Hank Williams was sort of to country music what the Beatles were later for rock -- an artist whose artistry was of such as high level, with a universal appeal that made country music legitimate among mainstream audiences. When Williams died at on News Year's Day, 1953, at age 29, he inspired a flood of memorial songs, and over the years his songs became standards in country, pop and even jazz, with a steady flow of tribute albums followed. Here's a quick look at just a few of these records (suggestions for others are always welcome!)

Roy Acuff "Roy Acuff Sings Hank Williams" (Hickory Records, 1966) (LP)
(Produced by Wesley Rose)
Sounds like a great idea -- the Acuff-Rose publishing house owned all of Hank's songs, to there was certainly history between the two, and a wealth of material to draw on... But this is a pretty blah album: Acuff was clearly over the hill, and doesn't really sound like his heart was in it. And while there are some talented musicians adding some sweet riffs, in general the arrangements were kind of bland and an uneasy mix of traditional and pop-tinged country. On track after track, you keep hearing the start of a great old Hank song, and then being disappointed by the followthrough. Oh, well. I'm sure there are Acuff devotees out there who will disagree with me, though, so take this review with a grain of salt. (NOTE: A 2007 CD reissue on Varese Sarabande adds several bonus tracks from different sessions -- I haven't heard those tracks yet, but imagine they add some nice perspective on the original album.)

Ramblin' Ross Allan "Memories Of Hank" (Arc Records, 1971) (LP)

Slim Boyd "Hits Made Famous By Hank Williams" (Spin-O-Rama Records, 19--?) (LP)

Floyd Cramer "I Remember Hank Williams" (RCA, 1962) (LP)

Lacy J. Dalton "Here's To Hank" (BSW Records, 2010)

Don Gibson "Hank Williams As Sung By Don Gibson" (Hickory Records, 1971) (LP)

Buddy Greco "Modern Sounds Of Hank Williams" (Epic Records, 1964) (LP)

Hardrock Gunter "The Music Of Hank Williams" (1972) (LP)

George Hamilton IV "Sing Me A Sad Song: A Tribute To Hank Williams" (ABC Records, 1958) (LP)
(Produced by Don Costa)
A Hank Williams tribute album...

The Larry Hank Mountaineers "In Memory Of Hank Williams" (Diplomat Records, 19--?) (LP)

Rusty Harris "A Tribute To Hank Williams" (Diplomat Records, 19--?) (LP)
"The songs on this album were all recorded by Hank Williams at one time..." This qualified statement might explain why so many of these songs may seem a bit obscure to even a seasoned Hank fan. I haven't taken the time to track them all down. Heck, I didn't even pick up the record when I saw it. Nonetheless, I documented its existence...

Ronnie Hawkins "Sings The Songs Of Hank Williams" (Roulette Records, 1961) (LP)

Don Helms "Steel Guitar Sounds Of Hank Williams" (Mercury/Smash Records, 19--?) (LP)

Arty Hill "Montgomery On My Mind: The Hank EP" (Cow Island Records, 2009)
(Produced by Arty Hill & Dave Nachodsky)
A swell tribute to Hank Williams, from Texas indiebilly Arty Hill. This mixes original tribute songs by Hill with strong covers of Hank Williams classics... Plenty of twang, soul, and solid musicianship. Hard to argue with Hank, and the new tunes are fun, too.

Waylon Jennings "Sings Hank Williams" (Universal/YMC Records, 2006)
The late Waylon Jennings famously nominated Hank Williams as the poster child for the 1975 "outlaw" music scene, paying a sideways tribute in the song, "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way..." The affinity was natural enough -- Williams was one of country music's greatest waste cases and rebels, and like the Texas-based outlaw crowd, he forced the country music establishment to accept him on his own terms. Plus, he recorded some of the best honkytonk music ever made, songs that any true-country singer was gonna sing every chance they got. This album was originally recorded in 1985, but for whatever reasons, it went un-issued until now... It's a nice missing piece in the tapestry of Waylon's career; although many of the tracks have the too-smooth feel of a lot of '80s country studio work, there are several songs where Waylon really connects with the material, notably on "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," "Why Should We Try Anymore," "Mansion On The Hill" and "They'll Never Take Her Love From Me," four songs that are worth the price of admission alone. There's also a scripted interview wherein Jennings talks about his respect for William's legacy... Overall, this album is certainly worth checking out if you're a fan of either artist's work.

