At the peak of his career in 1951, Hank Williams recorded 143 songs for the Mother's Best Flour Company. Hank sang with his regular studio band and recorded his hits as well as many songs he never recorded commercially any... more »where else. From this amazing legacy, Time Life is proud to release this historic 3 CD, 54 track collection drawn from the very best of the Mother's Best recordings.« less
At the peak of his career in 1951, Hank Williams recorded 143 songs for the Mother's Best Flour Company. Hank sang with his regular studio band and recorded his hits as well as many songs he never recorded commercially anywhere else. From this amazing legacy, Time Life is proud to release this historic 3 CD, 54 track collection drawn from the very best of the Mother's Best recordings.
"This set is an astonishingly great addition to Hank Williams' recorded legacy. The 54 songs are all previously unreleased (28 of which are the only existing versions recorded by Hank Williams). These are peak-period 'Live In The Studio' recordings that equal or surpass the quality of Williams' studio masters in performance and sound quality (with a few exceptions). Some songs are preceded or followed by studio chatter, conversation, introductions or promotion of the sponsor's product (Mother's Best Flour)--and the effect is like having Hank Williams and his band in the room with you, performing his hits, personal favorite songs and brand new compositions, just for you circa 1951, if you could time travel. And now you can."
A Tidal Wave of Good Fortune for Hank's Fans
Rabid Shutterbug | Alabama | 10/29/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Unbelievable! This is like finding the end of a rainbow for Hank's fans. Joe Palmaccio (credited with sound restoration and mastering) deserves to have his picture printed on folding money. I have over the years come into the possession of unreleased performances (like a different version of this collection's first mind-blowing cut "Blue Eyes Crying In the Rain," which even has another verse); but the sound quality is nothing as good as that of most all of the songs on here; some of it sounds just like a studio record from the period.
And like a studio record, Hank is singing each song 110%. The hair on the back of my neck was up from beginning to end. It's a great day for Hank's fans to be alive! I'm one of the devoted fan who would have walked across Texas in July just for the privilege of paying 10 times what these recordings cost, and still considered myself lucky; this has to be the best buy in music history. Thankfully "The Complete Hank Williams" (which is friggin excellent, by the way) was misnamed. If "On Top of Old Smoky" or "I'll Sail My Ship Alone" don't become current radio hits, then there's little hope for mankind left. The opener on Disc 2, "I Can't Help it if I'm Still in Love With You," again, is worth the cost of this whole collection, as would be just all the banter and talking on them. What a treasure trove.
A heartfelt 'thank you' to all who made this friggin incredible collection possible. It's the best thing to happen to Hank's fans in at least a decade; I feel sorry for all Hank's fans who never got to hear this collection; this must be how winning the lottery feels.
Rabid Shutterbug
Montgomery, Alabama"
Nothing short of a miracle!
Jared Thibeau | Toronto, Ontario | 10/28/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I don't know where to start my praise for this set -- I could start at its mere existence, almost 60 years from the date of the original broadcasts. Or I could marvel at the astonishing sound quality of most of these cuts -- indeed overall it is better than the studio cuts, and I'm sure much care has been devoted to the restoration. Or I could focus on the emotive delivery, the pleasure of listening to Hank's mournful wail, how his love of the music shows through in every verse, and how the accompaniment, especially the steel guitar, provides the ideal backdrop to that voice.
PS there's an amazing booklet will all kinds of interesting photos!"
Country and Western Holy Grail
Chris | rittman, ohio United States | 10/31/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The first installment of a three year project of what will eventually be a 143 song release of the Mother's Best Radio Programs leaves the listener speechless.
It's that good!
Although a few of these tracks surfaced in bootleg form in the 80s,this is such a great mastering job it's like hearing Hank for the fist time.
Of particular interest is the heartfelt rendering of numerous Gospel standards with full background harmonies not heard in the MGM studio recordings.
In addition,Hank's Martin Guitar is mixed way up front and adds a rich musical depth to the procedings.
Songs like Hank's "Dear John" and his interpretation of "Cherokee Boogie " clearly point the way toward primitive Rockabilly.
The packaging and design are first rate,and appropriately compliment this treasure chest of so much cultural and musical significance.
Colin Escott's in-depth track by track annotation clearly sets the bar at a stratopheric level.It simply doesn't get better than this.
I only hope that the other installments are moved up on the release schedule so we don't have to wait any longer than necessary for the completion of this masterwork.
"
Makes me feel 13 again
Pawpaw Bruce | Asheville, NC United States | 11/09/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I know I'm 70, but Hank Williams has made me feel like I'm 13 again with the release of these 54 songs from 1951 radio shows. This is the most pleasant listening experience I've had in years. When these shows were made, I was busy collecting as much Hank Williams music as I could afford. At 79 cents for a new 45 rpm release and a quarter for used records out of jukeboxes, that was a major purchase for a kid making it on a weekly allowance. I am familiar with many of the Acuff-Rose songs made famous by others, particularly Roy Acuff and Johnnie & Jack, but Hank adds a special touch to these numbers. A real shocker is announcer Cousin Louie Buck's spoof of the Ink Spots when Hank sings "If I Didn't Love You". That would be unthinkable on the air in 2008, but I understand how it was OK in 1951. These performances lend more credibility to my claim that I was lucky to know country music when it really was country. It doesn't get any better than this. The exchanges between Hank and Cousin Louie Buck and the band demonstrate what a truly great man Hank was. Despite his poverty stricken youth, his lack of education, poor health, and self-inflicted problems, he was a genius who understood us humans better than most of us do. We already knew that but this box confirms it again."
Track Listings (18) - Disc #1
