, Paul
Anka, Ames Brothers, Fats Domino, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Blue Ridge Rangers
You
Win Again
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Artists:
Hank Williams, Charley Pride, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, George
Hamilton IV, Jean Shepard, Helen Merrill, The Paulette Sisters, Fats Domino
Kaw-Liga
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Co-writer:
Fred Rose
- Artists:
Hank Williams, Charley Pride, Hank Williams Jr.
Your
Cheatin' Heart
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Artists:
Hank Williams, Ray Charles, Joni James, George Hamilton IV, Billy
Vaughn, Margaret Whiting, Paul Anka, Ames Brothers, Connie Francis
I
Saw the Light
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Artists:
Hank Williams, Roy Acuff, Boxcar Willie, Willie Nelson and Leon
Russell, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
I'd
Still Want You
My
Son Calls Another Man Daddy
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Co-writer:
House, Jewell
- Artists:
Hank Williams
Move
It On Over
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Artists:
Hank Williams, Johnnie & Jack, Buddy Alan, Boxcar Willie, George
Thorogood & the Destroyers
Why
Don't You Love Me?
Honky
Tonkin'
Mind
Your Own Business
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