I started writing songs after I heard Hank Williams.
-Bob Dylan to Les Crane, February 1965
If it wasn’t for Elvis and Hank Williams, I couldn’t be doing what I do today.
-Bob Dylan to Robert Shelton, June 1978
To me, Hank Williams is still the best songwriter.
-Bob Dylan to Paul Zollo, April 1991
Hiram King “Hank” Williams (September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. Regarded as one of the most significant and influential American singers and songwriters of the 20th century, Williams recorded 35 singles (five released posthumously) that reached the Top 10 of the Billboard Country & Western Best Sellers chart, including 11 that ranked number one (three posthumously).
I started writing songs after I heard Hank Williams.
~Bob Dylan (The Les Crane Show, Feb 1965)
If it wasn’t for Elvis and Hank Williams, I couldn’t be doing what I do today.
~Bob Dylan (to Robert Shelton, June 1978)
The tune utilized on ‘House Of Gold’ is an obvious variant of Williams’ own ‘Lost
Highway’. Williams’ original recording was made in 1949 as a demo and released, with
overdubs, in April 1951 (Polydor 833-752). It is currently available on the “Complete
Hank Williams” box set (Mercury Records, 2000).
~The songs he didn’t write (Derek Barker)
People steal, they cheat and lie
For wealth and what it will buy.
But don’t they know on the Judgment Day
That gold and silver will melt away.
I’d rather be in a deep, dark grave
And know that my poor soul was saved
Than live in this world in a house of gold
And deny my God and doom my soul.
“House of Gold” – original recording: Hank Williams demo, late 1949/early 1950 (registered with Library of Congress, Apr 21, 1950; released — with overdubs — on Polydor LP 833-752, 1987).
First commercial recording by Milton Estes, Dec 30, 1949 (Coral 64031)
It can be explained in just one word: sincerity. When a hillbilly sings a crazy song, he feels crazy. When he sings, ‘I Laid My Mother Away,’ he sees her a-laying right there in the coffin. He sings more sincere than most entertainers because the hillbilly was raised rougher than most entertainers. You got to know a lot about hard work. You got to have smelt a lot of mule manure before you can sing like a hillbilly. The people that have been raised something like the way the hillbilly has…. knows what he sings about and appreciates it
~Hank Williams (on the success of Country Music)
Nobody had a talent for making suffering enjoyable like Hank Williams
~Kris Kristofferson
Hank Williams was the first influence I would think.
~Bob Dylan (to Billy James, Oct 1961)
I started writing songs after I heard Hank Williams.
~Bob Dylan (The Les Crane Show, 17 Feb 1965)
Hiram King “Hank” Williams, Sr. (September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. Regarded as one of the most significant and influential American singers and songwriters of the 20th century, Williams recorded 35 singles (five released posthumously) that would place in the Top 10 of the Billboard Country & Western Best Sellers chart, including 11 that ranked number one.
