33 Rare Overdubs/Alternate Demos in this 8-Volume Set!!!
Gerald L. Russell | Knoxville, TN USA | 02/28/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Hank Williams singing with just his guitar? Hank wouldn't have wanted it that way, and here you have "Rockin' Chair Money," "We Live in Two Different Worlds," and "Devil's Train." Hank's solo performances are backed up by his Drifting Cowboys and steel guitarist, Don Helms. My God, they sound better than Hank's studio originals! Some of the other volumes even have alternate demos different from THE COMPLETE HANK WILLIAMS! These include "Angel of Death (Volume 6)," "House of Gold (Volume 8)," "Crazy Heart (alternate studio version, Volume 7)," "Jesus Died for Me (Hank without Audrey, Volume 7)," "The Apology (Volume 8)." Buy the series and burn the rare tracks!"
The legacy continues
Ronald George Reagan | Steele, MO | 07/08/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Picking up in Vol. 3 of "The Collector's Edition", this focuses on Hank before he really knew he was going to be a huge star. This picks up from the recording session of Vol. 2 "Lost Highway" with the recording of "Lovesick Blues". Initially, Fred Rose did not want Hank to record this song. Hank had been getting good response from the song, but Rose considered it throw-away material. To show his disdain for the song, an old Sterling take was thrown on the "B" side of the record. Apparently, the American public disagreed with Rose as this stayed on the charts for 46 weeks!
Also included in the session cuts are "Rootie Tootie", "On The Banks of the Old Ponchartrain", "Fly Trouble", "I'm Satisfied With You" and a few others obviously showing Hank trying different things to find that all important niche.
The non-session takes are quite interesting. Standouts are the overdubs "We Live In Two Different Worlds" and "The Devil's Train". Also the first inclusion of Hank's live cut of "When God Dips His Love In My Heart".
This is certainly a worth owning set, but once you get one, you'll want the whole set, so try to find it in whole!"