An Intimate Look at Hank Williams" 6/23 on PBS

John Pelz · Post by **John Pelz** » 23 Apr 2004 10:35 pm

I didn't see any threads mentioning this, so I thought I'd pass along a blurb that I saw in a recent (yesterday's?? don't ask me, I saw it in some airport today, don't remember which one; I'm still jet-lagged) issue of "USA Today"--

An intimate look at Hank Williams
A documentary on the life of Hank Williams seeks to shed new light on the brief life of the country music icon.

"We feel this is the last time the story's going to be told in any kind of substantive way," says Morgan Neville, who directed Hank Williams: Honky Tonk Blues for PBS' American Masters series.

For the show, which premieres June 23 on PBS,[emphasis mine] Neville and Williams biographer Colin Escott trekked throughout the Southeast to interview the late singer's acquaintances, many of whom are now in their 80s. Honky Tonk Blues also features the first on-camera interview with Williams' widow, Billie Jean Horton.

"We wanted to talk to people who knew Hank but hadn't been interviewed before," Escott says. "We wanted to beat the bushes a little." The show also features several photographs and film clips, including footage from a 1949 Texas performance, that haven't been shown before.
--[written by] Brian Mansfield
copyright 2004, USA Today

Tim Whitlock · Post by **Tim Whitlock** » 27 Apr 2004 6:02 am

Thanks for the heads-up John. I'm adding this to my calendar. This very well could be "the last time the story's going to be told in any kind of substantive way". I find it sad that there is so little of Hank's influence in today's music. Country music could sure use an injection of the purity, honesty and poetry found in Hank's body of work. Hopefully this will remind everyone of his importance.

Tim Whitlock · Post by **Tim Whitlock** » 5 May 2004 11:57 am

Well, I keep waiting John, but it appears there's a whole lot more interest in "Nashville Star" than ol' Hank. Sad, sad!

John Pelz · Post by **John Pelz** » 7 May 2004 12:24 pm

bumpin' for the weekend crowd

John Pelz · Post by **John Pelz** » 14 May 2004 2:09 pm

bumpity-bump

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 14 May 2004 2:41 pm

It would be a travesty if, 100 years from now, the biography of Hank Williams would be predominantly capsulized by the movie "Your Cheatin' Heart," which is a complete, total, abject abomination. Both as a biography of any accuracy at all, as well as being close to the bottom in accomplishment in the field of American Film in general.

On the plus side, didn't George Hamilton look good? And that hottie they got to play Audrey... whoa-ahhh!

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

[This message was edited by Herb Steiner on 14 May 2004 at 03:41 PM.]

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 14 May 2004 2:53 pm

Not accurate? You mean Hank didn't have a tan darker than a sugar daddy bar?
They really kept the great casting thing going when they cast JohnBoy as Hank Jr. in his very own biopic.

John Pelz · Post by **John Pelz** » 14 May 2004 4:04 pm

Whatever your opinion may be about public broadcasting, I imagine that PBS will do a pretty good, objective job with Hank's story. I don't recall the American Masters series ever being taken to task for muck-racking!
P.S.
I'll make a point to not see "Your Cheatin' Heart"! [This message was edited by John Pelz on 14 May 2004 at 06:39 PM.]

Ernest Cawby · Post by **Ernest Cawby** » 17 May 2004 4:47 pm

We lived three blocks from him and I can tell you the half has never been told.
My wifes best friend married his lead guitar player.
His band hung out at the american guitar studio where nan and I met while taking guitar lessons.
There was once A Hank and Hesie (?spelling)
Adair as a duet in Montgomery.Smith Adair Hesie's brother played lead with Hanks band, and he was in the car the night Hank wrote I Saw The Light, It had to do with seeing the rotating beacon at the air port, someone said Isaw the light,(ANOTHER STORY)

ernie

Charles French · Post by **Charles French** » 17 May 2004 5:12 pm

Well the great line in the movie was when Audrey said to her lawyer "I ain't gonna live with no man that shoots at me" and Hank said "I ain't gonna live with no woman I gotta shoot at"

Ed Altrichter · Post by **Ed Altrichter** » 27 May 2004 7:14 pm

John Pelz · Post by **John Pelz** » 4 Jun 2004 1:53 pm

Nineteen more days until it broadcasts!

