Hank Williams III - My Sweet Love Ain't Around Wow, this pic is from 2010, but before that, Hank III maintained the appearance of a tattooed scrawny hippie, and his music was only listed in the "alt.country" sub genre, my favorite area in country with names like Lyle Lovett, Steve Earle. The first professional music show I ever went to I was thirteen or fourteen. I was born and raised in Roswell, NM, and the country music scene was barely on the map then. It was after the original Hank, but before the birth of modern mainstream country in the 60s. There were great singers during the 50s like Patsy Cline, country just hadn't grown to what it became in the 60s and today. None of my young friends listened to country, but there was a song I'd try to sing along with, but couldn't. The star preformed in the auditorium of the junior high school I'd started attending. So I bought a ticket and took myself to hear Hank Snow sing "I've Been Everywhere," which got play on the rock stations too, so was an early crossover semi hit. It was a great show, with Hank and his band decked out in sky blue suits decorated with a galaxy of sequins. He did other hits like "Movin' On," but what I remember is the fiddle player. After Hank would finish a song, while the audience applauded, the fiddle player would stand behind Hank, and, looking into the crowd, would kind of gesture toward the star, then raise his hands and clap, urging the patrons to clap louder for him. I thought that was very cool, and gracious. This was before "No Show" George Jones who became famous for skipping engagements. Hank was known for the same, and there was a popular phrase at the time that meant someone had not shown for a party, or anything they'd promised to show for. It was called "Pulling a Hank Snow." around Roswell anyway.
My cousin Gary Stewart (RIP) never get tired of listening to his songs. So sad he took his own life after he lost his wife.
Oh , do you mean this Gary Stewart?...oh I'm so sorry you lost him so young.... Let's do a memory to him and get his songs out there again by posting a few here..
I like Willie because we are the same age and have hung out in some of the same places and because my brother has jammed with him on several occasions and likes him, but I play a harmonica.I started playing for my COPD to exercise my lungs when I didn't feel like it otherwise and to strengthen my diaphragm. And the harmonica goes well with all country music but I'm trying new stuff, jazz for example. I'm looking for new music and a new way to use the harp. However, unlike Hal and many others, I'm not musical. More like the bull in the china shop, thinks swinging his tail is being friendly when actually he's creating disaster or havoc.
Yup my cousin from Florida, that's him. Not far from me in Rockwall Texas there is a road sign where he used to play a lot possibly his last place. He also did a few of Conway's songs it is hard for me to choose which I like the best on those. My #1"She is married to another" both did that one. I honestly know most all the words to about every one of them. See her there at the table, watch her tear at the label of the bottle she just drank dry. In her heart there's a yearning in her body there's a burning-----------. Rest of it is just as good, personal story from him on that one as most he did, His favorite was "She's got a drinking problem and it's me"