Hank Williams: The Biography: Amazon.ca: Colin Escott, George Merritt, William MacEwen: Books

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From Publishers Weekly

Escott traces the triumphant and tragic career of the legendary country star, who died at 29 from a drug overdose.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

The man who gave us Good Rockin' Tonight ( LJ 3/15/91) brings us the man who gave us country music.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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THE Mount of Olives, which overlooks Jerusalem from the east, will, according to biblical lore, be the gathering place when the dead shall rise upon the Messiah's return. Read the first page

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Customer Reviews

12 Reviews

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Average Customer Review

4.3 out of 5 stars (12 customer reviews)

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3.0 out of 5 stars Is Colin an actual fan of Hank's music, Nov 10 2009

By

Terri Timmons - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

Ce commentaire est de: Hank Williams: The Biography (Paperback)

I just finished reading this book which I thought was supposed to be the most comprehensive book about Hank and I was somewhat disappointed. While there was a lot of information and it seemed to be well-researched in regards to his recording sessions, I was left with the feeling that Colin does not really like Hank or his music very much. He insulted several of Hank's lesser known songs and called some Luke the Drifter songs trite. He did nothing to humanize Hank or try to understand him. As a matter of fact, he was downright negative. I particularly took issue with the story about after Hank's funeral when one of the Drifting Cowboys noted that they would never see another guy like Hank and another of them (I am not sure what his name was) said, "Yeah and that is a good thing." I thought that was incredibly rude to put in a book about a dead man, particularly a legend like Hank. As a matter of fact, it seemed like Colin did his best to disparage everything Hank did. If I had never listened to Hank's music, I would not have any inkling to ever listen to it based on what Colin wrote in his book. In summary, the book was too clinical and negative. The one good thing about this book is Colin picked an awesome picture of Hank for the cover. I got the distinct feeling that the only reason Colin wrote this book and became Hank's official biographer (whatever that means) was he saw a need for a good comprehensive bio of Hank and decided to fill that need. He did not write the book because he honestly loves Hank and his music (like I do). If you really want to read a good book about Hank by someone who loved him and understood him, read Paul Hemphill's Lovesick Blues.

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3.0 out of 5 stars Ole Hank: From rags to riches to rags to hillybilly heaven, Jun 24 2004

By

C. M Mills "Michael Mills" (Knoxville Tennessee) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

Ce commentaire est de: Hank Williams: The Biography (Paperback)

Hank Williams (aka Luke the Drifter) lived 29 hard years from his hardscrabble youth in Alabama to his tragic death in the backseat of a car on Jan. 1, 1953. Along the way Hank managed to
live in what was often an alcholoh induced haze.
Williams was raised by his tough as nails mother Miss Lillian
who was oft married, ruled the roost and tried to control the erratic genius of her wayward son. Hank had an affinity for strong minded women. His first wife Audrey and second wife Billie were women who lived with the mecurial genius who wrote like an angel but lived the devil of a life.
Colin Escott is a British writer who draws a nuts and bolts portrait of Williams. His portrait is that of a poor boy from a poor part of southwest Alabama who from 1949-1953 dominated post World War II country music or hillybill music as it was called in those distant days.
Williams wrote such classics as "Cold Cold Heart, "YourCheating Heart" and others. Along the way he was helped by Fred Rose of Acuff-Rose publishing company along with the friends in the business from Ernest Tubb to Minnie Pearl.
Hank could not deal with fame and retreated into his booze and died an early death.
He is the greatest country music singer. Escott has done a good job but some readers may be bored by all the verbiage dedicated to record deals and the politics of the recording industry.
Nevertheless, I loved this book. It is a vivid snapshot of life lived along the lost highway of a lost soul who has blessed our culture with great music.
Everyone who loves Hank Williams and enjoys country music history will benefit from this fine book.

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5.0 out of 5 stars A good followup to Roger Williams' SING A SAD SONG, Feb 28 2004

By

Gerald L. Russell (Knoxville, TN USA) - See all my reviews

Ce commentaire est de: Hank Williams: The Biography (Paperback)

Except for Jesus Christ and Robert E. Lee, no other person has affected the conscious and unconscious mind of the average Southerner as has Hank Williams.

Colin Escott's biography is less sentimental and more sensationalized than Roger Williams', but is it really more detailed? After all, you can only get so much material within a given number of pages. Nevertheless, every time you re-read this book, you pick up facts and suggestions you never noticed before.
Of course, this is necessarily true with such a complex man, a genius in his field, and whose life and death were mysterious.

My favorite anecdote concerning Hank is missing from both books and is related by his steel guitarist, Don Helms: Once, playing an outdoor venue, it began to rain on Hank and his band. Hank and the band retreated to a covered stage area, where they continued the show. Looking over the audience, who were getting soaked, Hank had compassion on his musical followers, and returned to the rain. "If you're good enough to listen to me in the rain, I'm good enough to play for you in the rain!" And he did.

There you have it--a man with godlike qualities but yet a complete lack of pretense and who cared for his listeners like no one ever has. This is why you should pick up a copy of this for yourself and a copy to pass down to your grandchildren. We should never let this man's memory die.

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Did you ever see a robin weep...
Giving this book 5 Stars is as big an understatement as saying Hank could sing a heartbreak song.After all these years he is still the person who had the biggest impact on Country... Lisez davantage

Published on Oct 23 2003 by J. Guild

5.0 out of 5 stars Hank Williams: The Biography
Wonderful biography of ole Hank! Not to harsh and not to patronizing. Editors notes were great. I couldn't wait to get to the next page. Lisez davantage

Published on Jun 12 2003 by Kendall A. Guffey