Famous lyrics by »
Hiram "Hank" Williams (September 17, 1923 – January 1, 1953) was an American singer-songwriter. He is regarded as one of the most significant and influential American singers and songwriters of the 20th century. Williams recorded 55 singles that reached the top 10 of the Billboard Country & Western Best Sellers chart, five of which were released posthumously, and 12 of which reached No.1. Born and raised in Alabama, Williams learned guitar from African-American blues musician Rufus Payne. Both Payne and Roy Acuff significantly influenced his musical style. After winning an amateur talent contest, Williams began his professional career in Montgomery in the late 1930s playing on local radio stations and at area venues such as school houses, movie theaters, and bars. He formed the Drifting Cowboys backup band, which was managed by his mother, and dropped out of school to devote his time to his career. When several of his band members were drafted during World War II, he had trouble with their replacements, and he was fired and rehired several times by radio station WSFA because of his unreliability caused by his alcoholism. In 1944, Williams married Audrey Sheppard, who competed with his mother to control his career. After recording "Never Again" and "Honky Tonkin'" with Sterling Records, he signed a contract with MGM Records. He released the hit single "Move It On Over" in 1947 and joined the Louisiana Hayride radio program. The next year he released a cover of "Lovesick Blues," which quickly reached number one on Billboard's Top Country & Western singles chart and propelled him to stardom on the Grand Ole Opry. Although unable to read or notate music to any significant degree, he wrote such iconic hits as "Your Cheatin' Heart", "Hey, Good Lookin'", and "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry". In 1952, Sheppard divorced him and he married Billie Jean Horton. He was dismissed by the Grand Ole Opry because of his unreliability and alcoholism. Years of back pain, alcoholism, and prescription drug abuse severely compromised Williams' health, and at the age of 29, Williams suffered from heart failure and died suddenly in the back seat of a car near Oak Hill, West Virginia en route to a concert in Canton, Ohio on New Year's Day 1953. Despite his relatively brief career, he is one of the most celebrated and influential musicians of the 20th century, especially in country music. Many artists have covered his songs and he has influenced Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, and the Rolling Stones, among others. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1961, the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, the Native American Music Awards Hall of Fame in 1999, and gained a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2010 he was awarded a posthumous Pulitzer Prize Special Citation for his "craftsmanship as a songwriter who expressed universal feelings with poignant simplicity and played a pivotal role in transforming country music into a major musical and cultural force in American life."
Update this biography »
Complete biography of Luke the Drifter »
0 fans
Albums by Luke the DrifterSort:By AlbumA - Z
The Complete Mother's Best Recordings... Plus! [2016]
Song | Duration |
---|---|
I've Been Down That Road Before | 5:22 |
The Complete Singles As & Bs 1945-1955 [2016]
Song | Duration |
---|---|
I've Been Down That Road Before | 2:55 |
Six More Miles to the Graveyard [2011]
Song | Duration |
---|---|
I've Been Down That Road Before |
The Soundtrack To Garth Cartwright's Book: More Miles Than Money [2010]
Song | Duration |
---|---|
Ramblin' Man | 3:03 |
Collected [2006]
Song | Duration |
---|---|
I've Been Down That Road Before |
Gold [2005]
Song | Duration |
---|---|
Ramblin' Man | 3:04 |
I Dreamed About Mama Last Night | 3:01 |
Please Make Up Your Mind | 2:49 |
Turn Back the Years: The Essential Hank Williams Collection [2005]
Song | Duration |
---|---|
I've Been Down That Road Before | 2:57 |
Too Many Parties and Too Many Pals | 3:00 |
Ramblin' Man | 3:04 |
Please Make Up Your Mind | 2:49 |
Beyond the Sunset | 3:01 |
The Complete Hank Williams [1998]
Lonesome Blues [1992]
Song | Duration |
---|---|
I've Been Down That Road Before | 2:54 |
Beyond the Sunset [Bonus Tracks] [1963]
Song | Duration |
---|---|
I've Been Down That Road Before | 2:58 |
Hank Williams as Luke the Drifter [10"] [1955]
Song | Duration |
---|---|
I've Been Down That Road Before |
Unknown Album
Song | Duration |
---|---|
I've Been Down That Road Before | 2:56 |
Share your thoughts on Luke the Drifter with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In