The Hank Williams Sound

Andy Alford · Posted 20 Nov 2001 5:57 am

What was the Hank Williams sound?If you removed ----- from his songs it would no longer sound like a Hank Williams song.Please tell us what you think.

Bill Sharpe · From: Hermitage, TN 37076, USA

Don Helms. without question

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B#

Larry Miller · From: Dothan AL,USA

HANK!

Red Kilby · From: Pueblo, CO, USA * R.I.P.

DON HELMS<<<<<<<<<. Without a Doubt<<<<. You can tell its a Hank tune just by the intro which was generaly Don<<<<<<.

John Steele · From: Renfrew, Ontario, Canada

....except when it was Jerry Byrd....

I thinik the crisp, choppy, honky-tonk backbeat is a very distinctive component of Hank's music.
I've noticed in some old pictures that the upright bass players had this little pad fixed to the upper bout of their bass, and they held a drummer's brush between the fingers of their right hand to accentuate this... Not that Hank's bass player necessarily did that, but it's an interesting component of the music of the time.
-John

Tele · From: Andy W. - Wolfenbuettel, Germany

I think the guy that did those click-clacks or honky tonk back beat is Sammy Pruitt who is/was a great jazz guitarist.
I heard Hank advised him to play no "vanilla"

Andy

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Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

The Blues, Hank was one honky tonkin' blues singer.

Janice Brooks · From: Pleasant Gap Pa

I think it was the twang factor. Don, Sammy and Jerry did not have the polish of Bob Wills and Hank Thompson on their recordings.

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Janice "Busgal" Brooks
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Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

I think it was a combination of Don, and the "slap" rhythm that gave him that sound.

Martin Abend · From: Berlin, Germany

Jason,

funny, that you mention it. I started this morning with Robert Johnson on my CD player, then switched to Hank and it amazed me how much their music has in common. Never noticed it before. I feel o.k, though

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martin abend Pedal-Steel in Germany
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Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

Martin, I'd just been listening to singer Gene O'Quin (1950s Capitol recording artist) and I realised how influential that tight little clicking bluesy ensemble sound was, how Hank and the hillbilly boogie sound of others had shaped modern country in the early 1950s and late 1940s.
It's like listeing to 1950s sides by Lefty and sides by Hank... Hank was more ofa bluesy artist, while Lefty's honky tonk was a stripped down Western Swing Southwestern approach.

Bill C. Buntin · Posted 21 Nov 2001 4:06 pm

I, IV, V changes in 2/4 time. Upright Bass, Straight steel and that RAW fiddle. Not to mention just "Being Country Boys" has a lot to do with it.

Andy Alford · Posted 22 Nov 2001 5:45 am

Stand up and honor Hanks music.We need to know what you think.

Gary Harris · From: Hendersonville, TN, USA

John Steele mentioned the "little pad" on the upright bass. This was done by Ernie Newton and perhaps others. Ernie left the music business and worked for a pro golf course some place.
When you compare Hank Williams to Bob Wills it is like comparing apples to oranges. It is a matter of your personal taste. Personally I think Jerry Byrd was light years ahead of any Bob Wills steel player although I enjoyed Wills too. Being the best does not mean that the public will clammor for one of your recordings, a case in point is "Sleep Walk". Lloyd Green's version of that song is superior to the original, however the record sales or the air play, again, no comparison.

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