CMP Album Review: Hank Williams Tribute

Gene Watson has been singing professionally since the late 1950s and has been a country music (album) recording artist since the late 1960s.

Gene Watson steps into a recording studio, takes his place behind the microphone and magic happens.

Gene Watson's contribution to the country music genre is immeasurable and it is here that you have an opportunity to read reviews of Gene Watson's albums, as published in Country Music People.

Country Music People is the United Kingdom's No. 1 Award Winning Country Music Magazine, and was the recipient of the Country Music Association's 2003 Wesley Rose International Achievement Award.

Country Music People was first published in 1970 and protects its integrity fiercely.  The magazine has always brought its readers detailed, honest record reviews untainted by advertising considerations, as well as genuine interviews with country stars that are not faked from interview discs sent out by publicists and record labels.

Country Music People have long ago nailed its colours to the mast where Gene Watson is concerned.  The magazine has rigorously championed Gene's cause down through the years and have published a number of reviews of his album releases.

All reviews have been reproduced with the kind permission of Country Music People.

Various Artists: 'A Tribute to Hank Williams' (EMI Records, 1992)
Country Music People Review, March 1993

'A Tribute to Hank Williams' (EMI Records, 1992)
Track Listing

1 'Honky Tonkin' from Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
2 'Half As Much' from Glen Campbell
3 'Hey Good Looking' from Faron Young (Thursday 25 February 1932 - Tuesday 10 December 1996)
4 'I Just Don't Like This Kind Of Living' from George Jones
5 'Your Cheatin' Heart' from Jody Miller
6 'A Mansion On The Hill' from Slim Whitman
7 'I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You)' from Gene Watson
8 'Jambalaya' from Wanda Jackson
9 'There'll Be No Teardrops Tonight' from Willie Nelson
10 'Lovesick Blues' from Sonny James
11 'House Of Gold' from George Jones and Melba Montgomery
12 'May You Never Be Alone' from Tennessee Ernie Ford (Thursday 13 February 1919 - Thursday 17 October 1991)
13 'Nobody's Lonesome For Me' from Ronnie Hawkins
14 'Move It On Over' from Rose Maddox
15 'I Could Never Be Ashamed Of You' from George Jones
16 'I Saw The Light' from Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Roy Acuff (Tuesday 15 September 1903 - Monday 23 November 1992)
17 'I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry' from Glen Campbell
18 'Kaw-Liga' from Frank Ifield
19 'You Win Again' from Wanda Jackson
20 'There's A Tear In My Beer' from Big Jim Lister
21 'Why Should We Try Anymore' from Ferlin Husky (Thursday 3 December 1925 - Thursday 17 March 2011)
22 'I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive' from Asleep At The Wheel

This CMP review by Craig Baguley, which was published in the March 1993 issue of Country Music People, is reproduced here with the kind permission of the publishers.

Album Review by Craig Baguley
(•••••••••• out of 10)

'That Hank Williams is the most influential figure in modern country music cannot be denied.  His legacy of songs has had a massive impact on all fields of popular music and is familiar to households throughout the world.  That, therefore, he is one of the greatest of country songwriters is indisputable, though I would hesitate to place him on a solitary throne in that respect.  For my money, Willie Nelson ranks alongside Hank as a writer and had the taxman's favourite already been dead, gone and a legend, this would probably be accepted as received wisdom.

This various artists collection (compiled once more by Tony Byworth - hasn't he been busy?) is a hit list of typically wonderful Williams compositions.  From the musically brilliant 'Honky Tonkin' (you try writing a great one chord song) through the awesomely sorrowful 'I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry' to the gospel joy of 'I Saw The Light', this is a master at work and many of the performances here do full justice to the quality of the material.

Personal preference in that respect includes Gene Watson's tender cut of the lovely 'I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You)', an excellent performance by the unstoppable Slim Whitman on 'Mansion On The Hill', a young Willie Nelson from his United Artists days on 'There'll Be No Teardrops Tonight', a sparsely backed version (guitar and bass) of 'May You Never Be Alone' from Ernie Ford who is nowhere near my favourite singer, but whose vocal here is very appealing, the rockabilly girl Wanda Jackson on a straight country cut of 'You Win Again', a newly discovered cut on 'There's A Tear In My Beer' by Big Bill Lister (who he?) who gives a very good imitation of the great man himself, and any track by George Jones.

As fans will know, two of the songs here were not actually written by Hank Williams.  Indeed, his first number one hit and a song forever indelibly attached to his name, 'Lovesick Blues', was written in the twenties by Cliff Friend and Duke Ellington's long-time lyricist, Irving Mills.  The other, 'Half As Much', so beautiful one can be forgiven for thinking Hank did write it, was written by namesake Curly Williams and allows Glen Campbell to give one of his finest performances.

Diehard fans will surely have many of these cuts already, and I know compilation artist sets are not the most welcome additions to a record collection, but I suspect this might do quite well through non-specialist outlets such as Woolies and Smith's.  And there must be more than a few fans who would jump at the chance of listening to nearly one hour of Hank Williams by proxy'.

Craig Baguley
Country Music People
March 1993

Gene Watson CMP Album Reviews Index