George Jones "My Favorites Of Hank Williams" (United Artists, 1962) (LP)

Spike Jones "...Plays Hank Williams Hits" (Liberty Records, 1965) (LP)

Hank Locklin "...Sings Hank Williams" (RCA Victor, 1964) (LP)

Johnny Mac "The Era Of Hank Williams" (Crown Records, 1966) (LP)

George McCormack "Hank Williams Sung By..." (Wyncote Records, 196--?) (LP)

Charlie McCoy/Various Artists "Lonesome Whistle: A Hank Williams Tribute" (Catbone Music, 2011)
With Jett Williams, Roy Clark and Ricky Skaggs...

Billy Mure "Songs Of Hank Williams" (Everest Records, 1960) (LP)

Roy Orbison "Hank Williams: The Roy Orbison Way" (MGM Records, 19--?) (LP)

Jim Owen & The Drifting Cowboys "A Salute To Hank Williams: A Song For Us All" (Epic Records, 1978) (LP)
During the 1970s, Nashville songwriter Jim Owen developed a one-man stage show tribute to Hank Williams, and he recorded this double-LP along with several former members of Hank Williams's band, the Drifting Cowboys. In 1978 he charted with a strictly Back-40 cover version of "Lovesick Blues," but while chart success was elusive, his theatrical show was well-regarded, and is reflected in this widely-distributed album.

Jake Penrod "Hank Williams Remembered, v.1" (Landmark Productions, 2009)

Jake Penrod "Hank Williams Remembered, v.2" (Landmark Productions, 2009)

Jack Scott "I Remember Hank Williams" (Top Rank Records, 1960) (LP)

Jug Scott "Memories Of Hank Williams" (Design Records, 1957-?) (LP)
A purty durn good Hank Williams cover set, recorded not that long after Williams untimely demise. "Jug Scott" was one of many aliases used by Kentucky hillbilly singer Delbert Barker during his long career as a "soundalike" singer. A fine country singer in his own right, Barker quite broke through as a solo star (though several fine collections of his work have come out over the years). He had a healthy sideline as a covers singer, including this fine album which is unusually generously programmed, with fourteen(!) songs, all of them delivered with a solid, compact backing band and confident vocals by "Jug." The liner notes are atypical as well, readily admitting that "Jug does not attempt to imitate Hank in these recordings, rather, he sings Williams songs in his own honest, forthright manner. Nevertheless, the resemblance is frightening." I mostly agree with that: as a true-blue, dyed-in-the-wool hillbilly singer himself, Barker matches much of Hank's musical intensity, though with little of the spooky vibe Williams gave off. Tonally, he sounds more like Lefty Frizzell on many of these tracks, but there ain't nothing wrong with that. Nice stuff; apparently reissued a time or two, possibly under some of his other pseudonyms.

Del Shannon "... Sings Hank Williams" (Amy Records, 1964) (LP)

Connie Smith "Connie Smith Sings Hank Williams Gospel" (Columbia Records, 1975) (LP)
All gospel material... To be honest, this is pretty lackluster and indifferently produced, though she does hit the mark on a few songs. But really, there's better Hank, there's better Connie, and there's better gospel.

Larry Sparks "Sings Hank Williams" (County-Rebel Records, 1977)

Connie Stevens "Songs Of Hank Williams Sung By..." (Harmony Records, 19--?) (LP)

Connie Stevens "The Hank Williams Song Book" (Warner Brothers, 1962) (LP)

P. K. Thompson & The Nashville Connection "Hank Williams Songbook" (Pickwick Records, 1977) (LP)

Ernest Tubb "...Sings Hank Williams" (Decca Records, 1968) (LP)

Wild Bill & Montana Power "Hank, I Know Just How You Felt" (Ripcord Records, 197--?) (LP)

Billy Williams & The Westerners "Your Cheatin' Heart: A Memory To Hank Williams" (Crown Records, 1964) (LP)

Johnny Williams "Your Cheatin' Heart" (Custom Records, 196-?) (LP)

Allen R. Adams "Lonesome"

Moe Bandy "Hank Williams You Wrote My Life"

John Beland "A Song For Hank Williams"

Larry Boone "Everybody Wants To Be Hank Williams"

David Allan Coe "The Ghost Of Hank Williams"

Wade Bernard "Play Me A Hank Williams Song"

• http://www.hankwilliamslistings.com

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