J W Hock · Post by **J W Hock** » 7 Jun 2004 6:10 am

If you can't wait for the broadcast, the DVD is now available on Amazon .com. American Masters, "Honky Tonk Blues". Got mine this morning , plan to watch it tonight.

John Pelz · Post by **John Pelz** » 15 Jun 2004 7:13 pm

about time for another bump, methinks...

Jennings Ward · Post by **Jennings Ward** » 18 Jun 2004 9:55 am

Concerning Hank Sr. I still want to cry when I think of what WAS, IS, and WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN... VERY SAD.... Jennings

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EMMONS D10 10-10 profex 2 deltafex ne1000 pv1000, pv 31 bd eq, +

Jussi Huhtakangas · Post by **Jussi Huhtakangas** » 21 Jun 2004 9:57 am

Well, I just got the DVD and I think it's great! I mean it has the usual documentary bummers, like not showing the whole footage clips (the most interesting parts of a documentary usually ) and cutting back to the interview just when Don Helms is about to solo

But there really is alot of rare footage of Hank, mostly home movies and a even one live clip from ( I believe ) Louisiana Hayride. Never seen Billie Jean interviewed before either. Don Helms performs a nice solo on THE Console Grande. Definately worth getting, if you can't tape it when it airs!

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 21 Jun 2004 1:38 pm

I haven't watched all the DVD yet but I really liked one segment where June Carter introduces her sister, Anita, and she starts to sing one of Hank's songs and before you know it, this long drink of slough water sashays in and joins her. It was Hank Williams and they finished the song off as a duet. Very, very good!
Erv

Tim Whitlock · Post by **Tim Whitlock** » 23 Jun 2004 6:16 am

Tonight's the night! Check www.pbs.org for your local listings (it's on channel 6 at 9:00 in Colorado).

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 23 Jun 2004 7:24 am

Unless I'm missing something on their web site, it's not scheduled to play at all in Dallas (KERA channel 13).

Chris Schlotzhauer · Post by **Chris Schlotzhauer** » 23 Jun 2004 7:46 am

Bummer Jim, I didn't find it either.

John Pelz · Post by **John Pelz** » 23 Jun 2004 8:08 am

Looks like you guys (Chris & Jim) get a show on Henry Luce -- this Friday, to boot. Houston's KUHT/Channel 8 is showing the Hank show tonight; if you happen to have cable & a line-up that carries KUHT, then I guess you're in luck. (I don't know about the PBS line-up in Texas, but the cable line-up here in the Cincinnati area carries both the Cincy & Dayton PBS stations, so maybe your cable might have something similar???) Here's the Hank line-up on various Texas PBS stations. Hope you guys can get one of those stations... [This message was edited by John Pelz on 23 June 2004 at 09:11 AM.]

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 23 Jun 2004 9:37 am

If you use a 10 foot big ugly dish it's on T6 transponder 8 at 8:00 PM EST tonite.

John LeMaster · Post by **John LeMaster** » 23 Jun 2004 1:31 pm

I agree with Herb: Susan Oliver (Audrey in the movie) was a knockout.

Hank,Jr. did the vocals on the sound track, if my memory is correct.

One scene in the movie has Fred Rose telling Hank to write a song about a lost love (as a test of Hank's songwriting ability) while Mr. Rose went out to lunch. When Rose came back, the movie has Hank singing "I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love with You)".
At Chattanooga, Don Helms told much the same story, except the song was "Mansion on The Hill". Either way, it is a neat story.

John L.

Leroy Riggs · Post by **Leroy Riggs** » 23 Jun 2004 7:50 pm

I just finished watching this show about Hank and it was very revealing. It was done very professional and treated Hank as he should be treated--with great respect. Much information was discussed that I never knew about Hank and, of course, it was great to see Mr. Helms. To the producers and editors of the show, a job well done.

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 23 Jun 2004 10:36 pm

Just finished watching the show....for a PBS production, I felt the way they merged music and photo's was superb!

JERRY BYRD opened the program with his fabulous steel guitar playing which was technically altered so that JERRY's solo was heard as a full verse of the song.

Great steel playing by Jerry. Great to see Billy Robinson once again, always friendly and happy. Don Helms solo was equally nice and really gripped you as you listened.