Hank Williams - 40 Greatest Hits

Hank was a fine singer who ensured his place in popular music history by the exceptional quality of his songwriting. His songs were often recorded by pop singers of the time and this practice has continued ever since. He rarely recorded covers - so rarely that the ones he did record are often thought of as his own songs anyway.

This compilation was originally released on vinyl and later re-issued on CD. As far as song selection goes, this is the ultimate double CD of his music. The sound quality is plenty good enough for me, though it might be interesting to hear it digitally re-mastered with the latest technology.

Virtually every famous song associated with Hank can be found here, including all his own hits on the American country and pop charts. You can also find all the songs that have become popular via cover versions, some of which were only B-sides for Hank. The most significant omission (and it took me a while to notice that it was missing) is Honky...Read more

Believe it or not I purchased my copy of "Hank Williams: 40 Greatest Hits" when it was first released as a 2 LP set way back in 1978. I was not a big fan of country music in those days but I had heard and read enough about the man to know that he had played an important role in the history of American popular music. Even then I was sure that this was a collection worth owning.
Hank Williams meteoric rise to stardom began in Montgomery, Alabama as a high school student in the late 1930's. Known as "The Singing Kid" Hank hosted his very own radio show on radio station WSFA. Before long he would put together a backup band known as the Drifting Cowboys and the group began showing up in roadhouses, auditoriums and juke joints all over the region. From a very early age it was quite apparent that this young man had an awful lot of talent. However, Hank Williams' personal life was a mess. His father Lon virtually abandoned the family when Hank was very young. Hank's mom was...Read more

I never was a big fan of country music until I heard Hank Williams in the background of "The Last Picture Show". This prompted me to buy this double CD and once I listened I was hooked. I never heard such honesty, happiness, sorrow, and real life drama layed out so beautifully in any music genre. Hank sang from experience and the heart. He was a true cowboy and I can listen to his wonderful music all day. No matter who you are, there is a Hank Williams song that you can relate to and will touch your heart. I can't recommend this highly enough, Hank deserves every star in the universe for these masterpieces.