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

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Author	Topic: An Intimate Look at Hank Williams" 6/23 on PBS
John Pelz Member From: Maineville, Ohio, USA	posted 23 April 2004 11:35 PM profile 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 Member From: Arvada, CO, USA	posted 27 April 2004 07:02 AM profile 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 Member From: Arvada, CO, USA	posted 05 May 2004 12:57 PM profile 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 Member From: Maineville, Ohio, USA	posted 07 May 2004 01:24 PM profile bumpin' for the weekend crowd
John Pelz Member From: Maineville, Ohio, USA	posted 14 May 2004 03:09 PM profile bumpity-bump
Herb Steiner Member From: Cedar Valley, Travis County TX	posted 14 May 2004 03:41 PM profile 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! ------------------ 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 Member From: Brooklyn, NY	posted 14 May 2004 03:53 PM profile 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 Member From: Maineville, Ohio, USA	posted 14 May 2004 05:04 PM profile 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 Member From: Lake City, Florida, USA	posted 17 May 2004 05:47 PM profile 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 Member From: Ms.	posted 17 May 2004 06:12 PM profile 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 Member From: Schroeder, Minnesota, USA	posted 27 May 2004 08:14 PM profile
John Pelz Member From: Maineville, Ohio, USA	posted 04 June 2004 02:53 PM profile Nineteen more days until it broadcasts!
J W Hock Member From: Anderson, Texas, USA	posted 07 June 2004 07:10 AM profile 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 Member From: Maineville, Ohio, USA	posted 15 June 2004 08:13 PM profile about time for another bump, methinks...
Jennings Ward Member From: Edgewater, Florida, USA	posted 18 June 2004 10:55 AM profile Concerning Hank Sr. I still want to cry when I think of what WAS, IS, and WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN... VERY SAD.... Jennings ------------------ EMMONS D10 10-10 profex 2 deltafex ne1000 pv1000, pv 31 bd eq, +
Jussi Huhtakangas Member From: Helsinki, Finland	posted 21 June 2004 10:57 AM profile 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 Member From: Litchfield, MN, USA	posted 21 June 2004 02:38 PM profile 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 Member From: Arvada, CO, USA	posted 23 June 2004 07:16 AM profile Tonight's the night! Check www.pbs.org for your local listings (it's on channel 6 at 9:00 in Colorado).
Jim Smith Member From: Plano, TX, USA	posted 23 June 2004 08:24 AM profile Unless I'm missing something on their web site, it's not scheduled to play at all in Dallas (KERA channel 13).
Chris Schlotzhauer Member From: Colleyville, Tx. USA	posted 23 June 2004 08:46 AM profile Bummer Jim, I didn't find it either.
John Pelz Member From: Maineville, Ohio, USA	posted 23 June 2004 09:08 AM profile 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 Member From: Limestone, New York, USA	posted 23 June 2004 10:37 AM profile If you use a 10 foot big ugly dish it's on T6 transponder 8 at 8:00 PM EST tonite.
John LeMaster Member From: St. Johns County, FL	posted 23 June 2004 02:31 PM profile 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 Member From: High Country, CO	posted 23 June 2004 08:50 PM profile 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 Member From: Portland, OR, USA	posted 23 June 2004 11:36 PM profile 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.
Tony Prior Member From: Charlotte NC	posted 24 June 2004 03:18 AM profile I too watched a bit of it last night..it is a good show..hopefully when it's on again I'll be able to tape it and watch it.. Very well done..not patronizing in any way.. t
Scott Houston unregistered	posted 24 June 2004 04:23 AM Very well done, but as with most musical documentaries, I wish there had been more MUSIC. Isn't that kind of why Hank was documentary worthy? There were at least half a dozen brief five second clips where it would have been great to see and hear the whole performance. Nice to see Don Helms doing well though. and a nice touch that they filmed him playing during his interview.
Janice Brooks Moderator From: Pleasant Gap Pa	posted 24 June 2004 05:02 AM profile I was glad to see a comment from Billie Joe but her looks !!!! ------------------ Janice "Busgal" Brooks ICQ 44729047
Tim Whitlock Member From: Arvada, CO, USA	posted 24 June 2004 06:04 AM profile I thoroughly enjoyed this documentary, but like others, I wanted more music, especially live performances. What a presence the man had...gave me chills (the Anita Carter duet was heartbreakingly good). Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, today can come close to the honesty and poetry of Hank's music. Loved the interviews with all the old Drifting Cowboys. Those that own the DVD, are there some good extra features included? Does anyone know of a source for decent quality Hank Williams live performances?
J W Hock Member From: Anderson, Texas, USA	posted 24 June 2004 06:47 AM profile For me the revelation was the amount of film footage that was apparently out there. For years it was thought that only exiting film of Hank performing live was the one of him singing "Hey Good Lookin" on the Kate Smith Show! By the way, the song they used on the soundtrack toward the end , Midnight , is that a Red Foley song ?
Erv Niehaus Member From: Litchfield, MN, USA	posted 24 June 2004 07:12 AM profile If you buy the DVD, there are some additional segments on the end of the DVD. There are some more interviews with band members along with a photo gallery Yes, "Midnight" is a Red Foley song. Erv
John Pelz Member From: Maineville, Ohio, USA	posted 24 June 2004 07:49 AM profile Great show! I only wish it'd been 2 hours long instead of one -- then maybe they could have included lengthier archival footage. Oh, well... The DVD version is available for $16.38 at Amazon.com. If your order totals at least $25.00, you can opt for free shipping.
David Doggett Member From: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA	posted 24 June 2004 07:49 AM profile I tuned in half way through. What I saw was great, but of course I wish there were more full length verses and songs, and more steel shots. Hey, Good Lookin' is about the first pop song I remember hearing as a little kid in Mississippi. I may have to get this DVD. Imagine if there was an 80 year old Hank around today. Hmmm...maybe it's better that we remember him this way.
Greg Vincent Member From: Los Angeles, CA USA	posted 24 June 2004 07:58 AM profile Good gravy his second wife was a looker!!! I couldn't help thinking that maybe today's medicine could have solved Hank's back problems, or at least made them bearable. Too bad it wasn't available to him during his life. Thanks to PBS for bringing us this show --CMT probably had no interest. -GV [This message was edited by Greg Vincent on 24 June 2004 at 08:01 AM.] [This message was edited by Greg Vincent on 24 June 2004 at 08:02 AM.]
Jussi Huhtakangas Member From: Helsinki, Finland	posted 24 June 2004 09:57 AM profile The DVD is definately worth getting, it claims to ( I didn't see the PBS version for obvious reasons ) be a "director's cut", over 30 minutes longer than the aired version, plus 15 minutes worth of extras. Btw, all the songs Hank did on the Kate Smith show exist on video, I'm not sure how many exactly there are, something like 3-5. My brother-in-law has them but I haven't seen them yet. I think he got the tape from ebay.

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