Hank : the short life and long country road of Hank Williams

A heartbreaking, unforgettable portrait of country music's founding father and "Hillbilly King." After he died in the backseat of a Cadillac at the age of twenty-nine, Hank Williams—a frail, flawed man who had become country music's first real star—instantly morphed into its first tragic martyr. Having hit the heights with simple songs of despair, depression, and tainted love, he would, with that outlaw swagger, become in death a template for the rock generation to follow. Six decades later, Mark Ribowsky now weaves together the first fully realized biography of Hank Williams in a generation. Examining his music while also re-creating days and nights choked in booze and desperation, Ribowsky traces the miraculous rise of this music legend—from the dirt roads of rural Alabama to the now-immortal stage of the Grand Ole Opry, and finally to a sad, lonely end on New Year's Day, 1953. The result is an original work that promises to uncover the real Hank beneath... A heartbreaking and unforgettable portrait of country musics founding father. After he died in the backseat of a Cadillac at the age of twenty-nine, Hank Williams?a frail, flawed man who had become country musics most compelling and popular star?instantly morphed into its first tragic martyr. Having hit the heights in the postwar era with simple songs of heartache and star-crossed love, he would, with that outlaw swagger, become in death a template for the rock generation to follow. But unlike those other musical giants who never made thirty, no legacy endures quite like that of the "Hillbilly King." Now presenting the first fully realized biography of Hiram King Williams in a generation, Mark Ribowsky vividly returns us to the world of countrys origins, in this case 1920s Alabama, where Williams was born into the most trying of circumstances, which included a dictatorial mother, a henpecked father, and an agonizing spinal condition. Forced by his overbearing matriarch to do odd jobsselling peanuts, shining shoesyoung Hank soon found respite in street-corner blues man Rufus "Tee Tot" Payne, who showed him how to make a guitar sing. It wasnt long before young Hank found his way onto those nascent American radio airwaves, where his melodic voice and timely tunes slowly garnered a following. On that dusty path to early stardom, Hank was indefatigably supported by his overbearing mother, who would shepherd his band, the Driftin Cowboys, to shows along backroads of the Jim Crow South. Yet it was a different woman who would supply Hank with the fuel he needed to explode out of the local his sometimes wife, Audrey Mae Sheppard. As Ribowsky brilliantly evokes, their fiery relationshipas abusive as it was passionatewould inform nearly every song he ever wrote, and provide a template for country music for generations to follow. In chronicling Hanks rise to stardom, Ribowsky also explores all those cautionary tales that have, until now, remained secreted beneath the grooves of his records. Drawing from new interviews, Ribowsky connects those seemingly eternal afternoons and nights spent choked in booze and desperation to the music that Williams would create. With remarkable nuance and insight, Ribowsky allows us to witness the man behind the tipped cowboy hatthe charismatic troubadour who hid the wounds of his domestic quarrels, relied on painkillers to get through the day, and was always teetering on the edge of tragedy, even when he saw the light. Tracing the singular rise of a music legend from the street corners of the Depression-era South to the now-immortal stage of the Grand Ole Opry, and finally to a haunting, lonely end on New Years Day 1953, Hank uncovers the real man beneath the myths, reintroducing us to an American original whose legacy, like a good night at the honkytonk, promises to carry on and on. 16 pages of photographs After He Died In The Backseat Of A Cadillac At The Age Of Twenty-nine, Hank Williams, A Frail, Flawed Man Who Had Become Country Music's Most Compelling And Popular Star, Instantly Morphed Into Its First Tragic Martyr. Having Hit The Heights In The Postwar Era With Simple Songs Of Heartache And Star-crossed Love, He Would, With That Outlaw Swagger, Become In Death A Template For The Rock Generation To Follow. Presenting The First Fully Realized Biography Of Hiram King Williams In A Generation, Mark Ribowsky Vividly Returns Us To The World Of Country Music's Origins, In This Case 1920s Alabama, Where Williams Was Born Into The Most Trying Of Circumstances, Which Included A Dictatorial Mother, A Henpecked Father, And An Agonizing Spinal Condition. Tracing The Singular Rise Of A Music Legend From The Street Corners Of The Depression-era South To The Now-immortal Stage Of The Grand Ole Opry, And Finally To A Haunting, Lonely End On New Year's Day 1953, Hank Uncovers The Real Man Beneath The Myths, Reintroducing Us To An American Original Whose Legacy, Like A Good Night At The Honkytonk, Promises To Carry On And On. Part One: 1923-1937. King Hiram ; An American Twang ; Country Music Ain't Nothin' But White People's Blues, Anyway ; I Got A Home In Montgomery -- Part Two: 1938-1948. Don't Tell Mama ; Drydock ; Audrey, Get Me A Bottle ; It Ain't A Funny Song ; Bottle Up And Go ; From A Mean Bottle -- Part Three: 1948-1950. Syrup Sopper Or Populist Poet ; The Sorriest Thing I Ever Did Hear ; Never Put Me On After Hank Williams! ; Pettin' Parties, Cigarettes, And Gin ; It's Never Too Country ; A Brand-new Recipe -- Part Four: 1950-1953. Don't He Kill An Audience? ; The Gun Shot Four Times ; Almost A Continuous Nightmare ; Hurting From Inside ; So Far Gone ; I See Jesus Comin' Down The Road ; Don't Worry About Ol' Hank ; Then Came That Fateful Day. Mark Ribowsky. Includes Bibliographical References (pages [427]-450) And Index. "A compassionate yet clear-eyed" (Washington Post) portrait of country music’s founding father and "Hillbilly King." Mark Ribowsky’s Hank has been hailed as the "greatest biography yet" (Library Journal, starred review) of the beloved icon. Hank Williams, a frail, flawed man who had become country music’s first real star, instantly morphed into its first tragic martyr when he died in the backseat of a Cadillac at the age of twenty-nine. Six decades later, Ribowsky traces the miraculous rise of this music legend?from the dirt roads of rural Alabama to the now-immortal stage of the Grand Ole Opry, and, finally, to a lonely end on New Year’s Day in 1953. Examining Williams’s chart-topping hits while also re-creating days and nights choked in booze and desperation, Hank uncovers the real man beneath the myths, reintroducing us to an American original whose legacy, like a good night at the honkytonk, promises to carry on and on. Presents a portrait of one of country musics founding fathers, from his difficult childhood in 1920s Alabama, to his early success and rise to stardom, his fiery relationship with his wife, and the drug and alcohol abuse that led to his death at the age of twenty-nine Introduction. Just plain Hank Prologue. A wheel in the ditch and a wheel on the track 1923-1937 1938-1948 1948-1950 1950-1953 Epilogue. Of myth and men. xxiii, 472 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : 25 cm